FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD (1519-1522)

by Antonio Pigafetta

Excerpt:

At dawn on Saturday, March sixteen, 1521, we came upon a high land at a distance
of three hundred leguas from the islands of Latroni—an island named Zamal [i.e., Samar].
The following day, the captain-general desired to land on another island which was
uninhabited and lay to the right of the abovementioned island, in order to be more secure,
and to get water and have some rest. He had two tents set up on the shore for the sick
and had a sow killed for them. On Monday afternoon, March 18, we saw a boat coming
toward us with nine men in it. Therefore, the captain-general ordered that no one should
move or say a word without his permission. When those men reached the shore, their
chief went immediately to the captain-general, giving signs of joy because of our arrival.
Five of the most ornately-adorned of them remained with us, while the rest went, to get
some others who were fishing, and so they all came. The captain-general seeing that they
are reasonable men, ordered food to be set before them, and gave them red caps,
mirrors, combs, bells, ivory, bocasine, and other things. When they saw the captain's
courtesy, they presented fish, a jar of palm wine, which they call uraca (i.e., arrack), figs
more than one palmo long, (i.e., bananas), and others which were smaller and more
delicate, and two cocoanuts. They had nothing else then, but made us signs with their
hands that they would bring umay or rice, and cocoanuts and many other articles of food
within four days.

Cocoanuts are the fruit of the palm-tree. Just as we have bread, wine, oil, and milk,
so those people get everything from that tree. They get wine by boring into the hole into
the heart of the said palm at the top called palmito (i.e., stalk), from which distills a liquor
which resembles white mist. That liquor is sweet but somewhat tart, and (is gathered) in
canes (of bamboo) as thick as the leg and thicker. They fasten the bamboo to the tree in
the evening for the morning, and in the morning for the evening. That palm bears a fruit
namely, the cocoanut, which is as large as the head or thereabouts. Its outside husk is
green and thicker than two fingers. Certain filaments are found in that husk, whence is
made cord for binding together their boats. Under that husk there is a hard shell, much
thicker than the shell of the walnut, which they burn and made into powder that is useful
to them. Under that shell is a white marrowy substance one finger in thickness, which they
eat fresh with meat and fish as we do bread; and it tastes like the almond. It could be dried
and made into bread. There is a clear, sweet water in the middle of that marrowy
substance which is very refreshing. When that water stands for a while after having been
collected, it congeals and becomes like an apple. When the natives wish to make oil, they
take that cocoanut, and allow the marrowy substance and the water to putrefy. Then they
boil it and it becomes oil like butter. When they wish to make vinegar, they allow only the
water to putrefy, and then place it under the sun, and a vinegar results like (that made
from) white wine. Milk can also be made from it for we made some. We scraped that
marrowy substance and then mixed the scrapings with its own water which we strained
using a cloth, and so obtained milk like goat's milk. Those palms resemble date-palms,
but although not smooth they are less knotty than the latter.- A family of x persons can be
supported on two trees, by utilizing them weekly for the wine; for if they did otherwise, the
trees would dry up. They last a century.

Those people became very familiar with us. They told us many things, their names
and those of some of the islands that could be seen from that place. Their own island was
called Zuluan and it is not very large. We took great pleasure with them, for they were very
pleasant and conversable. In order to show them greater honor, the captain-general took
them to his ship and showed them all his merchandise -- cloves, cinnamon, pepper, ginger,
nutmeg, mace, gold, and all the things in the ship. He had some mortars fired for them,
where they exhibited great fear, and tried to jump out of the ship. They made signs to us
that the above said articles grew in that place where we were going. When they were
about to retire they took their leave very gracefully and neatly, saying that they would
return according to their promise. The island where we were is called Humunu. but
inasmuch as we found two springs there of the clearest water, we called it Acquada da li
buoni Segnialli [i.e., “the Watering-place of good Signs”], for there were the first signs of
gold which we found in those districts. We found a great quantity of white coral there, and
large trees with fruit a trifle smaller than the almond and resembling pine seeds. There are
also many palms, some of them good and others bad. There are many islands in that
district, and therefore we called them the archipelago of San Lazaro, as they were
discovered on the Sabbath of St. Lazurus. They lie in x degrees of latitude toward the
Arctic Pole, and in a longitude of one hundred and sixty-one degrees from the line of
demarcation.

At noon on Friday, March 22, those men came as they had promised us in two boats
with cocoanuts, sweet oranges, a jar of palm-wine, and a cock, in order to show us that
there were fowls in that district. They exhibited great signs of pleasure at seeing us. We
purchased all those articles from them. Their seignior was an old man who was painted
[i.e., tattooed]. He wore two gold earrings [schione] in his ears, and the others many gold
armlets on their arms and kerchiefs about their heads. We stayed there one week, and
during that time our captain went ashore daily to visit the sick, and every morning gave
them cocoanut water from his own hand, which comforted them greatly. There are people
living near that island who have holes in their ears so large that they can pass their arms
through them. Those people are caphri that is to say, heathen. They go naked, with a cloth
woven from the bark of a tree about their privies, except some of the chiefs who wear
cotton cloth embroidered with silk at the ends by means of a needle. They are dark, fat,
and painted. They anoint themselves with cocoanut and with beneseed oil, as a protection
against the sun and wind. They have very black hair that falls to the waist, and use
daggers, knives, and spears ornamented with gold, large shields, fascines, javelins, and
fishing nets that resemble rizali; and their boats are like ours. Next day, holy Friday, the
captain-general sent his slave, who acted as our interpreter, ashore in a small boat to ask
the king if he had any food to have it carried to the ships; and to say that they would be
well satisfied with us, for he [and his men] had come to the island as friends and not as
enemies. The king came with six or eight men in the same boat and entered the ship. He
embraced the captain-general to whom he gave three porcelain jars covered with leaves
and full of raw rice, two very large orade, and other things. The captain-general gave the
king a garment of red and yellow cloth made in the Turkish fashion, and a fine red cap;
and to the others (the king’s men), to some knives and to others mirrors. Then the captain-
general
had a collation spread for them, and had the king told through the slave that he desired to
be casi casi with him, that is to say, brother. The king replied that he also wished to enter
the same relations with the captain-general. Then the captain showed him cloth of various
colors, linen, coral [ornaments], and many other articles of merchandise, and all the
artillery, some of which he had discharged for him, where the natives were greatly
frightened. Then the captain-general had a man armed as a soldier, and placed him in the
midst of three men armed with swords and daggers, who struck him on all parts of the
body. Thereby was the king rendered almost speechless. The captain-general told him
through the slave that one of those armed men was worth one hundred of his own men.
The king answered that that was a fact. The captain-general said that he had two hundred
men in each ship who were armed in that manner. He showed the king cuirasses, swords,
and bucklers, and had a review made for him. Then he led the king to the deck of the ship,
that is located above at the stern; and had his sea-chart and compass brought. He told
the king through the interpreter how he had found the strait in order to voyage thither, and
how many moons he had been without seeing land, where the king was astonished. Lastly,
he told the king that he would like, if it were pleasing to him, to send two of his men with
him so that he might show them some of his things. The king replied that he was
agreeable, and I went in company with one of the other men.

Pieces of gold, of the size of walnuts and eggs are found by sifting the earth in the
island of that king who came to our ships. All the dishes of that king are of gold and also
some portion of his house, as we were told by that king himself. According to their customs
he was very grandly decked out [molto in ordine], and the finest looking man that we saw
among those people. His hair was exceedingly black, and hung to his shoulders. He had
a covering of silk on his head, and wore two large golden earrings fastened in his ears.
He wore a cotton cloth all embroidered with silk, which covered him from the waist to the
knees. At his side hung a dagger, the haft of which was somewhat long and all of gold,
and its scabbard of carved wood. He had three spots of gold on every tooth, and his teeth
appeared as if bound with gold. He was perfumed with storax and benzoin. He was tawny
and painted [i.e., tattooed] all over. That island of his was called Butuan and
Calagan. When those kings wished to see one another, they both went to hunt in that
island where we were. The name of the first king is Raia Colambu, and the second Raia
Siaui.

Early on the morning of Sunday, the last of March, and Easter-day, the captain-
general sent the priest with some men to prepare the place where mass was to be
said; together with the interpreter to tell the king that we were not going to land in order to
dine with him, but to say mass. Therefore the king sent us two swine that he had killed.
When the hour for mass arrived, we landed with about fifty men, without our body armor,
but carrying our other arms, and dressed in our best clothes. Before we reached the shore
with our boats, six pieces were discharged as a sign of peace. We
landed; the two kings embraced the captain-general, and placed him between them. We
went in marching order to the place consecrated, which was not far from the shore. Before
the commencement of mass, the captain sprinkled the entire bodies of the two kings with
musk water. ”The mass was offered up. The kings went forward to kiss the cross as we
did, but they did not offer the sacrifice. When the body of our Lord was elevated, they
remained on their knees and worshiped Him with clasped hands. The ships fired all their
artillery at once when the body of Christ was elevated, the signal having been given from
the shore with muskets. After the conclusion of mass, some of our men took
communion. The captain-general arranged a fencing tournament, at which the kings were
greatly pleased. Then he had a cross carried in and the nails and a crown, to which
immediate reverence was made. He told the kings through the interpreter that they were
the standards given to him by the emperor his sovereign, so that wherever he might go he
might set up those his tokens. [He said] that he wished to set it up in that place for their
benefit, for whenever any of our ships came, they would know that we had been there by
that cross, and would do nothing to displease them or harm their property
[property: doublet in original MS.]. If any of their men were captured, they would be set
free immediately on that sign being shown. It was necessary to set that cross on the
summit of the highest mountain, so that on seeing it every morning, they might adore it;
and if they did that, neither thunder, lightning, nor storms would harm them in the least.
They thanked him heartily and [said] that they would do everything willingly. The captain-
general also had them asked whether they were Moros or heathen, or what was their
belief. They replied that they worshiped nothing, but that they raised their clasped hands
and their face to the sky; and that they called their god “Abba.” Thereat the captain was
very glad, and seeing that, the first king raised his hands to the sky, and said that he
wished that it were possible for him to make the captain see his love for him. The
interpreter asked the king why there was so little to eat there. The latter replied that he did
not live in that place except when he went hunting and to see his brother, but that he lived
on another island where all his family were. The captain-general had him asked to declare
whether he had any enemies, so that he might go with his ships to destroy them and to
render them obedient to him. The king thanked him and said that he did indeed have two
islands hostile to him, but that it was not then the season to go there. The captain told him
that if God would again allow him to return to those districts, he would bring so many men
that he would make the king’s enemies subject to him by force. He said that he was about
to go to dinner, and that he would return afterward to have the cross set up on the summit
of the mountain. They replied that they were satisfied, and then forming a battalion and
fired the muskets, and the captain, having embraced the two kings, we took our leave.

After dinner we all returned clad in our doublets, and that afternoon went together
with the two kings to the summit of the highest mountain there. When we reached the
summit, the captain-general told them that he esteemed highly having sweated for them,
for since the cross was there, it could not but be of great use to them. On asking them
which port was the best to get food, they replied that there were three, namely, Ceylon,
Zubu, and Calaghann, but that Zubu was the largest and the one with most trade. They
offered of their own accord to give us pilots to show us the way. The captain-general
thanked them, and was determined to go there, for so did his unhappy fate will. After the
cross was erected in position, each of us repeated a Pater Noster and an Ave Maria, and
adored the cross; and the kings did the same. Then we descended through their cultivated
fields, and went to the place where the balanghai was. The kings had some cocoanuts
brought in so that we might refresh ourselves. The captain asked the kings for the pilots
for he intended to depart the following morning, and [said] that he would treat them as if
they were the kings themselves, and would leave one of us as hostage. The kings replied
that every hour he wished the pilots were at his command, but that night the first king
changed his mind, and in the morning when we were about to depart, sent word to the
captain-general, asking him for love of him to wait two days until he should have his rice
harvested, and other trifles attended to. He asked the captain-general to send him some
men to help him, so that it might be done sooner; and said that he intended to act as our
pilot himself. The captain sent him some men, but the kings ate and drank so much
that they slept all day. Some said to excuse them that they were slightly sick. Our men did
nothing on that day, but they worked the next two days.

Those people are heathens, and go naked and painted. They wear a piece of cloth
woven from a tree about their privies. They are very heavy drinkers. Their women are clad
in tree cloth from their waist down, and their hair is black and reaches to the ground. They
have holes pierced in their ears which are filled with gold. Those people are constantly
chewing a fruit which they call areca, and which resembles a pear. They cut that fruit into
four parts, and then wrap it in the leaves of their tree which they call betre [i.e., betel].
Those leaves resemble the leaves of the mulberry. They mix it with a little lime, and when
they have chewed it thoroughly, they spit it out. It makes the mouth exceedingly red. All
the people in those parts of the world use it, for it is very cooling to the heart, and if they
ceased to use it they would die. There are dogs, cats, swine, fowls, goats, rice, ginger,
cocoanuts, figs [i.e., bananas], oranges, lemons, millet, panicum, sorgo, wax, and a
quantity of gold in that island. It lies in a latitude of nine and two-thirds degrees toward the
Arctic Pole, and in a longitude of one hundred and sixty-two degrees from the line of
demarcation. It is twenty-five from the Acquada, and is called Mazaua.

We remained there seven days, after which we laid our course toward the
northwest, passing among five islands, namely, Ceylon, Bohol, Canighan, Baybai, and
Gatighan. In the last-named island of Gatigan, there are bats as large as eagles. As it was
late we killed one of them, which resembled chicken in taste. There are doves,
turtledoves, parrots, and certain black birds as large as domestic chickens, which have a
long tail. The last mentioned birds lay eggs as large as the goose, and bury them under
the sand, through the great heat of which they hatch out. When the chicks are born, they
push up the sand, and come out. Those eggs are good to eat. There is a distance of twenty
leguas from Mazaua to Gatighan. We set out westward from Gatighan, but the king of
Mazaua could not follow us [closely], and consequently, we awaited him near three
islands, namely, Polo, Ticobon, and Pozon. When he caught up with us he was greatly
astonished at the rapidity with which we sailed. The captain-general had him come into
his ship with several of his chiefs at which they were pleased. Thus did we go to Zubu
from Gatighan, the distance to Zubu being fifteen leguas.

At noon on Sunday, April seven, we entered the port of Zubu, passing by many
villages, where we saw many houses built upon logs. On approaching the city, the captain-
general ordered the ships to fling their banners. The sails were lowered and arranged as
if for battle, and all the artillery was fired, an action which caused great fear to those
people. The captain sent a foster-son of his as ambassador to the king of Zubo with the
interpreter. When they reached the city, they found a vast crowd of people together with
the king, all of whom had been frightened by the mortars. The interpreter told them that
that was our custom when entering into such places, as a sign of peace and friendship,
and that we had discharged all our mortars to honor the king of the village. The king and
all of his men were reassured, and the king had us asked by his governor what we wanted.
The interpreter replied that his master was a captain of the greatest king and prince in the
world, and that he was going to discover Malucho; but that he had come solely to visit the
king because of the good report which he had heard of him from the king of Mazaua, and
to buy food with his merchandise. The king told him that he was welcome [literally: he had
come at a good time], but that it was their custom for all ships that entered their ports to
pay tribute, and that it was but four days since a junk from Ciama [i.e., Siam] laden with
gold and slaves had paid him tribute. As proof of his statement the king pointed out to the
interpreter a merchant from Ciama, who had remained to trade the gold and slaves. The
interpreter told the king that, since his master was the captain of so great a king, he did
not pay tribute to any seignior in the world, and that if the king wished peace he would
have peace, but if war instead, war. Thereupon, the Moro merchant said to the king Cata
raia chita that is to say, “Look well, sire.” “These men are the same who have conquered
Calicut, Malaca, and all India Magiore [i.e., India Major]. If they are treated well, they will
give good treatment, but if they are treated evil, evil and worse treatment, as they have
done to Calicut and Malaca.” The interpreter understood it all and told the king that his
master’s king was more powerful in men and ships than the king of Portogalo, that he was
the king of Spagnia and emperor of all the Christians, and that if the king did not care to
be his friend he would next time send so many men that they would destroy him. The Moro
related everything to the king, who said thereupon that he would deliberate with his men,
and would answer the captain on the following day. Then he had refreshments of many
dishes, all made from meat and contained in porcelain platters, besides many jars of wine
brought in. After our men had refreshed themselves, they returned and told us everything.
The king of Mazaua, who was the most influential after that king and the seignior of a
number of islands, went ashore to speak to the king of the great courtesy of our captain-
general.

Monday morning, our notary, together with the interpreter, went to Zubu. The king,
accompanied by his chiefs, came to the open square where he had our men sit down near
him. He asked the notary whether there were more than one captain in that company, and
whether that captain wished him to pay tribute to the emperor, his master. The notary
replied in the negative, but that the captain wished only to trade with him and with no
others. The king said that he was satisfied, and that if the captain wished to become his
friend, he should send him a drop of blood from his right arm, and he himself would do the
same [to him] as a sign of the most sincere friendship. The notary answered that the
captain would do it. Thereupon, the king told him that all the captains who came to that
place, were wont to give presents one to the other [i.e., mutual presents between the king
and the captain], and asked whether our captain or he ought to commence. The interpreter
told the king that since he desired to maintain the custom, he should commence, and so
he did.

On Wednesday morning, as one of our men had died during the previous night, the
interpreter and I went to ask the king where we could bury him. We found the king
surrounded by many men, of whom, after the due reverence was made, I asked for it. He
replied, “If I and my vassals all belong to your sovereign, how much more ought the land.”
I told the king that we would like to consecrate the place, and to set up a cross there. He
replied that he was quite satisfied, and that he wished to adore the cross as did we. The
deceased was buried in the square with as much pomp as possible, in order to furnish a
good example. Then we consecrated the place, and in the evening buried another man.
We carried a quantity of merchandise ashore which we stored in a house. The king took
it under his care as well as four men who were left to trade the goods wholesale. Those
people live in accordance with justice, and have weights and measures. They love [peace,
ease, and quiet. They have wooden balances, the bar of which has a cord in the middle
by which it is held. At one end is a bit of lead, and at the other marks like quarter-libras,
third-libras, and libras. When they wish to weigh they take the scales which have three
wires like ours, and place it above the marks, and so weigh accurately. They have very
large measures without any bottom. The youth play on pipes made like ours which they
call subin. Their houses are constructed of wood, and are built of planks and bamboo,
raised high from the ground on large logs, and one must enter them by means of ladders.
They have rooms like ours; and under the house they keep their swine, goats, and fowls.
Large sea snails [corniolli], beautiful to the sight, are found there which kill whales. For the
whale swallows them alive, and when they are in the whale’s body, they come out of their
shells and eat the whale’s heart. Those people afterward find them alive near the dead
whale’s heart. Those creatures have black teeth and skin and a white shell, and the flesh
is good to eat. They are called laghan.
 On Friday we showed those people a shop full of our merchandise, at which they
were very much surprised. For metals, iron, and other large merchandise they gave us
gold. For the other smaller articles they gave us rice, swine, goats, and other food. Those
people gave us x pieces of gold for xiiii libras of iron (one piece being worth about one and
one-half ducados). The captain-general did not wish to take too much gold, for there would
have been some sailors who would have given all that they owned for a small amount of
gold, and would have spoiled the trade for ever. On Saturday, as the captain had promised
the king to make him a Christian on Sunday, a platform was built in the consecrated
square, which was adorned with hangings and palm branches for his baptism. The
captain-general sent men to tell the king not to be afraid of the pieces that would be
discharged in the morning, for it was our custom to discharge them at our greatest feasts
without loading them with stones.

On Sunday morning, April fourteen, forty men of us went ashore, two of whom were
completely armed and preceded the royal banner. When we reached land all the artillery
was fired. Those people followed us hither and thither. The captain and the king embraced.
The captain told the king that the royal banner was not taken ashore except with fifty men
armed as were those two, and with fifty musketeers; but so great was his love for him that
he had thus brought the banner. Then we all approached the platform joyfully. The captain
and the king sat down in chairs of red and violet velvet, the chiefs on cushions, and the
others on mats. The captain told the king through the interpreter that he thanked God for
inspiring him to become a Christian; and that [now] he would more easily conquer his
enemies than before. The king replied that he wished to become a Christian, but that some
of his chiefs did not wish to obey, because they said that they were as good men as he.
Then our captain had all the chiefs of the king called, and told them that, unless they
obeyed the king as their king, he would have them killed, and would give their possessions
to the king. They replied that they would []obey him. The captain told the king that he was
going to Spagnia, but that he would return again with so many forces that he would make
him the greatest king of those regions, as he had been the first to express a determination
to become a Christian. The king, lifting his hands to the sky, thanked the captain, and
requested him to let some of his men remain [with him], so that he and his people might
be better instructed in the faith. The captain replied that he would leave two men to satisfy
him, but that he would like to take two of the children of the chiefs with him, so that they
might learn our language, who afterward on their return would be able to tell the others
the wonders [cose] of Spagnia. A large cross was set up in the middle of the square. The
captain told them that if they wished to become Christians as they had declared on the
previous days, that they must burn all their idols and set up a cross in their place. They
were to adore that cross daily with clasped hands, and every morning after their [i.e., the
Spaniards’] custom, they were to make the sign of the cross (which the captain showed
them how to make); and they ought to come hourly, at least in the morning, to that cross,
and adore it kneeling. The intention that they had already declared, they were to confirm
with good works. The king and all the others wished to confirm it thoroughly. The captain-
general told the king that he was clad all in white to demonstrate his sincere love toward
them. They replied that they could not respond to his sweet words. The captain led the
king by the hand to the platform while speaking these good words in order to baptize him.
He told the king []that he would call him Don Carlo, after his sovereign the emperor; the
prince, Don Fernando, after the emperor’s brother; the king of Mazaua, Johanni; a chief,
Fernando, after our chief, that is to say, the captain; the Moro, Christoforo; and then the
others, now one name, and now another. Five hundred men were baptized before mass.
After the conclusion of mass, the captain invited the king and some of the other chiefs to
dinner, but they refused, accompanying us, however, to the shore. The ships discharged
all the mortars; and embracing, the king and chiefs and the captain took leave of one
another.

After dinner the priest and some of the others went ashore to baptize the queen,
who came with forty women. We conducted her to the platform, and she was made to sit
down upon a cushion, and the other women near her, until the priest should be ready. She
was shown an image of our Lady, a very beautiful wooden child Jesus, and a cross.
Thereupon, she was overcome with contrition, and asked for baptism amid her
tears. named her Johanna, after the emperor’s mother; her daughter, the wife of the
prince, Catherina; the queen of Mazaua, Lisabeta; and the others, each their [distinctive]
name. Counting men, women, and children, we baptized eight hundred souls. The queen
was young and beautiful, and was entirely covered with a white and black cloth. Her mouth
and nails were very red, while on her head she wore a large hat of palm leaves in the
manner of a parasol, with a crown about it of the same leaves, like the tiara of the pope;
and she never goes anywhere without such a one. She asked us to give her the little
child []Jesus to keep in place of her idols; and then she went away. In the afternoon, the
king and queen, accompanied by numerous persons, came to the shore. Thereupon, the
captain had many trombs of fire and large mortars discharged, by which they were most
highly delighted. The captain and the king called one another brothers. That king’s name
was Raia Humabon. Before that week had gone, all the persons of that island, and some
from the other island, were baptized. We burned one hamlet which was located in a
neighboring island, because it refused to obey the king or us. We set up the cross there
for those people who were heathen. Had they been Moros, we would have erected a
column there as a token of greater hardness, for the Moros are much harder to convert
than the heathen.

The captain-general went ashore daily during those days to hear mass, and told the
king many things regarding the faith. One day the queen came with great pomp to hear
mass. Three girls preceded her with three of her hats in their hands. She was dressed in
black and white with a large silk scarf, crossed with gold stripes thrown over her head,
which covered her shoulders; and she had on her hat. A great number of women
accompanied her, who were all naked and barefoot, except that they had a small covering
of palm-tree cloth before their privies, and a small scarf upon the head, and all with hair
flowing free. The queen, having made the due reverence to the altar, seated herself on a
silk embroidered cushion. Before the commencement of the mass, the captain sprayed
her and some of her women with musk rosewater, for they delighted exceedingly []in such
perfumes. The captain knowing that the queen was very much pleased with the child
Jesus, gave it to her, telling her to keep it in place of her idols, for it was in of the son of
God. Thanking him heartily she accepted it.

Before mass one day, the captain-general had the king come clad in his silk robe,
and the chief men of the city, [to wit], the king’s brother and prince’s father, whose name
was Bendara; another of the king’s brothers, Cadaio; and certain ones called Simiut,
Sibuaia, Sisacai, Maghalibe, and many others whom I shall not name in order not to be
tedious. The captain made them all swear to be obedient to their king, and they kissed the
latter’s hand. Then the captain had the king declare that he would always be obedient and
faithful to the king of Spagnia, and the king so swore. Thereupon, the captain drew his
Sword before the image of our Lady, and told the king that when anyone so swore, he
should prefer to die rather than to break such an oath, if he swore by that image, by the
life of the emperor his sovereign, and by his habit to be ever faithful. After the conclusion
of that the captain gave the king a red velvet chair, telling him that wherever he went he
should always have it carried before him by one of his nearest relatives; and he showed
him how it ought to be carried. The king responded that he would do that willingly for love
of him, and he told the captain that he was making a jewel to give to him, namely, two
large earrings of gold to fasten in his ears, two armlets to put on his arms, above the
elbows, and two other rings for the feet above the ankles, besides other precious []gems
to adorn the ears. Those are the most beautiful ornaments which the kings of those
districts can wear. They always go barefoot, and wear a cloth garment that hangs from
the waist to the knees.

One day the captain-general asked the king and the other people why they did not
burn their idols as they had promised when they became Christians; and why they
sacrificed so much flesh to them. They replied that what they were doing was not for
themselves, but for a sick man who had not spoken for four days, so that the idols might
give him health. He was the prince’s brother, and the bravest and wisest man on the island.
The captain told them to burn their idols and to believe in Christ, and that if the sick man
were baptized, he would quickly recover; and if that did not happen they could behead him
[i.e., the captain] then and there. Thereupon, the king replied that he would do it, for he
truly believed in Christ. We made a procession from the square to the house of the sick
man with as much pomp as possible. There we found him in such a condition that he could
neither speak nor move. We baptized him and his two wives, and x girls. Then the captain
had him asked how he felt. He spoke immediately and said that by the grace of our Lord
he felt very well. That was a most manifest miracle [that happened] in our times. When the
captain heard him speak, he thanked God fervently. Then he made the sick man drink
some almond milk, which he had already had made for him. Afterward he sent him a
mattress, a pair of sheets, a coverlet of yellow cloth, and a pillow. Until he recovered his
health, the captain sent him almond milk, rosewater, []oil of roses, and some sweet
preserves. Before five days the sick man began to walk. He had an idol that certain old
women had concealed in his house burned in the presence of the king and all the people.
He had many shrines along the seashore destroyed, in which the consecrated meat was
eaten. The people themselves cried out “Castiglia! Castiglia!” and destroyed those
shrines. They said that if God would lend them life, they would burn all the idols that they
could find, even if they were in the king’s house. Those idols are made of wood, and are
hollow, and lack the back parts. Their arms are open and their feet turned up under them
with the legs open. They have a large face with four huge tusks like those of the wild boar;
and are painted all over.

On Friday, April twenty-six, Zula, a chief of the island of Matan, sent one of his sons
to present two goats to the captain-general, and to say that he would send him all that he
had promised, but that he had not been able to send it to him because of the other chief
Cilapulapu, who refused to obey the king of Spagnia. He requested the captain to send
him only one boatload of men the next night, so that they might help him and fight against
the other chief. The captain-general decided to go thither with three boatloads. We begged
him repeatedly not to go, but he, like a good shepherd, refused to abandon his flock. At
midnight, sixty men of us set out armed with corselets and helmets, together with the
Christian king, the prince, some of the chief men, and twenty or thirty balanguais. We
reached Matan three hours before dawn. The captain did not wish to fight then, but sent a
message to the natives by the Moro to the effect that if they would obey the king []of
Spagnia, recognize the Christian king as their sovereign, and pay us our tribute, he would
be their friend; but that if they wished otherwise, they should wait to see how our lances
wounded. They replied that if we had lances they had lances of bamboo and stakes
hardened with fire. [They asked us] not to proceed to attack them at once, but to wait until
morning, so that they might have more men. They said that in order to induce us to go in
search of them; for they had dug certain pitholes between the houses in order that we
might fall into them. When morning came forty-nine of us leaped into the water up to our
thighs, and walked through water for more than two crossbow flights before we could reach
the shore. The boats could not approach nearer because of certain rocks in the water. The
other eleven men remained behind to guard the boats. When we reached land, those men
had formed in three divisions to the number of more than one thousand five hundred
persons. When they saw us, they charged down upon us with exceeding loud cries, two
divisions on our flanks and the other on our front. When the captain saw that, he formed
us into two divisions, and thus we began to fight. The musketeers and crossbowmen shot
from a distance for about a half-hour, but uselessly; for the shots only passed through the
shields which were made of thin wood and the arms [of the bearers]. The captain cried to
them, “Cease firing! cease firing!” but his order was not at all heeded. When the natives
saw that we were shooting our muskets to no purpose, crying out they determined to stand
firm, but they redoubled their shouts. When our muskets were discharged, the
natives []would never stand still, but leaped hither and thither, covering themselves with
their shields. They shot so many arrows at us and hurled so many bamboo spears (some
of them tipped with iron) at the captain-general, besides pointed stakes hardened with fire,
stones, and mud, that we could scarcely defend ourselves. Seeing that the captain-
general sent some men to burn their houses in order to terrify them. When they saw their
houses burning, they were roused to greater fury. Two of our men were killed near the
houses, while we burned twenty or thirty houses. So many of them charged down upon
us that they shot the captain through the right leg with a poisoned arrow. On that account,
he ordered us to retire slowly, but the men took to flight, except six or eight of us who
remained with the captain. The natives shot only at our legs, for the latter were bare; and
so many were the spears and stones that they hurled at us, that we could offer no
resistance. The mortars in the boats could not aid us as they were too far away. So we
continued to retire for more than a good crossbow flight from the shore, always fighting up
to our knees in the water. The natives continued to pursue us, and picking up the same
spear four or six times, hurled it at us again and again. Recognizing the captain, so many
turned upon him that they knocked his helmet off his head twice, but he always stood
firmly like a good knight, together with some others. Thus we fight for more than one hour,
refusing to retire farther. An Indian hurled a bamboo spear into the captain’s face, but the
latter immediately killed him with his lance, which he left in the Indian’s body. Then,
trying []to lay hand on sword, he could draw it out but halfway, because he had been
wounded in the arm with a bamboo spear. When the natives saw that, they all hurled
themselves upon him. One of them wounded him on the left leg with a large cutlass, which
resembles a scimitar, only being larger. That caused the captain to fall face downward,
when immediately they rushed upon him with iron and bamboo spears and with their
cutlasses, until they killed our mirror, our light, our comfort, and our true guide. When they
wounded him, he turned back many times to see whether we were all in the boats.
Thereupon, beholding him dead, we, wounded, retreated, as best we could, to the boats,
which were already pulling off. The Christian king would have aided us, but the captain
charged him before we landed, not to leave his balanghai, but to stay to see how we
fought. When the king learned that the captain was dead, he wept. Had it not been for that
unfortunate captain, not a single one of us would have been saved in the boats, for while
he was fighting the others retired to the boats. I hope through [the efforts of] your most
illustrious Lordship that the fame of so noble a captain will not become effaced in our
times. Among the other virtues which he possessed, he was more constant than ever any
one else in the greatest of adversity. He endured hunger better than all the others, and
more accurately than any man in the world did he understand sea charts and navigation.
And that this was the truth was seen openly, for no other had had so much natural
talent [1nor the boldness to learn how to circumnavigate the world, as he had almost done.
That battle was fought on Saturday, April twenty-seven, 1521. The captain desired to fight
on Saturday, because it was the day especially holy to him. Eight of our men were killed
with him in that battle, and four Indians, who had become Christians and who had come
afterward to aid us were killed by the mortars of the boats. Of the enemy, only fifteen were
killed, while many of us were wounded.