1 The Philippine Islands, Blair and Robertson, XV, pp. 93–100.
2 A point and settlement on the north bank of the Mindanao River and at its mouth.
3 A careful review of Ronquillo’s reports and letters on his pacification of Mindanao shows an evident error in the use of the word Bwayan to signify the settlement or stronghold of the Sultan of Magindanao. Bwayan here, and probably in Figueroa’s report, too, is used in place of Magindanao, which lay on the site occupied at present by Kotabato. Bwisan was then the Sultan of Magindanao and headed the opposition to Ronquillo’s advance up the north branch of the Mindanao River. Sirungan, who is mentioned in this report, might have been a datu or subdatu of Magindanao, not necessarily Sirungan, the Raja of Bwayan.
4 The correct name is Sirungan.
5 Cachil or Kachil is a Malay word signifying “little” or “young,” hence a youth of distinction or a younger prince of the royal line.
6 A tributary of the Mindanao River which rises in Talayan, and empties at Taviran.
7 The Philippine Islands, Blair and Robertson, XI, pp. 135–139.
8 Unsigned.
9 Point or bay, not an Island.
10 Point or bay, not an island.
11 The Strait of Sunda, which separates Java from Sumatra.
12 The Philippine Islands, Blair and Robertson, XV, pp. 190–196.
13 This word is as commonly used with an “l” as with an “r,” as Sirungan.
14 A strong wind south by west.
15 Shields.
16 This was the first piratical expedition made against the Spaniards by the inhabitants of the southern islands. (Rizal.)
Barrantes (Guerras Piraticas) wrongly dates the abandonment of La Caldera and the incursion of the Moros 1590. Continuing, he says: “The following year they repeated the expedition so that the Indians retired to the densest parts of the forests, where it cost considerable trouble to induce them to become quiet, for a woman, who proclaimed herself a sibyl or prophetess, preached to them that they should not obey the Spaniards any longer, for the latter had allied themselves with the Moros to exterminate all the Pintados.”
17 Native word for mountain.
18 Those to whom land had been granted with control over the natives who worked on it.
19 The Island of Gimarás, southeast of Panay, and separated from it by the Strait of Iloilo.
20 Probably gongs.
21 Neither Stanley nor Rizal throws any light on this word. The Spanish dictionaries likewise fail to explain it, as does also a limited examination of Malay and Tagal dictionaries. Three conjectures are open: 1. A derivative of tifatas, a species of mollusk, hence a conch; 2. A Malay or Tagal word for either a wind or other instrument, the Malay words for “to blow,” “sound a musical instrument,” being tiyup and tiyupkan; 3. A misprint for the Spanish pifas, a possible shortened form of pifanos, signifying fifes.
22 The Philippine Islands, Blair and Robertson, XV, pp. 240–244, 264–268.
23 Sailing vessels.
24 The Philippine Islands, Blair and Robertson, XXIII, pp. 87, 88.
25 Unsigned.
26 A small vessel used as a tender to carry messages between larger vessels.
27 The Philippine Islands, Blair and Robertson, XXVIII, pp. 41–63.
28 In the manuscript that we follow the letter of March 31 is given second, while that of April 5 is given first; we have arranged them chronologically.
29 Garo: probably the same as garita; a fortified outpost.
30 The translation of this passage seems to be, “If God fights against a city, he who guards it watches in vain.” The difficulty lies in “a custodierit,” which we translate as “fights against.”
31 A Spanish measure of length which is about equal to 1 yard, English measure.
32 The Gimbahans or Sulus of the interior mountains.
33 Babui, in their language, signifies “pig”; apparently they called the Spaniards “swine,” as expressing the acme of contempt for their besiegers.
34 “Thanks be to God who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
35 Combés says (Hist. Mindanao, Reana’s ed., column 264) that this queen, named Tuan Baluka, was a native of Basilan, and that she had acquired such ascendancy over her husband that the government of Sulu was entirely in her hands. This statement explains the presence of the Basilan men in the Sulu stronghold.
36 Zamboanga, the correct spelling is Samboangan.
37 Culverins of small bore.
38 This letter is unsigned; but the transcript of it made by Ventura del Arco places it with others ascribed to Barrios. See detailed accounts of the expedition against Jolo (Sulu) in Combés’s Hist. Mindanao y Joló (Retana and Pastells ed.), cols. 349–368; Diaz’s Conquistas, pp. 388–401: Murillo Velarde’s Hist. Philipinas, fol. 92, 93; and La Concepcion’s Hist. Philipinas, V, pp. 334–351.
39 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
40 The Recoletos or barefoot Augustinian friars.
41 Spanish expediente, the collection of all the papers referring to a single subject.
42 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
43 Maestre de Campo.
44 The inhabitants of Koran, northeast Borneo, pagan pirates subdued by Sulu in 1769.
45 Official designation of the Audiencia when assembled in executive session under the presidency of the Captain-General.
46 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
47 Sp. forzados, men compelled to row in the galleys, usually as punishment for crime.
48 Manila. The shorter form of its title of “La siempre noble y leal Ciudad.”
49 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
50 A small sailing vessel.
51 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
52 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
53 The Honorable East India Company.
54 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
55 I.e., of the Sulus.
56 Sp. champanes.
57 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
58 “En sus propios buques” (i.e., of Sulu).
59 This and the following statements are not correct.
60 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
61 Though inaccurate and biased, the ideas expressed in this report represent the opinion and feelings of many Spanish officials who were connected with Moro affairs.
62 The correct name is Abu Bakr.
63 Such a statement is unduly biased.
64 A Spanish magistrate.
65 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
66 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
67 Vessels up to 80 feet length by 18 or 20 beam, made of wood, bamboo, nipah, and rattan. The Moros arm them by placing at the two sides lantakas and falconets, mounted on iron swivels, and at the bow and stern, cannon set in stout pieces of timber. The sails are usually of matting made of saguran [a kind of palm-leaf], spread on bamboo poles. (Note in Montero y Vidal’s History of the Piracy of the Mohammedan Malays.)
68 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
69 Sp. Contaduría General.
70 Personal registration fees.
71 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
72 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
73 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
74 Settlements.
75 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
76 The Gearling & Tradin (sic.).
77 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
78 From the Division of Archives, Executive Bureau, Manila.
79 A term used by the Spaniards to designate certain governmental districts in the Philippines.
80 Settlement.