The daring and audacity of the Mindanaos and Sidus in making in-
cursions with their fleets into the Islands of Pintados [Bisayas] had
reached such a state that it was now expected that they would come as
far as Manila, plundering and devastating. In order to check them, at
the beginning of the year 1602, Governor Don Francisco Tello, deriving
strength from weakness, determined that the expedition against Sulu
should be made at once, without more delay, in order to punish and pacify
it, with the forces and men whom Capt. and Sargento-mayor Juan
Xuarez Gallinato held in Cebu and in the Pintados [Bisayas] together
with more men, -ships, and provisions, which were sent him, accompanied
by the necessary documents and instructions for liim be enter the island,
chastise its king and inhabitants, and pacify and reduce it to the obe-
dience of his Majesty. By this means, until there should be an op-
portunity to settle the affairs of Mindanao, which is quite near Sulu,
the audacity of the enemy would be checked; and by bringing the war
into his own country, he would not come out to commit depredations.
Captain Gallinato set out on this expedition with 200 Spanish soldiers,
ships, artillery, enough provisions for four months — the time which it
was thought the expedition would last — and with Indians as rowers for
the ships and for other services that might arise. When he arrived at
Sulu, at the bar of the river of this island, which is 2 leagues from the
principal town and dwellings of the king, he landed his men, artillery,
and the necessary provisions and left his ships under a sufficient guard.
The islanders were all in the town and dwellings of the king, which are
situated on a very high hill above some cliffs, and have two roads of
approach through paths and roads so narrow that they can be reached
only in single file. They had fortified the whole place, intrenched it
with palms and other woods and a number of culverins. They had also
collected provisions and water for their sustenance, besides a supply of
arquebuses and other weapons. They had neither women nor children
with them, for they had taken them out of the island. They had re-
quested aid from the people of Mindanao, Bruney, and Ternate, and were
awaiting the same, since they had l>een infonned of the fleet which was
being prepared against them in the Pintados [Bisayas]. Gallinato de-
termined to pitch his camp near tlie town before this aid should arrive,
and to attack the fort. After lie had quartered himself at a distance of
one-half league, in a plain facing the ascent, he sent interpreters with
messages to the king and chiefs of the island, calling on them to sur-
render, and telling them that good tenns would be given them. While
waiting for an answer, he fortified his quarters in that spot, intrenching
himself wherever necessary. Ho mounted the artillery in the best posi-
tion for use, and kept his men ready for any emergency. A false and
deceptive answer was returned, making excuses for the excesses that had
been committed, and for not comj)lying just then with what had been
asked of them, and making loud promises to do so later. All this was
with the object of detaining the captain in that place, which is very un-
healthy, until the rains should set in. his provisions iiin short, and the
arrival of the expected aid. After this answer had been received tlie
Sulus, thinking that the Spaniards had become more careless on account
of it, swarmed down quickly from the said fort in a large body of
probably somewhat over one thousand; and armed with arquebuses and
other weapons with handles, himpilan, and caragas, attacked and as-
saulted the quarters and camp of the Spaniards. This could not be done
so secretly as not to be seen by the Spaniards and allow them opportunity
to prepare to receive the Sulus before their arrival. This the Spaniards
did, and having j>ermitted the natives to come all together in a body to
the very inside of the quarters and trenches, as soon as the Sulus had
discharged their arquebuses the Spaniards opened fire upon them, first
with their artillery, and then with their arquebuses, killing many, and
forcing the rest to retire in flight to the foi-t. The Spaniards pursued
them, wounding and killing to tlie middle of the hill. But seeing that
farther on the paths were so narrow and rough, they retreated before the
heavy artillery fire from the heights and the large stones hurled down
upon them and returned to their quarters. Upon many other days efforts
were made to reach the fort, but without any result. Thereupon Ga-
llinato, in consideration of the war being prolonged beyond what had
been expected, built two forts, one where he kept his ships in order to
defend them and the port; and the other one-half league farther on in
a suitable place where they could take refuge and communicate with the
camp. The forts were built of wood and fascines and fortified with the
artillery from the ships. The Spaniards shut themselves up in these
forts, whence from time to time they sallied, making incursions as far as
the enemy's fort. The latter always remained shut up in their fort
without ever choosing to come down or to yield ; for he was convinced that
tlie Spaniards c-ould not remain long in the island. When Gallinato saw
that the rains were fast setting in, that his men were becoming ill, and
that his provisions were failing without his having accomplished the
desired task, and that it could not be accomplished with his remaining
resources, and that the enemy from Mindanao with other allies of theirs
were boasting that they were gathering a large fleet in order to drive the
Spaniards from Jolo, he sent news of all that had occurred to the gov-
ernor of Manila, with a plan of the island and fort and a relation of the
difficulties which the enterprise presented. lie sent this in a vessel, by
Capt. and Sargento-mayor Pedro Cotelo de Morales, toward the end of
May of the year 1602, in order to obtain instructions as to his procedure,
and the necessary reenforcement of men and provisions. The captain
was charged to return quickly with the answer. * * ♦
At the same time that Governor Don Pedro de Acuiia entered upon
his administration, the captain and sargento-mayor, Pedro Cotelo de
Morales, arrived from Jolo with the advices and report of Juan Xuarez
Gallinato concerning the state of affairs in that island, whither he had
gone with the fleet at the beginning of that same year. The governor,
on account of the importance of the matter, wish<?d to make every effort
possible, and determined to send him supplies and a reenforcement of
some men, which he did as soon as possible. Tie was ordered to at least
make an effort to punish that enemy, even if he could do nothing more,
and whenever the opportunity presented itself, to go to do the same thing
in the river of Mindanao, and return to the Pintados [Bisayas]. When
this commission reached Jolo Gallinato was already so worn out, and
his men so ill, that the reenforcements only made it possible for him
to get away from there ; acx'ordingly without seeing to another thing, he
broke camp, burned the forts which he had built, embarked, and went
to Pintados, leaving the people of that Island of Suhi and their neighbors,
those of Mindanao, emboldened more than ever to make raids against the
Pintados, and the islands within, which they did.
The governor, without delaying any longer in Manila, hastily started
for the Island of Panay and the town of Arevalo, in a galliot and other
small vessels, to see their needs with his own eyes, in order to provide
for them. He left war matters in Manila, during his absence, in charge
of Licentiate Don Antonio de Kibera, auditor of the Audiencia.
As soon as the governor left ^fanila, the auditor had plenty to look
after, because a squadron of 20 camvoas and other vessels from Mindanao
entered the islands as far as the Island of Luzon and its coasts, making
captures. Having taken some ships bound from Cebu to Manila, they
captured 10 Spaniards in them, among them a woman and a priest and
Capt. Martin de Mandia, and they took them off with them. They en-
tered Calilaya, burned the church and all the town, and caj)tiired many
persons of all classes among the natives. Thence they passed to the town
of Balayan to do the same, but the auditor, having received news of the
enemy in Manila, had it already in a state of defense with 50 Spaniards
and a captain and some vessels. Consequently, they did not dare to
enter the town or its bay, but crossed over to Mindoro, where, in the
principal town, they captured many men, women, and children among
the natives, seizing their gold and possessions, and burning their houses
and church, where they captured the prebendary Corral, curate of that
doctrina. They filled their own ships, and others which they seized
there, with captives, gold, and property, staying in the port of Mindoro
as leisurely as though in their own land, notwithstanding that it is but
24 leagues from Manila. Capt. Martin de Mendia, prisoner of these
pirates, offered, for himself and the other Spanish captives that, if they
would let him go to Manila, he would get the ransom for all, and would
take it, or would send it within six months, to the river of Mindanao, or
otherwise he would return to their power. The chief in command of
the fleet agreed thereto, with certain provisions and conditions, and
caused the other captives to write to the effect that what had been
agreed upon might be fulfilled, and then he allowed the captain to leave
the fleet. The latter came to the city, and upon receiving his report,
the auditor sent munitions, ships, and more men to Balayan than there
were there already, with orders to go in pursuit of the enemy without
delay, saying that they would find him in Mindoro. Capt. Caspar Perez,
who had charge of this in Balayan, did not start so quickly as he should
have done in order to find the enemy in Mindoro, for when he arrived
he found that he had left that port six days before, laden with ships and
booty, to return to Mindanao. Then he went in pursuit of him, although
somewhat slowly. The enemy put into the river of a little uninhabited
island to get water and wood. Just at that time Governor Don Pedro
de Acufia, who was hastily returning to Manila, from the town of Arevalo,
where he had learned of the incursion of those pirates, passed. He
passed so near the mouth of the river, in two small champanes ^ and a
virrey^ with very few men, that it was a wonder that he was not seen and
captured by the enemy. He learned that the enemy was there, from a
boat of natives which was escaping therefrom, and then he met Caspar
Perez going in search of the enemy with twelve vessels — caracoas and
virreys and some large champanes. The governor made him make more
hiinia and gave him some of his own men to guide him to where he had
left the pirates the day before, whereupon they went to attack them. But
the latter espied the fleet through their sentinels whom they had already
stationed in the sea, outside the river. Accordingly they left the river
in haste, and took to flight, throwing into the sea goods and slaves in
order to flee more lightly. Their flagship and almiranta caracoas pro-
tected the ships which were dropping behind and made them throw over-
board what they could and work with all the strength of their paddles,
assisted by their sails. The Spanish fleet, the vessels of which were not
so light, could not put forth enough strength to overtake all of them,
.because, furthermore, they went into the open without fear of the heavy
seas which were running, inasmuch as they were fleeing. Yet some of the
ships of Capt. Qaspar Perez, being lighter, got the enemy's fleet, sunk some
caracoas, and captured two, but the rest escaped, although with great
danger of being lost. Without accomplishing anything else, the fleet
returned to Manila where the governor had already entered, very much
disturbed that things should have come to such a pass that these enemies,
who had never dared to leave their houses, should have been so daring
and bold as to come to the very gates of the city, doing great damage and
making captures.
