History of the Philippine Islands (Vol. 1&2) - Their Discovery, Population, Language, Government, Manners, Customs, Productions and Commerce (Complete Edition)

CHAPTER I.

The Philippine Islands were so named by Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, in compliment to Philip the Second, when Prince of Asturias. They originally were called the Western Isles, or the Archipelago of Saint Lazarus, the name which Magellan gave them when first discovered by him. These islands are numerous; their appearance on the map is that of a large blanket full of holes and rents. The principal of them is Luzon, so called, because at the doorway of each house stands a large wooden mortar, which, in the language of the country, is called Losong, and in which the Indians wash their rice. This island resembles the arm a little bent, and in the part which corresponds to the elbow is situated the city of Manila, on the shore of a fine bay, thirty leagues in circumference, and which receives some considerable rivers, among others the Pasig, which flowing from a large lake, situated to the east of Manila, at the distance of three leagues, washes its walls on the north side: its water is very soft and salubrious.

Before the Spaniards arrived this district was occupied by the nation Tagala, inhabiting many towns and mud villages, governed by petty chiefs. It is now divided into various provinces, under the government of their respective Alcaldes Mayores, who collect the royal tribute, and administer justice among the Indians. At three leagues distance from Manila, to the south-west, lies the port of Cavite, so called from the word cauit, a fish-hook, to which the tongue of land on which it stands bears a strong resemblance. Cavite is defended by an indifferent fort, the governor of which is nominated by the court of Madrid. It is likewise provided with a complete arsenal for the accommodation, as well of the Acapulco ships, and a few small vessels for the defence of the islands from the Moors, as for general use.

To the north from the nation Tagala, we found the nations Pampanga, Zambales, Pangasinan, Ylocos, and Cagayan. Each of these nations formed a distinct community, with a distinct language, or dialect of the same language, and was distributed in mud villages, having no king or supreme head to govern them; but in lieu of that, a number of petty chiefs, or rajahs, whose authority scarcely extended over fifty or an hundred families respectively: after the conquest, each of these nations was constituted into a province, governed by a Spanish Alcalde Mayor. To the east from the nation Tagala are the Camarines, whose district has been divided into two provinces, that of Camarines, and that of Albay, each under an Alcalde Mayor. The greater part of the island is mountainous; it is crossed from the north to the south by an immense chain, from which diverge those ramifications that spread through the whole island, in many cases even forming detached mountains, like insulated cones in the midst of extensive plains. The whole of this elevated part of the country occupying nearly all the interior, is either a desert, or inhabited by a set of wretched people who do not acknowledge the Spanish government. There are in this island several volcanos, as that of Mayon, which is between the provinces of Albay and Camarines. It has a sugar-loaf figure, and is of such altitude that it may be discovered at an immense distance at sea. The de Taal is of a similar form, and stands in the middle of a large lake, called de Bombon; it exhibits sufficient proof that the mountain in whose top the volcano was, while in its active state, has sunk, remaining, however, still pretty much elevated above the water. There are other volcanos, and many warm springs, indicating the fermentation in the bowels of this island, from which, no doubt, arise those earthquakes to which it is subject, and which, one day, may produce new eruptions. We know that these volcanos at times throw out ashes, stones, sand, water, and lava, inundating and destroying the habitations, and rendering the fields a desert.

To the south of Luzon lie the principal islands of Mindoro, Panay, Marinduque, Negros, Masbate, Zebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar, besides some very small ones, the whole of which we denominate Bisayas, or Islas de Pintados, Painted Islands, their inhabitants having been accustomed to paint their bodies before our arrival in this quarter. All these islands acknowledge the Spanish government, and pay tribute to the king, which the corregidores, or Alcaldes Mayores of the provinces into which they are divided, collect. More to the south from these islands are Mindanao and Jolo. In Mindanao the provinces of Misamis and Caraga are subject to the Spaniards: the rest of the island has not submitted, and is engaged with Jolo and other islands in constant hostility against them; and although there have been occasional intervals of peace, they have been of short duration.

For these two centuries past these islanders have been plundering the coasts of our provinces, have taken an immense number of vessels, pillaged many villages, burnt many towns, destroyed many inhabitants, and made slaves of a very great number of the clergy, both Spaniards and Indians1.

We have in Mindanao the garrison of Zamboanga, with a Spanish governor, to check these depredations; but as yet we have found little benefit from this establishment.

To the east of these islands, at the distance of three hundred leagues, are found las Marianas, las Carolinas, and the islands de Palaos, or Pelew. Of these, the Marianas alone are under the dominion of the Spaniards. Here there is a governor, with a detachment of troops, to overawe the Indians, and three Franciscan friars to instruct them in the Christian religion.

These islands have no other communication with the rest of the world than what is afforded by the Acapulco ship, which, in returning to Manila, touches there, with the portion of the revenue appropriated to the support of this presidency. By this opportunity they likewise receive wine for mass, grain, furniture, clothing, and a few other necessaries; this obscure corner producing only horned cattle, hogs, fowls, and a few vegetables, such as the bread-fruit and others, which serve the inhabitants instead of bread. These supplies are annually imported by the governor; and as there is no other store in the island than his, the price he fixes is at his own option. From this commerce he draws all his income; and under such oppression it is not to be wondered at that this colony is as poor as the first day it was discovered2. Rice, Indian corn, and wheat would grow abundantly in these islands, but every attempt to raise them in any quantity, has been rendered of no avail by the swarms of rats, which pour down from the mountains, and sweep all before them. From the combination of these political and natural causes, the situation of the inhabitants of these islands is so miserable, that some of our historians would persuade us, they entertain no wish to propagate the species, that their children may avoid their unhappy lot. On this account, it is added, the Indians diminish considerably in number; but this seems to be a mistake, as the diminution of the Indians, if it may be so called, may be rather attributed to the following cause.

The population of the Marianas, independent of the native Indians, consists of many from New Spain, some Philippine Indians, and some Chinese, who come in the suite of the governors. These men being married to women of the country, the children born of these marriages, are registered by the friars on a list of casts, distinguished from the Indian casts, from which it clearly appears that, in proportion as these mixed casts have increased, the Indian casts must have diminished, and, in all probability, in a short time this latter cast will be annihilated, as has already happened in some of the Spanish settlements. This being the case, we ought not to say the Indians diminish but change their cast. With all these casts united, our historians would wish us to believe, that there are, at present, fewer inhabitants in the Marianas than formerly; but that cannot be the case, since the Jesuits, in quitting these islands, left a greater population than they found in the year 1738; and the Franciscans report that that has increased progressively since. It is certain the population does increase, as is clearly shewn by the lists of the casts. Indeed the inhabitants of the Philippines have doubled every century; and I believe it is the case with all the population of America, although foreigners charge us, with occasioning the diminution of the Indian population, by our oppressive and bad management, quoting our own historians in support of the charge. It ought to be recollected, however, that by these, the number of inhabitants which the Spaniards found on their arrival, is considerably exaggerated, whenever they are desirous of giving additional splendor to the actions of the heroes they celebrate; and, on the contrary, when it is their object to detract, they draw a very opposite picture, and, attempting to diminish their numbers, assert that their diminution is the consequence of oppression. From the amount of the tributes, however, referred to by these historians, and levied at different times, the evident conclusion is, that the Spaniards did not find the tenth part of the inhabitants, which are now in existence.

The geographical description of the Philippines is, that they are in the torrid zone, between five and nineteen degrees of northern latitude; the sun twice passes its zenith, and produces those vapours which, descending in copious showers, and being again absorbed by the earth, form fountains, hot springs, and large lakes. This rainy or wet...