ed his
sail. He himself attended to all the duties of steersman and lookout,
and ploughed those seas as if his craft were a powerful galleon. The
household economy of these, as of the other natives, is uniform, as
will be told later on; so that all appear as if cut out by one pair
of shears--notable indications that they are all lopped from one trunk.

Chapter V

_Of the discovery of these islands_

They continued their voyage toward the west, until the thirteenth of
the above month, on which day land was sighted at eight o'clock in
the morning. That point marks the beginning of the Filipinas Islands,
which name was given to all these islands, in the year 42, by Ruy Lopez
de Villalobos. Anchor was cast in a bay forty-five brazas deep. Then,
at the general's command, the master-of-camp, Father Urdaneta, and
some soldiers with them, landed, and went to see whether the island
contained any town or people with whom they could talk. And although
they brought report of none of this, they found quite sufficient
information next day from some Indians who came to the flagship,
who furnished them with the desired information regarding those
islands. The commander received them kindly, and presented to them
some small trifles, of little value--which, however, they esteemed
highly, as they were novelties and unknown to them before--and they
went away happy. When they were going, they were told that they
could treat for friendship and alliance with the Spaniards without
any fear. Those Indians, drawn to the Spaniards by both the kindly
treatment and the presents given them, talked to their tribesmen. As
a result, the next morning the ships were surrounded by their little
boats, all full of Indians of all ages. Among them were some chiefs,
who told the Spaniards that they wished to draw blood with them, as
a proof of the constancy with which they would keep the friendship
that was to be made with them. This ceremony consists in drawing
some drops of blood, generally from the arms. These drops they mix
together, and afterward mix with a little wine, which is then drunk
by the two or more who bled themselves and who wish to contract the
friendship. The commander rejoiced at this, although he refused to
draw blood himself, reserving that ceremony for the king, or supreme
head of all the islands. Accordingly the master-of-camp drew blood
with them, and then they became seemingly firm friends. The commander
regaled them as well