EIGAFETTA’s VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD.
339
Ipace, which ferves as a farm and poultry-yard, in which they keep their hogs, goats,and fowls *.
We were told that in thefe feas are birds of a black colour, refembling our crows,which, when the whale appears on the furface of the water, watch the moment it opensits mouth to fly into it, and thence proceed direftly to pluck out its heart, which theycarry away with them to fome other fpot to feed upon. The only proof they have how-ever of this fa£t is their having feen this black bird feeding on the heart of the whale,and their finding the whale dead and without a heart. They add that this bird iscalled lagan; that it has a dentated beak, and a black fkin; but that its flefh is whitea nd fit to eat f.
On Friday we opened our warehoufe, and exhibited our different merchandize,which excited much admiration among the iflanders. For brafs, iron, and other weightyArticles, they gave us gold in exchange: our trinkets, and articles of a lighter kind,Vver e bartered for rice, hogs, goats, and other edibles. For fourteen pounds of ironreceived ten pieces of gold, of the value of a ducat and a half. The captain-generalforbade too great an anxiety for receiving gold ; without which order every failorw °uld have parted with all he had to obtain this metal, which would have ruined ourcommerce for ever.
The King having promifed our captain to embrace the Chriftian faith, Sunday theI 4 f h of April was fixed upon for the ceremony. With this intent a fcaffold was£aifed, in the place we had already confecrated, which was covered with tapeffry andbranches of palm. About forty of us landed, exclufive of two men armed cap-a pie,Who preceded the royal ftandard. At the inflant of our landing the velfels fired ageneral falute, which did not fail of alarming the iflanders. The captain and the Kingembraced. We afcended the fcaffold, on which were placed two chairs for them,covered with green and blue velvet. The chiefs of the ifland were feated on cufhions,a nd the reft of the affemblage on mats.
The captain then told the King that among the other advantages that would accrueto him from embracing the Chriftian faith would be that of his being ftrengthened, fowith greater facility to overcome his enemies. The King anfwered, that withoutbis consideration he felt himfelf difpofed to become a Chriftian ; but that he certainlyb°uld be much pleafed at being enabled to enforce refpedt from different chiefs of the•and who refufed him homage, faying they were men as well as himfelf, and wouldb® 1 obey his mandates. The captain having fummoned them before him, gave them,jj ° u gh the interpreter, to underftand that, if they failed in obeying the King as their!fge lord, he would caufe them all to be put to death, and give their poffeflions toe King. Upon this the intimidated chiefs univerfally promifed to acknowledge theK '"8’s authority.
g A he captain furthermore promifed the King that, after he fhould have returned topain, he would come back to his country with forces far more confiderable, and that, .^nld render him the moft powerful monarch in all thefe iflands; a recompencefa' h coufidcrod due to him for being the firft who had embraced the Chriftian11 • The King, raifing his hands to heaven, returned him thanks, and earneftlv
by D p . me account rendered by Pigafetta of the houfes of the Indians of the Philippine Iflands Is giventh; s p C „ u 'S ne in his Voyage a l’lfle de France et a Manille, tome iii. j a voyage which makes a part ofVoneaion. F . ng<Tr .
having, k 8 * 8 ° ne l b £ ta lcs of Pig3fetta which he relates as if he credited. In favour of the relation^Wuth f en mac * e 1° bim mall be obferved, that many birds feed on dead whales. A crow feen in the0 3 dead whale by fome of thefe iflanders may poflibly have been the firit origin of this ftory.
x x 2 entreated