s names to them. Here Father
Urdaneta ordered the vessels to ascend to the thirteenth degree, so
that by running westward and turning their course to the southwest,
until they reached twelve and one-half degrees, they might reach
the Filipinas. On Saturday, January 22, the Ladrones Islands were
discovered, so called because their inhabitants are robbers, to as
great an extent as possible. They are very different from the natives
of the other islands, whose goodness is such, that they do not know
what it is to steal. And if I admit that there are many robbers [in
the Filipinas] they have become so since the Spaniards, have governed
them; for the natives learn our bad habits better than our good
ones. Hence they are quite expert in all the vices of the Spaniards,
but dull and ignorant in their virtues. In this is seen the bias of
their disposition, and that they are much more inclined to evil than
to good. Father Urdaneta said mass in these Ladrones Islands, and gave
their inhabitants to understand, as well as he could, the purpose of
his coming, making use likewise of the interpreter Pacheco. Possession
was taken of those islands for the king, our sovereign, with all
the solemnities of law. The natives expressed great satisfaction
with everything; for, as they are by nature robbers, they assured
the Spaniards, in order to commit their depredations better. And not
few were the jests that our Spaniards endured from that people, all
out of respect to the general, who with his goodness, bore it all,
claiming in this wise to win the hearts of those islanders better
than with arms. For if the natives were exasperated they would receive
tardily the blessings that were intended for them.

This island of the Ladrones where the Spaniards anchored is a lofty,
mountainous land, with its coasts fringed with thick cocoa groves,
and other cool and shady trees. The natives of the islands eat rice,
which is the chief food of all the islands. At times, when I consider
how many people use rice as bread, I think that three-fourths of the
world are sustained on this kind of food. These Ladrones Islands number
thirteen, [20] and extend north and south. As they were the first
islands of which the general took possession, his Majesty granted them
to Melchor Lopez de Legaspi, only son of the general, giving him the
title of adelantado. These Indians go naked. Both men and women are
fine sailors and swimmers, for they are accustomed to jump from