Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 04).djvu/268

264 Ribera, upon finding that he had been unable to seize any Indians in the ambuscades which his Grace had ordered to be made in the said village, in order to talk with them regarding affairs of the said river, left, when about to depart, two ambuscades of soldiers in the said village of Tapaca. Two Indians were taken in this way by the soldiers, who were led before the said captain, then anchored with the rest of his men and boats in the village of Lusa, one-half a league from Tanpaca. They were brought before me, the present notary, and the interpreter Laquian—an Indian, who understands the language of the natives of this river; and the following questions were asked them.

One of them on being asked his name and whose slave he was, responded that his name was Sidurman and that he was the slave of Batala, a chief of the said village of Tapaca, and brother-in-law to Limasancay, petty king of the said river.

Being interrogated by the said interpreter why he and his companion came to the said village of Tanpaca, where the said captain was, since the natives of the said village had hidden themselves and abandoned the said village, he declared that the said Batala sent them both to the said village in order to find out what the Castilians were doing there. This was their reason for coming.

Being asked to tell where the said Batala was when he sent him and his companion on the above-mentioned errand, he said that he was in a village called Bulon, situated on the said river. The said captain asked him what he [Sidurman] was doing in the said village, and why Batala and all the other chiefs had abandoned their own village. He said and answered