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. 36]

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THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

[Vol. 35

artillery. The Dutch at once sallied out with 300
men to prevent them from occupying the islet in the
Mosamboy entrance," on which the Chinese expected to plant their battery; but the multitude
charged upon the Dutch and cut off the heads of all,
except one or two who escaped by swimming. This
humbled the pride of the Dutch and dispirited their
men. As soon as the Chinese landed their men they
attacked the eminence, where the Dutch had a fort
called Chiacam garrisoned with sixty soldiers; but
it surrendered on the third day, and the Chinese used
the Dutchmen for handling the artillery, assigning
them to various stations. In the harbor they burned
three ships and boarded one; and such was the fear
that filled the hearts of the timid of falling into the
hands of so bloody and savage an enemy, that twelve
Dutch fugitives with other people went to him [as
those who surrendered] with five brigantines which
the [Dutch] fort had employed for many purposes.
The Chinese began their enterprise with as much
fury as if they had lacked time for the attacks of their
batteries; but in their assurance and the manner of
their encampment they acted as if time were of no
importance, since it was the chief enemy of the besieged. Palmo by palmo they steadily gained the
[surrounding] country, carrying with them branches,
and baskets [of earth], until they established themselves near the fortifications of the Dutch; and during the ten months while the siege lasted they did not
cease firing all their artillery, night or day. In an58 Referring to the bay whereon was situated the chief settlement and fort of the Dutch in Formosa, that of Tai-wan, in the
southwestern part of the island.