The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 38, 1674-1683

Volume 38 — CHAPTER VIII

Reading edition

Of my stay in the kingdom of Macasar

[The large and fertile island of Macasar, which is located near Borneo, is ruled by one called the sumbanco (signifying “emperor”), who has many petty kings subject to him. Commerce is brisk, and ships from Manila, Goa, and Macao, and Dutch and English ships, frequent the island. The Portuguese of Malacca and the Mahometans from Siam were the first to publish the name of God there. “Before that trade opened, they were all heathen; they thought it well to accept one of the two faiths, and to follow it. Not to err in so necessary a matter, they resolved to employ a ridiculous method, namely, to despatch at the same time a boat to Sian for Moros, and another to Malacca for religious, agreeing that they would receive the first ones who arrived.” The Moros arrived first through the fault of the Portuguese. When Malacca falls to the Dutch, many Portuguese and mestizos take refuge at Macasar, where they are well received and form a considerable settlement. It is a haven for traders, for there are no duties of any kind, but the captains need only make presents to the sumbanco. The prince receives Navarrete well, and visits him at the house of an influential Portuguese. The churches of the Dominicans and Jesuits have been destroyed at the request of the bishop of Malacca, whence have arisen various troubles. Soon after, Navarrete pays a visit to the prince in the palace, where he sees various books and maps that had belonged to the missions. An embassy at that time from Jacatra finally results in war with the Dutch, who conquer the natives in 1670, and carry off the sumbanco and prince. As a consequence all the Portuguese leave the island. At Macasar, Navarrete meets the chief of Mindoro who had been captured four years before. The missionary preaches in Macasar through Lent, but the native rulers do not become Christians. Two Portuguese arrested for a murder by the sumbanco are promised life if they will renounce Christianity. One, refusing, is killed immediately; the other, acquiescing, is allowed to live, but soon escapes to Macao. Many of the Portuguese slaves have become Mahometans; and, in addition, Christians and Mahometans are living together in concubinage. In Borneo are more than four thousand captive Indians from Manila. “In all the islands of that archipelago there are Indians from Philipinas, either refugees or captives. Wherever I have been, from China to Surrate, I found people from Manila and its islands. People try, forsooth, to impute the decrease of the Indians to other and fanciful beginnings; but let them be well treated, and they will not flee. Let them be protected, and they will not be captured. No vessel leaves Manila, whether it is of Portuguese, or Siamese, or Cambodians, etc., that does not carry Indians from the islands.” In May, 1658, a Portuguese ship from Goa arrives at the island with information of the loss of Ceylon. Among its passengers are some Franciscans and Jesuits. Navarrete, tired of the sea, determines to go to Macan with the other religious, and devote his life to the Chinese missions.]

Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · Diaz’s account ante, gives this name as Juan de Velas. The Franciscan was Antonio de San Gregorio. ↑Note 2 · In no. 11 of his first tratado, p. 39, Navarrete says of this fruit: “The lechia, called li chi by the Chinese, is considered in that region Note 3 · Apparently referring to the direction of the wind, as determined on the circumference of the compass or other instrument. ↑Note 4 · The calantas, or Philippine cedar (Cedrela, of the order Meliaceæ); it is a valuable lumber tree. ↑Note 5 · See list of Philippine fiber plants in Official Handbook of the Philippines (Manila, 1903), part i, pp. 328–339; also list of fruits and veg Note 6 · Literally, “woman fish”—the dugong (VOL. XXIX, p. 302). See Delgado’s detailed description of this creature, made from personal examination Note 7 · The maguey or American agave (Agave vivipara) was introduced into the Philippines from America, and is cultivated there to a slight extent. Note 8 · A reference to Matthew xxiv, 40: “Then two shall be in the field: one shall be taken, and one shall be left.” ↑Note 9 · The ecclesiastical ceremony of washing the feet of twelve persons on Maundy Thursday. ↑Note 10 · i.e., “the things that are their own, and not the things that are Jesus Christ’s.” ↑Note 11 · The garfish or sea-needle (Belone vulgaris). ↑Note 12 · The village and lake of Nauján. The former is located on the Nauján River, about two miles from its mouth in northeastern Mindoro. The lake Note 13 · Misprint for the lake of Bombon. ↑Note 14 · Oton and Iloilo are here confused with the island of Panay, and Caraga with that of Mindanao. ↑Note 15 · Navarrete says (Tratados, p. 2): “The Chinese traders who crossed over to Manila, when asked who they were and what they desired, answered, Note 16 · The guayaba or guava (Psidium guayava), well-known and valued in America for its acid fruit, and early introduced thence into the Philippine Note 17 · The macupa (Eugenio malaccensis—Linn.) is about the size of a sweet pepper and of somewhat the same shape, rather larger and quite red in co Note 18 · See VOL. XVI, p. 87, note 72. See also Census of Philippines, p. 125. ↑Note 19 · Athanasius Kircher was born near Fulda, Germany, in 1602, and became a Jesuit novice at the age of sixteen. He was for several years a teach Note 20 · The small sapota or chico zapote (Achras sapota—Linn.) was, according to Delgado, peculiar to Nueva España. The tree is tall, wide-spreading Note 21 · Ates (Anona squamosa—Linn.) is a fruit somewhat resembling in appearance a small pineapple. Its exterior is green and the interior white, an Note 22 · The iguana is very abundant in some localities, and sometimes attains a size of five feet, and can swallow fair-sized fowls whole. They are Note 23 · Tunasan is in the province of Laguna, which is thus mentioned in the U. S. Philippine Gazetteer (p. 574): “This province is considered the g Note 24 · In the irrigated lands of Pangasinán the rice yield is eighty-fold; in dry lands fifty-fold; in highlands of the third class, at least forty Note 25 · In the Dominican mission of 1632 came a lay-brother named Fray Diego de Santa María, a son of the convent at Sevilla. Through charity, he sh Note 26 · “The boys themselves received ten pesos each for assisting at burials, which were very frequent” (Reseña biográfica, i, p. 420). ↑Note 27 · Used here because the secular clergy wear a bonnet, in contradistinction to a friar, who wears a hood or cowl. See Appleton’s New Velázquez Note 28 · Theses controverted and defended in the schools. See ut supra. ↑Note 29 · Spanish, andauan a la rebatiña—a locution which can hardly find an exact equivalent in English. ↑Note 30 · On the northern coast of the island Celebes were two villages named Bool and Tontoli, about twenty (Dutch) miles apart; see Valentyn’s Oud e Note 31 · The most important starch-producing palm of the Philippines is the buri (Corypha umbraculifera) which gave name to the island of Burias and Note 32 · A reference to Psalm cxlvii, v. 16: “[Praise the Lord,] Who giveth snow like wool.” ↑Note 33 · Valentyn mentions the village of Cajeli (Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indien, deel iii, p. 134 of section on Macasar). Crawfurd describes Kaili as a co Note 34 · Probably the paper mulberry (Brousson etia papyrifera), from which the South Sea islanders make their clothing, using the inner bark. See Cr Note 35 · On the map in Valentyn’s work, referred to in note 30, ante, appears the village of Mamoia, north of Macasar. ↑Note 36 · Mandhar is a district of Celebes, lying between Kaili and Macasar; its people have a language peculiar to themselves, and are among the more Note 37 · The procurator-general of the Dominicans in Madrid, Fray Pedro Diaz del Cosio, made a representation to the queen-regent in August, 1674, in