Pigafetta: 1519-1521 Simplified on Maharlikanism

Magellan in Samar and Butuan

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

This simplifies Pigafetta’s account of 1521 by subsituting pronouns with actual names to prevent confusion

We left Spain on Monday morning 1519 with 237 men.

Magellan in Homonhon

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Homonhon

The island where we were is called Homonhon

We found there two springs of the clearest water.
We called it Acquada da li buoni Segnialli [“the Watering-place of good Signs”], for there were the first signs of gold in those districts.
We found a lot of white coral there, and large trees with fruit a little smaller than the almond, resembling pine seeds.

There are also many palms and many islands. We called them the archipelago of San Lazaro, as they were discovered on the Sabbath of St. Lazurus.

The First Mass in Masawa

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Early on Easter Sunday morning, March 31, Magellan sent the priest with some men to prepare mass 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.

Magellan in Cebu and Mactan

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Cebu

We then went northwest, passing among 5 islands:

Ceylon
Bohol
Canighan
Baybai
Gatighan
- This has bats as large as eagles. We killed one 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.
- 20 leguas separates Masawa from Gatighan.

From Gatighan, we headed west to Cebu around 15 leguas (75km)

The Battle of Mactan

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

The Cebuanos

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 has 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.

There are large sea snails [corniolli] called laghan which are beautiful and can kill whales.

Magellan's Men in Zamboanga del Norte and Palawan

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Zamboanga del Norte

Then we came to a large island [Mindanao], at a port called Chipit and met its king Raja Calanao.

He drew blood from his left hand marking his body, face, and the tip of his tongue with it as a token of the closest friendship, and we did the same.
When we entered a river, many fishermen offered fish to the king.
Then the king removed the cloths which covered his privies, as did some of his chiefs.
He began to row while singing past many dwellings which were upon the river.
It was 2 leagues from the mouth of the river where our ships were to the king’s house.

His house had many torches of cane and palm leaves which were of the anime.

Magellan's Men in Brunei

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Brunei

10 leguas southwest of Palawan, we came to Borneo.

50 leguas from the tip is the port of Brunei.
After entering Brunei, the holy body [i.e., St. Elmo’s fire] appeared to us through the pitchy darkness.

The next day, July 9, its Moro king Raja Siripada sent a very beautiful prau to us

The Maharlikan Navy

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

That city [Brunei] has 25,000 families and is entirely built in salt water, except the houses of the king and certain chiefs.

The houses are all made of wood and built up from the ground on tall pillars.