258 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS [VOL. 50 



Some of the older Spanish authors also entertained the view that 

 the Philippines were once subject to Chinese rule; and Father Gaubil 

 relates in the Lettrcs ediiiantes that Yung-lo maintained a fleet with 

 thirty thousand men, which sailed to Manila at various times. 



It was in 1571 that the Spaniards and Chinese met for the first 

 time at Mindoro, before Legazpi, the conqueror of the Philippines, 

 undertook his expedition to Manila. 1 That there was a colony of 

 Chinese on Luzon before the arrival of the Spaniards, there can be 

 no doubt, as it is clearly stated also in the "Ming shih" (chap. 323, 

 p. 11 b), which says that "formerly the people of Fuhkien lived there 

 because the place was conveniently near. They were traders of 

 abundant means, ten thousand in number, who, as a rule, took up a 

 long residence there, and did not return home until their sons and 

 grandsons had grown up. When, however, the Franks snatched 

 away this country, the Spanish king despatched a chief to suppress 

 the Chinese. As he was concerned lest they might revolt, he ex- 

 pelled many of them. All those remaining had to suffer from his 

 encroachments and insults." 



According to the Ming Annals (chap. 323, p. 11 a) it was about 

 the commencement of the Wan-li period (». e., 1573) that the 

 Franks made their first appearance in Philippine waters. There is 

 a curious tradition reported by the Chinese chronicler in connection 

 with the first settlement of the Spaniards and their foundation of 

 the city of Manila. This tradition runs as follows : "The Spanish 

 Franks surpassed the people of Luzon in strength, and for a long 

 time interchanged commerce with them. When they perceived that 

 the country was weak and could be occupied, they bestowed rich 

 presents on the king and demanded a plot of land as big as an ox- 

 hide for building houses and living there. The king did not suspect 

 any trickery, and assented. These men thereupon cut the hide of 

 an ox into narrow strips, pieced these together until they extended 

 the length of a thousand fathoms, and in this way encompassed the 

 whole land of Luzon, which they then claimed, in accordance with 

 their agreement. The king was exceedingly taken aback ; but, as 

 he had already given his promise, there was no way out of it but to 

 yield to their demand. Thus these men obtained the land, erected 

 houses, and built a city, where they planted firearms and safeguarded 

 it against the attacks of highwaymen. Finally they took advantage 

 of the king's unpreparedness, came upon him unawares, killed him 



1 F. Blnmentritt, Die Chinesen auf den Philippine!! (Leitmeritz, 1879), p. 1. 



