The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 | Page 8

the first person, and gives a very
readable and interesting account of the expedition. He describes a
Patagonian thus: "He was huge of body, and ugly. He was clad in a
zebra skin, and on his head he bore a plume made of ostrich feathers; [7]
he carried a bow, and on his feet had fastened some bits of leather." He
describes, briefly and graphically, the storms that scattered the ships
and caused the foundering of the "Santi Spiritus." Shortly after entering
the strait, "a pot of pitch took fire on the commander's ship, and the
ship began to burn, and little was lacking that we did not burn in it, but
by God's help, and the great care exercised, we put out the fire." "We
left the strait in the month of May, five hundred and twenty-six [_sic_]

[8]--the commander's ship, two caravels, and the tender. A few days
afterward we had a very great storm, by the violence of which we were
separated from one another, and we never saw each other again.... In
these adversities died the accountant Tejada and the pilot Rodrigo
Bermejo. On the thirtieth of July died the captain-general Fray Garcia
de Loaisa, and by a secret provision of his majesty, Juan Sebastian del
Cano was sworn in as captain-general ... On the fourth of August ...
died Juan Sebastian del Cano, and the nephew of the commander
Loaisa, [9] who was accountant-general." When they reached the
Ladrones "we found here a Galician ... who was left behind in this
island with two companions from the ship of Espinosa; and, the other
two dying, he was left alive.... The Indians of these islands go about
naked, wearing no garments. They are well built men; they wear their
hair long, and their beards full. They possess no iron tools, performing
their work with stones. They have no other weapons than spears--some
with points hardened with fire, and some having heads made from the
shin bones of dead men, and from fish-bones. In these islands we took
eleven Indians to work the pump, because of the great number of sick
men in the ship." The trouble with the Portuguese in the Moluccas is
well narrated. Of the people of Java, Urdaneta says: "The people of this
island are very warlike and gluttonous. They possess much bronze
artillery, which they themselves cast. They have guns too, as well as
lances like ours, and well made." Others of their weapons are named.
Further details of negotiations with the Portuguese are narrated, as well
as various incidents of Urdaneta's homeward trip in a Portuguese vessel
by way of the Cape of Good Hope. He disembarks at Lisbon on June 6,
1636, where certain papers and other articles are taken from him. The
relation closes with information regarding various islands, and the
advantages of trading in that region. He mentions among the islands
some of the Philippines: "Northwest of Maluco lies Bendenao
[Mindanao]...in this island there is cinnamon, much gold, and an
extensive pearl-fishery. We were informed that two junks come from
China every year to this island for the purpose of trade. North of
Bendenao is Cebú, and according to the natives it also contains gold,
for which the Chinese come to trade each year." (No. xxvi, pp.
401-439.)

Voyage of Alvaro de Saavedra 1527-28
[These documents are printed in the latter part of the appendix to
volume v of Navarrete's _Col. de viages_; and although the voyage of
Saavedra is connected so intimately with that of Loaisa, it is thought
better to present it separately therefrom, as a whole, inasmuch as this
was the first expedition fitted out in the New World for the islands in
the far East. It is evident thus early that the vantage point of New
Spain's position as regards these islands was clearly recognized. The
letter from Cortés to the king of Cebú is given entire, as being
somewhat more closely within the scope of this work than are the other
documents.]
Granada, June 20, 1526. By a royal decree Cortés is ordered to
despatch vessels from New Spain to ascertain what has become of the
"Trinidad" [10] and her crew that was left in the Moluccas; to discover
news of the expedition of Loaisa, as well as that under command of
Sebastian Cabot which had sailed also to the same region. [11] He is
advised to provide articles for trade and ransom, and to secure for the
expedition the most experienced men whom he can find--it is especially
desirable that the pilot should be such. The king has written to Ponce de
Leon and other officials to furnish all the help necessary. (No. xxvii, pp.
440-441.)
May, 1527. Following the custom of the king in fitting out expeditions,
Cortés issues instructions to the various