The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 43, 1670-1700

Volume 43 — Chapter IX (continued 2)

Reading edition

Such is the blackest event registered by the annals of this gulf, which paralyzed for many years the reduction of the heathens.

In my opinion the means that will resist the evil influence of the Moros are: 1. To eliminate the offices of dato and pandita, implanting in their stead in the Moro villages the legislation in force in the Christian villages by naming municipalities with which the government will deal directly. 2. The exclusion of holding public offices to those who have been datos or panditas and their children. 3. Absolute prohibition to the datos to continue the collection of tribute from their own people and the heathens of other races. 4. The stipulation and publication of the autonomy of the heathens in regard to the Moros, prohibiting the latter absolutely from meddling in the affairs of the heathens. 5. The intimation to all the heathens and Moros of their obligation as men and as subjects of the crown of España, to live in villages in a civilized manner. 6, and last. To reduce the Moros into the least possible number of groups and away from the mouths of the Tágum and Hijo rivers, where the members of the Mandaya race must construct their villages, that being the nearest location.

In my opinion the above are the means which, if faithfully followed out, will reduce the pernicious influence of the Moros to a cipher, and in a few years would cause an infinite number of villages to flourish, which could be formed from the great multitude of heathens of the various races who are scattered about the extensive gulf of Dávao. With that system, I also shelter the hope that very many Moros, who do not belong to the class of the datos and panditas, will enter, if it is not delayed, the net of Jesus Christ.

With the half company which is on duty here, together with the cuadrilleros and the marine forces who guard these waters, there is more than sufficient for the accomplishment of all that I have stated in the present letter.

I commend myself many times to the holy prayers of your Reverence.

Your Reverence’s servant in Christ,

Quiríco Moré, S. J.

Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · Fray Tomás Ortiz took the Augustinian habit at the age of nineteen, at the Valladolid convent in 1687. Within a short time after his arrival Note 2 · The calumpang tree (Sterculia fœtida—Linn.) grows to a great size; its roots branch out half way up the trunk, and are so large that a roof Note 3 · Many instances of ancestor worship by the peoples of the Philippines are recorded in this series. There is no evidence that suggests that th Note 4 · This is the anting-anting. See Retana’s Aniterías, which gives examples of formulas, most of which are a meaningless conglomeration of words Note 5 · A Tagálog word for a sort of earthen vessel. See Noceda and Sanlucar’s Vocabulario de la lengua tagala.Note 6 · The translation of the title-page of the Historia is as follows: “History of the Philipinas Islands, composed by the reverend father lector,Note 7 · Louis Lapicque, chief of the laboratory of the faculty of Medicine in Paris, was commissioned by the Minister of Public Instruction in 1892 Note 8 · Angola, formerly called Dongo or Ambonde, is located on the west coast of Africa. Its coast was discovered in 1486 by the Spaniards who stil Note 9 · Of the Bontoc Igorot, Albert Ernest Jenks, chief of the Ethnological Survey of the Philippines, says (The Bontoc Igorot, Manila, 1905, p. 14 Note 10 · That the theory of the origin of the Filipino peoples here expressed is false needs no demonstration. The peoples of the Philippines show tw Note 11 · The San Duisk Islands are the Sandwich or Hawaiian Islands; and the Otayti Islands are the Society Islands, so called from their largest isl Note 12 · Easter Island, so called because discovered by Roggeveen on Easter of 1772; called also Waihu, Teapi, and by the natives Rapanui. The inhabi Note 13 · The Tagálog word for “house” is bahay, not balay.Note 14 · A reference to La Araucana, a Spanish epic poem written by Alonso de Ercilla y Zuñiga, the first part of which (15 cantos) was published at Note 15 · In May, 1874, three canoes containing sixteen savages were driven by gales from the Pelew Islands, and after drifting on the ocean sixty day Note 16 · Charles Wilkes was born in New York City, in 1798. He entered the U. S. navy as midshipman in 1818, and sailed in the Mediterranean and Paci Note 17 · i.e., The island of Busuang̃a, the largest of the Calamianes group, which has an area of 390 square miles. See Census of Philippines, i, p. Note 18 · i.e., The island of Ambolón, south of Mindoro, of four square miles. See ut supra, i, p. 267.Note 19 · The island of Simara, near Romblón.Note 20 · “Although Spain had jurisdiction over these islands for more than three centuries, little topographic information had been acquired regardin Note 21 · The population is given by the Census for 1903 (ii, p. 30) as 743,646.Note 22 · On my arrival at Singapore, this circumstance was investigated by a court of inquiry. The result showed that Mr. Knox had no knowledge of th Note 23 · The full name of this village is San José de Buenavista. It is the capital of Antique.Note 24 · The crest of the mountains in Panay is a few miles inland from the west coast. Among the peaks of that range, are the following: Usigan, 4,3 Note 25 · Wilkes accompanies (p. 349) this description of Caldera fort with a sketch.Note 26 · There are two islands called Sangboy, one called the north island and the other the south island. They both belong to the Pilas group of the Note 27 · Wilkes presents figures of both the whole canoe and a cross section, on p. 353.Note 28 · For the methods of fishing in the Philippines, see Official Handbook, p. 151. Wilkes also mentions (v, pp. 321, 322) various methods, namely Note 29 · Evidently at the village of Joló.Note 30 · On p. 354, Wilkes presents a sketch of houses at Soung—the typical Moro house.Note 31 · A full-page engraving of the “Mosque in the town of Sooloo” faces page 354 of Wilkes’s narrative.Note 32 · Chewing the betel-nut and pepper-leaf also produce this effect, and is carried on to a great extent among these islanders.—Wilkes.Note 33 · Cf. the description of the betel caskets given by Morga, VOL. XVI, p. 99.Note 34 · The Sultan, on the visit of one of our merchant-vessels, had informed the supercargo that he wished to encourage our trade, and to see the v Note 35 · An engraving made from this sketch is given by Wilkes facing p. 358.Note 36 · Opium is known by its Arabic name “afyun” throughout the Eastern Archipelago. Crawfurd asserts that its moderate use produces no worse resul Note 37 · Since our return, inquiries have been made by him, which resulted in proving that such was in truth their origin, and that the vessel in whi Note 38 · Marongas belongs to the Joló group of the Sulu Archipelago, and has an area of .4 square miles. See Census of Philippines, i, p. 284.Note 39 · The Sulug or Sulus were the dominant people of Joló before their conversion to Mahometanism, and still maintain that position. The bulk of t Note 40 · Orang is the Malay term for man or human being. As used here it would mean “the men,” i. e., “nobles.”Note 41 · The tripang or sea-slug (Holothuria edulis), which is esteemed as a great delicacy by the Chinese.Note 42 · Evidently the people called Guimbajanos by the historians of the eighteenth century. From Wilkes’s description, they would appear to be at l Note 43 · Banjarmasin is a principality and river on the southern side of Borneo, the word meaning in Javanese “salt or saline garden.” The sovereignt Note 44 · The Chinese emperor at this time was Choo Yuen Chang, the founder of the Ming dynasty, who defeated Chunti, the last of the Mongol dynasty, Note 45 · See Montero y Vidal’s account of Joloan affairs during this period, in his Historia, i, pp. 475–548, 561–581, ii, pp. 6–77, 575, 576.Note 46 · Manila was captured by the English October 6 (or, October 5, according to Spanish reckoning), 1762 (not 1763). See A plain Narrative (London Note 47 · This name is derived from the large bay that makes in on the south side of the island of Mindanao, and on which a set of free-booters reside Note 48 · Pulo Toolyan is Tulaian of the Jolo group of the Sulu Archipelago, with an area of .5 sq. mi.; Tonho may be Tang̃o or Tangu of the Tawi Tawi Note 49 · In 1861 a number of light steam gunboats with steel hulls and of twenty or thirty horsepower were constructed in England for the Spaniards f Note 50 · The sea-gypsies. See VOL. XXXVI, p. 199, note 38.Note 51 · This treaty is as follows: [Preceding the text of the treaty are some Arabic characters.] I, Mohamed, Sultan of Sooloo, for the purpose of e Note 52 · Pang̃utárang is the largest island of the numerous group of the same name belonging to the Sulu Archipelago, and has an area of 42 square mi Note 53 · Cagayan Sulu has an area of 27 square miles. It is located in a group of 31 islands. See Census of Philippines, i, p. 286.Note 54 · According to Census of Philippines (i, p. 28, ii, p. 123), the area of the Davao district is 9,707 square miles, and the total population 65 Note 55 · José Oyangúren was a native of Guipúzcoa who went to the Philippines in 1825, leaving Spain for political reasons. He passed several years i Note 56 · A vessel for the coasting trade in the Philippines. See New Velázquez Dictionary.Note 57 · The island of Sámal is located in the Gulf of Davao, and has an area of 147 square miles. See Census of Philippines, i, p. 282.Note 58 · This is the Tagálog word for the upper part of a village. It seems here to mean the eastern mountainous district of Surigao.Note 59 · Of the tribes of Mindanao, Census of Philippines, i, p. 462, says: “Going eastward in Mindanao and passing by the central lake region, which Note 60 · Sangil is a local term apparently derived from the volcano of the same name. It is sometimes applied as a collective title for pagan tribes Note 61 · The Tagacaolos are closely related to the Bagobos. The word is probably derived from “olo,” meaning “head,” and thus “source” (of a river), Note 62 · This promise was fulfilled June 21 of the same year, and the letter is given in the Cartas, pp. 93–111.Note 63 · i. e., The district ruled over by a dato.Note 64 · The pagatpat (Sonneratia), called also palapad and palatpat, is frequently found along the beaches. It grows to the height of twenty feet or