without any opposition from other
people, until the opposition came through other men more rational
and civilized than they, who dispossessed them.

396. The third kind of people whom our Spaniards found in this
archipelago were the civilized nations, who maintained their government
or seigniory on the river banks, on the seashores, and in the other
sites with the best locations in these regions, and in the locations
most fit for healthful and safe dwelling-places. Among them there was
another remarkable class of people, and their domination, scattered
throughout the many islands of this archipelago, the chief of whom are
the Tagalogs, Pampangos, Visayans, and Mindanaos. Other peoples are
reduced to these, although they have various distinguishing marks. The
Tagalogs, who are the natives of Manila and its archbishopric, with
but little distance between their villages, were Malays, who came
from a district called Malayo; that is the origin of all the Malays,
who are scattered throughout the most and the better parts of all
these archipelagoes. They are located on the mainland of Malaca,
and as that district is not far distant from the great island of
Borney, it is inferred (and this tradition has been handed down from
father to son), that the Malays went to Borney, and from Borney to
settle Manila and its district; taking the name of Tagalog--which
is the same as Taga Ylog, which signifies, in their own language,
"those who live on the rivers;" for the Tagalogs have always lived
on the shores of the rivers.

397. That the Tagalogs originated directly from the Malays, is proved
(in the opinion of all) by their language, which differs but little
from that of the real Malays; by their color, and the shape of their
faces and their bodies; by the clothes and vesture in which the Spanish
conquistadors found them; by their customs and ceremonies, all of which
resemble those of the Malays--of whom the Tagalogs themselves said,
and say always, that they are the true descendants. The coming of
the Malays to this archipelago is not incredible, as we have so many
examples of various accidents in these seas which have originated from
the weather, by which we have seen brought to these islands unknown
peoples, who spoke languages which no one could understand. For
instance, a boat driven from its course, landed in the year 1725
on the opposite coast of Valer and Casiguran, where our religious
were in charge; it contained more than