The Spanish garrison left in La Caldera, at the withdrawal of Don
Bonquillo's camp from the river of Mindanao, passed into command of
Captain Villagra at the death of Capt. Juan Pacho in Jolo, and was
suflPering for lack of provisions; for neither the people of the river
could give them to the Spaniards, nor would the Sulus furnish any on
account of the war declared upon them. Therefore the garrison urgently
requested Governor Don Francisco Tello either to aid their presidio with
provisions, soldiers, and ammunition, or to allow them to retire to Ma-
nila — a thing of which they were most desirous — since there they gained
no other special result than that of famine, and of incarceration in tliat
fort, and of no place wherein to seek their sustenance. The governor,
in view of their insistence in the matter, and having but little money
in the royal exchequer, with which to provide for and maintain tlie said
presidio — and for the same reason the punishment that was to he in-
flicted upon the Sulus for their outrages upon the Spaniards, and their
insurrection was deferred — and thinking that the return to Mindanao
matters would be a long question, he was inclined to excuse the difficulty
and anxiety of maintaining the presidio of La Caldera. In order to
do it with a reasonable excuse he consulted the Audiencia and other
intelligent persons, and requested them to give him their opinion. But
he first communic^ed his wishes to them and gave them some reasons
\^nth which he tried to persuade them to give him the answer that he
desired. The Audiencia advised him not to remove or raise the gan-ison
of La Caldera, but to reenforce and jnaintain it, and to attend to the
affairs of Sulu and the river of Mindanao as soon as possible, even if
what was necessary for tliose two places should be witlidrawn from some
other section. They said that this was the most urgent need, and the
one which required the greatest attention in the islands, botli in order
to pacify those provinces and to keep them curbed; lest, seeing the
Spaniards totally withdrawn, they should gain courage and boldly venture still farther and come down to make captures among the Pintados
[Bisayans] and carry tlie war to the very doors of tlie Spaniards.
Notwithstanding this reply the governor resolved to raise and withdraw
the garrison, and sent orders to Captain Yillagra immediately to burn
the fort which had been built in La Caldera, to withdraw with all his
men and ships, and return to Manila. This was quickly done, for the
captain and the soldiers of the garrison waited for nothing more than
to dismantle the fort and leave. When the Sulus saw the Spaniards
abandoning the country, they were persuaded that the latter would
return to Mindanao no more, and that they had not sufficient forces to
do so. Thereupon they gained fresh resolution and courage, and united
with the people of Bwayan on the river, and equipped a number of
caracoas and other craft, in order to descend upon the coast of Pintados
(Bisayas) to plunder them and make captives. The people of Tampa-
kan, who lost hope of receiving further help from the Spaniards, and of
the latter's return to the river, since they had also abandoned the fort
of La Caldera and left the country, came to terms with and joined the
people of Bwayan, their neighbors, in order to avoid the war and injuries
that they were suffering from the latter. Then all turned their arms
against the Spaniards, promising themselves to make many incui^sions
into their territory and gain much plunder. Accordingly they preparcnl
tlieir fleet and appointed as leaders and commanders of it two of the
experienced chiefs of the river of Mindanao, called Sali and Silungan.^
They left the Mindanao Kiver in the month of July of the year 1599,
in the season of the vendabalsr with 50 caracoas, containing more than
3,000 soldiers armed with arquebuses, hainpUan, cara.sas,^ other weapons
with handles, and many culverins, and steered toward the islands of
Oton and Panay, and neighboring islands. They passed Xegros Island
and went to the river of Panay, which they ascended for 5 leagues to
the chief settlement, where the alcalde-mayor and some Spaniards were
living. They sacked the settlement, burned the houses and churches,
captured many native Christians — men, women, and children — upon
whom they committed many murders, cruelties, and outrages. They
pursued these in boats more than 10 leagues up the river, and destroyed
all the crops. For the alcalde-mayor, and those who could, fled inland
among the mountains, and accordingly the enemy had a better opportu-
nity to do what they pleased. After they had burned all the vessels in
the river, they left the river of Panay with their boats laden with
pillaged goods and captive Christians. They did the same in the other
islands and towns which they passed. Then they returned to Mindanao,
without any opposition being offered, with a quantity of gold and goods
and more than 800 captives, besides the people whom they had killed.
In Mindanao thev divided tlie spoil, and agreed to get ready a larger
fleet for the next year, and return to make war better prepared.*
This daring attack of the Mindanaos worked great injury to tlie Pintado
Islands (Bisayasj, both on account of their deeds there and also on
account of the fear and terror witb which they inspired the natives;
because of the latter being in the power of tlie Spaniards, who kept them
subject, tributary, and disarmed, and neitlier protected them from their
enemies, nor left them tlie means to defend themselves, as they used to
do when there were no Spaniards in the country. Therefore many towns
of peaceful and subjected Indians revolted and withdrew to the Ungues,^
and refused to descend to their houses, magistrates, and encomojideros,'^
As was reported daily, they all had a great desire to revolt and rebel,
but they were appeased and reduced again to subjection by a few promises
and presents from their encomendero,^ and religious who showed great
pity and sadness over their injuries. Although in Manila people regret-
ted these injuries, and still more those which were expected in the future
from the enemy, they did nothing but regret them — since the governor
was ill provided with ships and other necessities for the defense — and
reckon them with the loss wiiich they had suffered for having raised the
camp on the river of Mindanao and dismantled the presidio of La
Caldera.
As soon as the weather peruiitted, the Mindanaos and Sulus returned
with a large fleet of more than 70 well-ecpiipped ships and more than
4,000 fighting men, led by the same Silungan and Sali, and other Min-
danao and Sulu chiefs, to the sauie Islands of Pintados [Bisayas], with
the determination of taking and sacking the Spanish town of Arevalo,
which is situated in Oton. C'apt. Juan Garcia de Sierra, alcalde mayor
of that province, having heard of this expedition and of the designs
entertained by the enemy, took the most necessary precautions, and
gathering into the town all the Spaniards who lived there and in its
neighborhood, shut himself up in it with all of them. Then, having
repaired, as well as possible, a wooden fort there, he gathered there
the women and their possessions. He and the Spaniards — about 70
men — armed with arquebuses, awaited the enemy. The latter, who in-
tended to attack the river of Panay again, passed Xegros Island and
made for the town of Arevalo, where thev anchored close to the native
1 Native word for mountain.
2 Those to whom land had been granted with control over the natives who worked
on it.
* 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."
settlement. Then they landed 1,500 men armed with arquebuses, ham-
pilan, and carasas, and, without stopping on the way marched against
the Spanish town which was the object of their attack. The Spaniards,
divided into troops, sallied forth and opened fire with tlieir arquebuses
upon the enemy with such vehemence that they forced them to retreat
and take refuge on board their caracoas. So great was the enemy's
confusion that many Mindanaos were killed before they could embark.
Capt. Juan Garcia de Sierra, who was on horseback, pui*sued the enemy
so closely to the water's edge that the latter cut off tlie legs of his mount
with their kampilan and brought him to the ground, where they killed
him. The enemy embarked with a heavy loss of men, and halted at the
Island of Gimaras,* in sight of Arevalo. There tliey counted their men,
including the dead and the wounded, who were not a few, and among
whom was one of the most noted chiefs and leaders. Then they sailed
for Mindanao, making a great show of grief and sormw, and sounding
their bells ^ and tifas,^ They made no further delay at Pintados [Bi-
sayas], deriving little profit or gain from the expedition but much injury,
and loss of men and reputation, which was felt more deeply upon their
arrival in Sulu and Mindanao. In order to remedy this disaster, it was
proposed to renew their expedition against the Pintados at the first
monsoon w^ith more ships and men, and it was so decided.
