The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 23 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 287 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 23 of 55.

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 23 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 287 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 23 of 55.

In order to put the decision of the conference into execution, the governor ordered Martin de Goiti to land with fifty well-armed soldiers.  By means of the interpreter, Pacheco, he was to announce the articles of peace to the Indians; and declare that, if they did not accord what was so reasonable to all, then they should prepare for the war, which, from that moment was proclaimed on them as rebels.  The Indians paid no more heed to this than to all the rest that had been told them.  Thus it was necessary to make use of their arms.  The arquebuses were fired more to scare than to harm the Indians; for, as soon as those natives heard the report, being so little used to them, their terror was so great, that, without awaiting more, they abandoned the shore and village, fled to the hills, and allowed the soldiers to collect the swine that were found there, and the fowls and rice that they could carry away.  All this was appraised at its just value, and the money given to the chief’s son, whom the commander still kept with him, in order that he might take it to the village.  He was also to inform the inhabitants that the need of the Spaniards compelled them to take by force of arms what the Indians refused to sell for money, and nevertheless after they had been able to accomplish what was seen, yet they were paying for it, which was a sufficient indication of the Spaniards’ fair and open proceeding, so contrary to what the Indians had done.  He was ordered to return with the reply, notwithstanding its tenor.  Since he was ruler of that village in the absence of his father, he should reduce the people to obedience, and counsel them to do what was so thoroughly to their interest.  Camutuan, who listened to all of the above, and seemingly assented to it, took the money and promised to fulfil his charge with success.  But as soon as he left the ship, he acted just as the others had done; for in their method of acting all the Indians are cut out by one pair of shears.  To a greater or less degree, all of them are a unit.  Whoever has seen one of them, might well say that he has seen all.  The chiefs, by the very fact of their chieftaincy, should have some better mode of procedure; yet they are so little better than the others that it can scarcely be perceived.  The commander, who was aware that that matter must be settled finally with arms, yet did not wish to leave anything undone.  Consequently, to procure the peace justly, he determined to leave that village of Cabalian and go to another, called Manchagua, where report said that the first Spaniards had landed.  To this end he despatched the master-of-camp and Father Urdaneta ahead to offer peace to the chief of that village by means of a present.  The commander went with his fleet from this village to the island of Camiguin, where he succeeded likewise in finding no people, who but recently were all to be found.  Our men made many other efforts, and even took as intermediary a Moro factor of the king of Burney, who

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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 23 of 55 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.