The Expedition of Mendoza against Ternate

Some years before this, his Majesty had ordered an expedition against Portuguese India to capture of the fort of Terrenate in Maluco.

It was under a Moro who had rebelled and driven out the Portuguese there.

A hidalgo, named Andrea Furtado de Mendoça, [158] was chosen general of this expedition.

He was a soldier skilled in the affairs of India, who had won many victories on sea and land in those parts, and had lately had a very notable one at Jabanapatan. [159]

He sailed from Goa with 6 galleons, 14 galliots and fustas, and other ships, and 1,500 hundred fighting men, and with supplies and munitions for the fleet.

Storms scattered his fleet before reaching Amboino that the galleys and fustas could not keep up with the galleons. Only 3 of them, in convoy of the galleons, reached Amboino.

The other vessels put back into Goa and other forts on the line of that voyage.

The island of Amboino, 80 leguas from Maluco, was in rebellion.

The Portuguese fort was in great need, so that, while

The galliots, fustas, and other vessels of his fleet which had fallen off were gathering.

He had sent help from the fort of Malaca

Andrea Furtado de Mendoça stopped in Amboino in order to pacify the island for the crown of Portugal.

After 6 months, he pacified it.

His ships and the help requested from Malacca did not arrive.

He still had to go to Terrenate, his main objective.

Considering this, and yet seeing that he had fewer men than he needed for it, and that the greater part of the munitions and supplies which he had brought were spent, he determined to send word to the governor of the Filipinas of his coming with that fleet, of what he had done in Amboino, that he was to proceed to attack Terrenate, and that, because a part of his ships had been scattered, and because he had stopped so many months for those undertakings, he had fewer men than he wanted and was in need of some things, especially supplies.

He requested the governor, since this matter was so important and so to the service of his Majesty, and since so much had been spent on it from the royal treasury of the crown of Portugal, to favor and help him, by sending him some supplies and munitions and some Castilians for the undertaking.

He asked that all of this should reach Terrenate by January 1603, for he would then be off that fort and the help would come to him very opportunely.

This message and his letters for the governor and the Audiencia he sent to Manila from Amboino in a light vessel in charge of Father Andre Pereira of the Society of Jesus, and Captain Antonio Fogoça, one of his own followers.

They found Governor Don Pedro de Acuña in Manila, and presented the matter to him, making use of the Audiencia and of the orders, and making many boasts of the Portuguese fleet and the illustrious men who were in it, and of the valor and renown of its general in whatever he undertook.

They asserted at the same time the success of the capture of Terrenate at that time, especially if they received from Manila the succor and help for which they had come, and which, in justice, should be given them, as it was given from the Filipinas whenever the king of Tidore and the chief captain of that fort requested it, and as his Majesty had ordered—and with more good reason and foundation on such an occasion. [160]

Don Pedro de Acuña wanted to make an expedition against Terrenate when he was in Mexico.

on his way, had treated of this matter with those there who had any information about Maluco, and sent Brother Gaspar Gomez of the Society of Jesus from Nueva Españia to his Majesty’s court—who had lived in Manila many years, and also in Maluco in the time of Governor Gomez Perez Dasmariñas—to treat of the matter in his name with his Majesty;

Although he was in hopes of making this expedition: nevertheless it seemed to him best, without declaring his own desires, to aid in what Andrea Furtado asked, and even more, not only on account of the importance of the matter, but also because by thus helping, he would keep the general and his messengers, in case they were unsuccessful, from excusing themselves by saying that they had asked for help and reënforcement from the governor of the Filipinas, and the latter had not given it, and so that it might not be understood that he had failed to do so because he himself was arranging for the expedition.

Don Pedro de Acuñia consulted about this matter with the Audiencia, which was of the opinion that the aforesaid reënforcement, and more besides, should be sent to the Portuguese at the time for which it was asked.

When this was decided upon, they put it into execution, very much to the satisfaction of Father Andrea Pereira and Captain Fogaça.

At the end of 1602, they were despatched from the Filipinas, taking with them the ship “Santa Potenciana” and 3 large frigates, with:

• 150 well-armed Spanish soldiers
• 10,000 fanégas of rice
• 1,500 earthen jars of palm wine
• 200 head of salt beef
• 20 hogsheads of sardines
• conserves and medicines
• 50 quintals of powder
• cannon-balls and bullets
• cordage and other supplies

The whole in charge of the captain and sargento-mayor, Joan Xuarez Gallinato.

He had now returned from Jolo and was in Pintados—with orders and instructions as to what he was to do, namely, to take that help to Terrenate, to the Portuguese fleet which he would find there, and to place himself at the orders and command of its general. [161]

Thither he made his voyage in a fortnight, and anchored in the port of Talangame, in the island of Terrenate, 2 leguas from the fort, where he found Andrea Furtado de Mendoça with his galleons at anchor, awaiting what was being sent from Manila.