sting
of ten chapters, is a short resume of Philippine history from the
earliest discoveries until the naval battle at Playa Honda with
the Dutch. The second part, consisting of seven chapters, deals
more intimately with the needs and resources of the islands, and
the importance of their conservation--that is, of matters that fell
particularly to Los Rios in his capacity of procurator-general. The
third part, in five chapters, relates to ecclesiastical matters in the
Philippines, and contains brief remarks on the Moluccas. The first six
chapters of part first are here only synopsized, with some extracts,
as they deal with matters rather fully presented heretofore in this
series. All the remainder of the book is translated in full.]

Part First

[Chapter I treats "of the first discoverers of the Filipinas, and of
their location." In rapid survey Los Rios sketches the expeditions of
Magalhaes, Loaisa, Villalobos, and Legazpi, although wrongly placing
the latter's death in 1574 instead of 1572. The location of the islands
is briefly described and the names of some of the principal ones given,
among them "Mindanao, which is the largest, and with which we are at
war, although it had formerly rendered your Majesty homage." Continuing
his narrative, the governorships of Guido de Labacares (whose
death is wrongly stated as occurring in 1575), Francisco de Sande,
the two Ronquillos (who are mentioned as brothers), and Santiago
de Vera, are lightly mentioned. Limahon's expedition against Manila
(wrongly ascribed to the period of Legazpi's governorship), and Sande's
expedition to Borneo are particularly mentioned. The latter sacked the
Bornean king's city "with but little justification." In his time also
the Chinese trade begins to be steady. Gonzalo Ronquillo de Penalosa
on coming to assume the governorship, according to the terms of his
contract, brings a number of colonists, "who were called _rodeados_
[34] because they had come by way of Panama ... He was a peaceful
man, although--because he had brought two sons with him, besides
other relatives, whom he allowed to live with considerable laxity;
and because numerous complaints had been written from the city to
his Majesty--his Majesty, seeing the great trouble experienced in
preaching the gospel, the evil example that those sons and relatives
furnished, and the harm that this would cause unless it were stopped,
removed Ronquillo from his governorship, and sent the royal