The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 19 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 306 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 19 of 55.

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 19 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 306 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 19 of 55.
were at the harbor-mouth of Marivelez only four have come back to these islands.  One of them brought the wounded men from Oton; a second one, when our fleet went out to seek that of the enemy, was going out to sea, picking up Sangley ships.  When it saw our fleet, without going back to theirs, it cast loose a very rich junk which it was towing astern, and took to flight.  The captain of this vessel, they tell me, the Dutch put to death for having fled.  Two other vessels arrived at the port of Malayo on the eighth of June.  These had found occasion to fight with our fleet; and accordingly they arrived dismantled by cannon-shots, and with many wounded men.  These brought the news that only six of their vessels had fought with eight of ours and three galleys; and that their commander’s ship and two others were lost, one going to the bottom and the other two being burned.  Their commander escaped in a boat which they saw was being followed by two of our galleons and a galley—­although they did not know the result, since neither this one, nor two others that are lacking from the ten, have appeared here thus far.  Of six hundred men whom they took from the forts which they have on these islands to put in the ten boats, when they were at Manila, only a hundred came back alive.  These two damaged ships are being put to rights, and in all they have five at present in these islands, with few men; so that if a part of our fleet had come, and followed up the victory, they might all have been captured.  This loss has made both the Dutch and those of Terrenate very sad and cast down, for they were in hopes to come back rich and victorious.  A few silks and other goods were brought in the ships which escaped and they sold them to us very dear, although not so dear as they cost them.  What they are considering now, and urge for the consolation of those of Terrenate and the other nations friendly to them, is that they are going to collect a great fleet which they have in Ambueno, and in the Sunda; and with the whole fleet they are to attack the forts of his Majesty before our fleet arrives from Castilla and from the Filipinas.  This you already know of.  Beside this, they are putting their fortresses in the best state of fortification possible, together with the posts which they hold; for they see that the natives here are very lukewarm in their friendship, and they fear that when they see our fleet more powerful than theirs, the natives will drop their friendship and try to win ours.  The king of Tidore and I consider it certain, judging from what we have heard from themselves, and particularly from those of the island of Maquien, that that alone is richer in cloves and native inhabitants than are all the others there.  Their Sangaje, who went there to treat of this matter, was taken and killed in the fort at Malayo, which irritated the natives of that island very much.

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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 19 of 55 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.