e Don Andres Malong. He having usurped the title of king, went
to Campana, escorted by nine thousand Indian warriors. This number
was increased enormously within a few days; for it was either a
boast of the rebels and they so published it, or it was a fact,
his army was composed of forty thousand men. An Indian noble, by the
name of Don Francisco Sumulay, a very near relative of Malong, was
living in Bolinao, a village within our administration. On account
of that relationship he looked upon his progress as his own, and
helped him as much as he could to attain his purposes. He, in order
to incite Bolinao and its environs to revolt, spared no effort that
he considered fitting. But the father prior, Fray Juan de la Madre
de Dios (or Blancas), opposed him openly and in secret, destroying
with cunning whatever Sumulay wrought deceitfully. No sooner did the
restlessness and excited condition of the Indians force him to take
prudent precautions, than he caused ten soldiers to disembark from a
champan which was on its way to Cagayan. The latter obeyed him for the
captain agreed thereto, and because they knew how much the governor
of the islands favored the above-named religious, and that he would
approve whatever was done with the latter's advice. The father found
himself somewhat ready to offer resistance with those soldiers and
with the faithful Indians, who by dint of his persuasions were not
few; but he had not sufficient forces to attack the rebels or to
seize the wicked Sumulay, who was the cause of all the disorder.
6. The latter starting a rumor that the hostile Mindanaos were in
the neighborhood, imagined that by that false report, and by setting
fire to the convent and church at night, the soldiers would flee to
the mountains, and that the religious and the loyal Indians of the
village would imitate them. It would then follow that, since he would
remain behind with the insurgents who were already thoroughly advised,
he would be able, after having conquered the port and settlement at
his safety, to kill all who were not of his party. Those ideas were
not very badly conceived, and had they arrived at the desired success,
would have been only too potent for the attainment of his malicious
purpose. For, after the surrender of Bolinao, would doubtless follow
that of all the territory of Zambales, and then, the great difficulty
of maritime aid from Manila to Pangasinan, a circumstance which gave
great strength to the revo
|