Part 17
While anchored in the river of Mindanao at the port reported to belong to Limansancay, king of the said river, on the fifteenth of the said month of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, at about four o'clock in the afternoon, or a trifle later, certain Indians of the small boats carried by the ships of the said fleet went ashore at the said port, to look for wood with which to cook their food. It appears that an Indian (from the fragata commanded by Juan Rodriguez de Norvega) who was a native of the town of Cayut, of Tome de la Ysla's encomienda, received five wounds from other natives of the said river of Mindanao who were at the said town--one in the abdomen, which caused his intestines to protrude, and the rest in his arms and thighs. The natives of the said river and village inflicted these wounds on the said Indian treacherously, giving him some buyo, and while he was reaching for it, wounding him. He died as a result and was buried in the said village. Although this injury was inflicted on us, the captain, because he was awaiting the said Limasancay, for the said peace, ordered all the soldiers and the other Indians of the fleet not to harm the natives of the said village, until it was seen what the said Limasancay would do regarding the agreement which he had made with the said captain. In order that this, as well as the death of the said Indian and the wounds he had received, might be evident, the said captain requested me to give him the present writing as certification and attestation in the manner above stated. Witnesses, Ensign Melchor de Torres, Pedro de Esequera, and Diego de Artiaga Gamboa.
_Graviel de Ribera_
Before me:
_Diego Lopez Carreno_, notary of the fleet
In the river and village called Mindanao, on the sixteenth of the month of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, the fleet being anchored at the entrance of the said village, wherein it is said Limasancay, petty king of the said river, usually lives and resides, at about three o'clock or so in the afternoon, in the presence of me, the notary, and the witnesses hereunto subscribed--the illustrious captain, Grabiel de Ribera, being in his flagship--it appears that Sicurey summoned him from the other side of the river. The said captain had sent him, one or two days previously, to summon the said Limasancay. To ascertain the reply of the above king and what the said Sicurey asked from him, his Grace, accompanied by me, the present notary and the witnesses, went to an uninhabited house in the said village and ascended to its top, in order to be able to see and talk with the said Sicurey--who as above stated was on the other side of the river with certain Indians who came with him. Through the interpreter whom his Grace carried he ordered the said Sicurey to be interrogated concerning the reply that he brought to what the said captain had sent him to tell his cousin Limasancay; and the said captain told Sicurey that he should come from the other side of the river in order that he might talk with him, and ascertain what message the said Limasancay sent, what was the latter's intention and purpose, and whether he desired to make the said peace that he had requested in his Majesty's name. To all of this the said Sicurey answered, without coming to his Grace, that he had talked to his cousin, the said Limasancay, who was three days' journey up the river from where the said captain was stationed; that the said village is called Busayen, and that he had told the king everything that he had been ordered to tell. But the king had answered that he was afraid that he would be seized, and for that reason he would not come to see his Grace; but he told Sicurey that he should return thanks to the said captain for the presents which his Grace had given to him and to the others. He would return to talk again with the said Limasancay, and would again ask him to come. The said captain told him that, since he was willing to do him that pleasure, and return again, he should tell the said Limasancay that his Grace did not come to seize or annoy him; for, had he wished to annoy him, he would not have asked as he had that the king come to make peace. The intent of his Majesty, and that of the very illustrious governor, by whose commission and mandate he comes, is only to inform the people in that so great river where they are and live, that they should become vassals of his Majesty, and of the said governor in his royal name, as the natives of other islands have done. If he and the other chiefs give obedience to his Majesty, to whom all render obedience, and are willing to be his vassals and desire to be protected under his royal crown and favor, his Grace would regale them and would not molest or annoy them. They could remain in their own lands and settlement. If they would, of their own volition and without being forced, give some tribute, his Grace would receive it in his Majesty's name, and only in token of obedience and so that it might be understood that they wished peace and were obedient under his royal crown; that they themselves should decide whatever they wished to give for this purpose. If the said Limasancay feared, as he said, that his Grace would seize him, he was prepared to give him any and all security that he might desire, so that he might come to treat with the said captain and that he might understand that the latter has no intention of illtreating him; for if his intention were to molest the king, his Grace had had occasion therefor already, and could have seized the said Sicurey and other chiefs who came to discuss peace with his Grace, as well as a chief called Dato Bahandie. This last has come peacefully and has rendered obedience to his Majesty; and in return therefor the said captain has regaled him and will protect him on every occasion. If the said Limasancay purposes to attempt treachery and deceit toward the said captain, and in short not to come peacefully, he shall send word immediately as to his intention; for, if he do not come peacefully, then his Grace will employ all the correctives and artifices possible, until he leaves this land pacified and its inhabitants as vassals of his Majesty. His Grace has been informed, by natives and chiefs of the said river, that the said Limasancay is preventing and hindering many chiefs from surrendering themselves as vassals of his Majesty, by saying that, if they did, he would persecute and destroy them. Since he prevents this, and refuses to make friendship, as has been required of him, and prevents others from doing so, his Grace, as above stated, will proceed against the said Limasancay by all possible ways and methods, as against a man who prevents the chiefs of the said river from making peace and rendering obedience to his Majesty as they wish: his Grace will also proceed against all his paniaguados, and against all those who refuse peace and obedience to his Majesty. The said Sicurey having heard all the above declaration, and other words to the same effect, replied that he would repeat it all to the said Limasancay, and would return within three days. Because the said village of Mindanao did not contain food for the soldiers, the captain told the said Sicurey that he would await him and his reply in Tampaca, six leagues up the river above the said village of Mindanao. In order that this might appear in the records, I attest and certify the same, which took place before me. Witnesses, Pedro de Eseguera and Ensign Arteaga.
_Grabiel de Ribera_
Before me:
_Diego Lopez Carreno_, notary of the fleet
At the river and village of Mindanao, on the seventeenth day of the month of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, after the illustrious captain, Grabiel Ribera, had waited three days at his anchorage for Limasancay to come, to make peace as he had requested of him; and seeing that he did not come and that food was becoming scarce, and, the said village being depopulated, he could find no food there; and because his Grace had been told by natives of the said river that the said Limasancay was retiring up river to one of his villages, to make a fort there for his defense; and seeing that the king was dealing treacherously, in order to gain time to build the said fort: in order to avoid the possible great danger in allowing the said Limasancay to fortify himself, and likewise because he had heard that the village of Tapaca, about four leagues up the river, contained food, from which the fleet (some vessels of which were in want) might be reprovisioned; to look for and collect certain pieces of artillery which were said to be in the said village, and which were reported to have belonged to the lost Portuguese galley--his Grace on this said day, ascended the river to the said village, for the causes and reasons above stated. I attest the same. Witnesses, Pedro de Eseguera, Ensign Melchor de Torres, and Ensign Arteaga.
_Grabiel de Ribera_
Before me:
_Diego Lopez Carreno_, notary of the fleet
In the village of Tapaca, on the nineteenth day of the month of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, in fulfilment of the order given by the illustrious captain Grabiel de Ribera, after having voyaged for three days up stream to the village of Tapaca, whither his Grace shaped his course, it appears that, at the entrance of the port, the said captain despatched a small barangay with certain Indians and three soldiers. He ordered these to go ahead to notify the chiefs of the said town that his Grace was coming, by order of his Majesty, to pacify the said town and its vicinity; and that the said natives should come peaceably. It appears that, at the entrance of the said village, before talking to any of the natives, according to his Grace's orders, certain culverins and many arrows were discharged at the said barangay. As soon as the said captain learned of this, he ordered immediately all the soldiers and men in the ships of his fleet, to set in order for instant action the cannons, muskets, and other firearms, so that if necessity demanded, they might be fired. When everything was in order, he entered the said village. At the said entrance many culverins and arrows were fired at the said fleet. Consequently his Grace ordered all the soldiers to keep together and not to separate at all. Thus the said captain went up the river to the said village, where he disembarked. Accompanied by me, the present notary, certain soldiers, a chief whom he took as interpreter, named Quilantan, and other chiefs and interpreters, the said captain advanced, carrying a white peace-flag; and he ordered the said chiefs to call out and summon the Indians who were on the other side of the river. Thereupon these latter summoned them, and some of those on the other side came, upon which the said captain ordered his interpreters to ask the said natives why they had fled and deserted the town, and why they had discharged those arrows and culverins, inasmuch as his Grace had given them no cause therefor. He informed them all that he did not come to harm or offend them; he came to this river solely at the command of the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, of his Majesty's Council, and his governor for all these islands--who had sent his Grace to inform them of the great error and delusion under which they live and labor, and to make them vassals of his Majesty, and of the said governor in his royal name. Being vassals, great gain and advantage would accrue to them, and they would dwell in quiet and peace in their lands and settlements, as at present. They would not be ousted or dispossessed of them, and no person should annoy or molest them. On the contrary, they would be protected, defended, and aided by his Majesty and the very illustrious governor in his royal name. By his Grace also, protection would be given, in whatever required it at present, as he had promised to Dato Bahandie, a native of this village, who, because he came peacefully and rendered obedience to his Majesty, had been received under his royal protection. He and others of his opinion would be protected in all necessities, and on all occasions, as vassals of his Majesty. They should understand that the captain has not come to plunder them or to seize, their possessions, but only for the purpose above stated. If they had any food, his Grace had need of it, and would pay them in full for it. They should return to their houses and land and should not abandon their village. He did not wish them to pay him tribute or other things. While summoning them and notifying them of these and other things which his Grace tried to make them understand, they sent a volley of arrows toward his Grace, and by good luck missed killing one of the said interpreters and chiefs there. And as soon as the said Indians on the other side heard the said summons, they declared that the Castilians were rogues and had come to deceive them. Thereupon the said captain returned to the rest of his men. To all of the above, I, the present notary, certify. Witnesses, Francisco Gomez, Sergeant Lope de Catalinaga, and Juan Rodriguez de Norvega.
_Grabiel de Ribera_
Before me:
_Diego Lopez Carreno_, notary of the fleet
In the village of Tapaca on the twentieth day of the month of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, Captain Grabiel de Rivera, seeing that he had had no intercourse with the natives nor was able to secure it since his arrival in the said village, ordered that three ambuscades be made inland. Thereupon a certain number of soldiers and some friendly Indian rowers whom he had, penetrated inland about one and one-half leagues. It appears that in four hours the said soldiers returned with the report that it was utterly impossible to advance farther, because of the numerous swamps and marshes, where the water reached their knees and higher. Consequently, and because the captain saw how the food was failing, and because he had been informed by certain friendly Indians who had come in peace and by Dato Bahandie, that the petty king Limasancay must be in the village above Tampaca, he authorized Pedro Brizeño de Eseguera, a citizen of the town of Santísimo Nombre de Jesus, a discreet and capable man and one experienced in that land, to ascend the river in two vireys and one small barangay, with twenty-six soldiers; for these vessels were light and the current of the river strong and his Grace could not ascend the said river with the other ships of the fleet. Indeed, coming from the village of Mindanao to this village of Tapaca, it had taken four days to make four leagues (the distance between the two towns), and he had arrived after great effort, and being towed by the Indians. He gave, for this reason, the said commission to the said Pedro de Oseguera, and ordered him to obey and observe in every particular, and not to exceed the tenor and order of what was commanded him in the said commission given him by the captain. Thus he ordered and affixed thereto his signature. Witnesses, Sergeant Catalinaga, Juan Rodriguez de Norvega, and Francisco Velazquez.
_Grabiel de Ribera_
Before me:
_Diego Lopez Carreno_, notary of the fleet
I, Grabiel de Ribera, captain of infantry for his Majesty in the Filipinas islands of the West, who by order of the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general of these islands, come to pacify and explore the river of Mindanao, by virtue of the commission and instructions given me by his Lordship to make the said expedition: inasmuch as I have reached the village of Tapaca in prosecution of my voyage, and after remaining here certain days, summoning and notifying the natives--in the presence of a notary, who attested the same--to come to make peace; and having informed them that I came in his Majesty's name to pacify the said river, and to make the natives and residents of that region vassals of his Majesty--which was proclaimed through interpreters who understand their language; and inasmuch as the natives of the said village, although all the above information was proclaimed, have fled and abandoned their houses and lands, and the fleet is suffering from lack of provisions, for the food is all gone; and because it would be extremely difficult for it to ascend the river farther, and would require much time, because of the great strength of the current all along the river, it having taken three days to tow the galleys and fragatas by means of small oared vireys from the village of Mindanao to this of Tapaca (a distance of four leagues), because of the said current: therefore in the name of his Majesty, and for the proper provision and despatch of the said fleet and men, and so that the instructions of his Lordship may be observed and obeyed, he said that he delegated, and he did delegate, all his power, as far as he possesses it for the said purpose, to Pedro Brizeño de Oseguera, a citizen of the town of Santísimo Nombre de Jesus--a deserving and capable man, and experienced in that land--so that with two vireys and one barangay, all oared boats, and accompanied by twenty-six soldiers, he may ascend the said river.
When he has reached certain settlements on the river, and in especial that of the village of Ybatel (where it is said the petty king Limasancay is), he shall notify him and the chiefs of the said village, and those of the village of Buayen, through the interpreters that he shall take with him, that the said Pedro Brizeño de Oseguera goes by my orders to the said villages, to inform them that I have come by order of the said governor to execute and fulfil the above purpose; and that I am awaiting, in this village of Tapaca, the said Limasancay and the other chiefs to come to make peace and to acknowledge themselves vassals of his Majesty, as Dato Bahandie, chief of this river, has done. Likewise he shall inform them that his Majesty's purpose in sending me to this said river is to pacify it and make it peaceful, and to make them understand the great delusion in which all the natives thereof live; that they shall become vassals of King Don Ffelipe, our sovereign (whom may God preserve), as are all the natives of the island of Panay, the Pintados islands, and those of the island of Luçon; and that they may be instructed in the matters which pertain to our holy Catholic faith. If they become vassals of his Majesty they will be protected and guarded, whenever they have need and whenever occasion requires. They shall return to their houses and towns as formerly, for I have given them no occasion to abandon these. I do not come to plunder their possessions or to harm them, or to require them to give tribute, beyond what they give now of their own volition, in token of recognition and obedience, so that it may be understood that they desire peace and alliance. Furthermore he shall try to ascertain and discover with all solicitude and care the whereabouts of Limasancay, for I have heard that he is in the village of Buyayen with his father-in-law, the chief of the said town, by name Seproa. He shall try to confer and treat with Limasancay; and, that failing, he shall send another person to tell him to come to this village of Tapacan, where I am at present, and that he shall have no fear, or be alarmed at anything; and that, if he comes, we shall treat for the peace and friendship that I come to make with him and the other chiefs of the said river in his Majesty's name. I am thoroughly aware that the reason for the hostility of the natives of this entire river and their abandonment of their houses and native places is his instigation and command. If he does not intend to come to treat with me, he shall not hinder or prevent the said chiefs who, as I have been informed, desire to do so, from coming to make peace. For this reason he shall not do it. Likewise he [Oseguera] shall inform the said Limasancay and the said chiefs that, if they become his Majesty's vassals and render him obedience, they shall be protected and aided, and live quietly and peaceably in their lands and native places. No one shall molest or annoy them in any way. If they do not do this, then there will result many wanderings and anxieties, and many other troubles and losses will come upon them. For all the above and for whatever happens in the said summons, he shall appoint a notary before whom declarations shall be made. I give him power and authority, in all the fulness delegated to me by his Lordship for the said purpose. He shall exercise great diligence and care therein. He shall not allow the soldiers who take with them Indian rowers to molest or trouble the natives of the said village, or their houses and possessions. He shall take as many days as he deems necessary for this purpose, but no more. Given at the said village of Tapacan, on the twentieth day of the month of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine.
_Grabiel de Ribera_
By order of the captain:
_Diego Lopez_, notary of the fleet