Cape Engaño, Epigraph

CAPE ENGAÑO

Erwin E. Castillo

In memory of Miguel.

This book was written with the kind help of Nick Joaquin, Franz Arcellana, Virginia Moreno, Georgina Cadileña, Concepcion Dadufalza, Ed & Edith Tiempo, Ding & Blanca Nolledo, Francisco Ferma, Francisco Aguila, Napoleon & Angelina Aure, Rafael & Adela Aure, Willy & Marite Sanchez, Recah & Fe Trinidad, Bubu & Jocel Castillo, Felix Angue, Sammy Tucay, Laura Legaspi Castillo and children, Fernando Poe, Jr., Bootsie Taylor Catala, Pedro Aure Alegre, Josefa Aure Roman, Marieta Castillo, Eugenio Escover, Luis Sol Jr., Atoy Fernandez, Micah & Yuko Valdes, Rudy Rodriguez & family, the Afable brothers, the Baesa brothers, Ben Balbenta, Pundok Sustento, Gerardo de Leon, Grexy Villaseran, Eddie Romero, Gabriel Elorde, Corazon Vidamo and children, Jun Urbano, Pepito Aguila, Danny Dalena, Cesar Aquino, Natividad Almanzor, George Dominado, Cris Michelena, Carlos Castillo, Sonny Yniguez, Jovita Kaw, Mel Gulfin, Richard Eusebio, Babes Sumpo, Vicenta Ferma Aure, Johnny Chiuten, Francis Llamas, Jose Modequillo, Jessie Bercilla, Miguel Castillo, Oscar Orbos, Jolico Cuadra, Diego Castillo, Rafael & Charito Colet, Horacio Morales, Shakespeare Chan, Virgilio Pinlac, King Nocum, Erle Castillo, Rizalina Claravall, Jun Tuason; David, Noah, Meagan, Juan Gabriel, Ringo, and most specially, Jarvis.

“…console ourselves
that the war of nature
is not incessant,
that no fear is felt,
that death is generally prompt,
and that the vigorous,
the healthy and the happy
survive and multiply.”

--- Darwin

…And with the Wind behind us that evening we distinguished the Form of the Luçones against the sunset of the Western Sea. We prepared to blunt the blow of the Advancing Tempest by tracking North along the Coast, though there below the wind the Ship was imperiled for the Treachery of the rocks. Sore for land we braved the deck Whence we observed the Cliffs and Jungles so Savagely unlike any we had in our lifetimes seen. The Wind and the Rain now blew with great Force, lifting the Jungle trees by their roots as if by cannon. The Earth gushed in Rivers of red mud and loosed the smell of a turning grave. Our ship rounded the Horn of the Luçones with much travail, then turned into the open sea once more and the full might of the Vendabal whose strength was undiminished by its rampage across the Horn. In the darkness the Island assumed the Visage and Attitude of Leviathan, lightning its teeth, thunder its voice, and our poor souls its prey. By first light we beheld the Promontory, seven leagues North of the line of the Boxeador, and the foot of the mountains sacred to the Heathen that we distantly heard above the Surf and Rain, belaboring their Infernal Drums, commanding us Sail on for there was no Value to Realize in that God-forsaken realm. Thereto for shelter we leed, imploring Our Holy Mother's merciful Intercession, while the Typhoon roared about us, the morning of the 5^th July, the Savior's Year of 1663, that we came upon the Cape of El Engaño.

--- Diego de Salcedo to Francisco Yçquierdo,
written at San Miguel de Manila, July 19, 1664.