The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803; explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commericial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the beginning of the nineteenth century; [Vol. 1, no. 2]

12

THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

[Vol. 2

Spaniards remainirfifglive (in all, twenty-five out of
one hundred and forty-six) in the " Victoria " and in
the ship of Saavedra, who has been sent by Cortes
to search for the missing fleets which had set out from
Spain for the Moluccas. Urdaneta's relation of the
Loaisa expedition goes over the same ground, but
adds many interesting details.
Various documents (in synopsis) show the purpose
for which Saavedra is despatched from Mexico, the
instructions given to him, and letters which he is to
carry to various persons. Among these epistles, that
written by Hernando Cortes to the king of Cebu is
given in full; he therein takes occasion to blame
Magalhaes for the conflict with hostile natives which
resulted in the discoverer's death. He also asks the
Cebuan ruler to liberate any Spaniards who may be
in his power, and offers to ransom them, if that be
required. Saavedra's own account of the voyage
states that the time of his departure from New Spain
was October, 5.27. Arriving at the island of Visaya,
he finds three Spaniards who tell him that the eight
companions of MagaIhdes left at Cebui had been sold
by their captors to the Chinese.
Undaunted by these failures, another expedition
sets forth (1542) to gain a footing for Spanish power
on the Western Islands - that commanded by Ruy
Lopez de Villalobos; it is under the auspices of the
two most powerful officials in New Spain, and is
abundantly supplied with men and provisions. The
contracts made with the king by its promoters give
interesting details of the methods by which such enterprises were conducted. Various encouragements
and favors are offered to colonists who shall settle in
those islands; privileges and grants are conferred on