cient strength to oppose the dreaded Corralat. The governor,
fearing his defection, did not leave him any artillery. The Jesuits
also surrendered to Macombon their houses and churches, carrying away
the images, ornaments, chalices, and books; and six thousand Christians
remained in Zamboanga exposed to the rage of the Mahometans. Some
Lutaos, although not many, decided to go to the province of Cebu,
or to that of Dapitan; others scattered through Jolo or Mindanao in
search of safety, returning to their former religion.

The abandonment of our military posts in Mindanao was, although it is
excused by the embarrassed condition of the capital of the islands,
an exceedingly imprudent measure, since, in order to provide for an
uncertain danger, the Visayan Islands were left exposed to another
which was more immediate and real--to say nothing of the retrogression
that must necessarily result to our domination among the natives
of Mindanao, where at that time over seventy thousand Christians
lived. The pirate who could cause such a panic in the authorities of
Manila, and occasioned so great losses to the undertaking of subduing
the Mahometan Malay pirates, died without carrying out his threats.

During the government of Don Juan de Vargas (1679), the sultan of
Borneo sent an embassy to ask that mercantile dealings might be
established with Filipinas; and Vargas in his turn sent another
and a very distinguished one, headed by Sargento-mayor Don Juan
Morales de Valenzuela. In 1701 occurred in the south of Filipinas
an event as tragic as unusual. The sultan of Jolo went to visit
the ruler of Mindanao, for greater ostentation taking with him as
escort a squadron composed of sixty-seven vessels. At sight of such a
retinue the sultan of Mindanao, Cutay [98] (the successor of the noted
Corralat), feared that the other had designs that were not peaceable,
and commanded that the mouth of the river should be closed; but the
sultan of Jolo, offended thereat, dared the other to a personal
combat. This challenge was accepted, and the two sultans engaged
in a hand-to-hand contest, so fierce that each slew the other; and
immediately war was kindled between the two peoples. The Joloans,
breaking down the stakes which closed the river, retired to their
own island with many weapons and spoils. The new ruler of Mindanao
asked aid from the governor of Manila, Don Domingo Zubalburu; but
the latter advised that they should lay aside their dissensi