Page 165 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

7 Archaeological Researches on the Manila … 135

From July 4–August 1, 2007, The National Museum again worked HNAF and
carried out an electronic survey using multi-beam sonar, proton magnetometer as
well as undersea visual surveys using SCUBA off the waters of Northeast
Catanduanes (Orillaneda and Bersamira 2007). This was supplemented by ocular
shoreline surveys in the beaches of Panay and Lete Island as well as in the north and
northeast beaches of Bagamanoc and Pandan municipalities. Chinese blue and
white porcelain fragments were found in the shoreline of Bagamanoc and on the
east side of Panay Island that were identi!ed to belong to Ming Dynasty, the same
time period of the San Geronimo sinking in 1601. There were also three copper
coins that were reportedly found in the shores of Bagamanoc. The coins appear
similar to the ones recovered from the San Diego wreck in Batangas that sunk in
December 14, 1600. These !ndings refocused the survey towards the entrance of
the Bagamanoc Bay and Panay Island but no trace of the San Geronimo ship or its
associated cargoes was ever found during the entire survey period.
The next year, 2008, the National Museum and HNAF again carried out a
six-month (April 15–October 15) electronic (multi beam and side scan sonar),
magnetometer and SCUBA veri!cation dives (Jago-on 2008; Orillaneda and
Peñalosa 2008a, b). The entire offshore survey covered the entire eastern part and
some areas of the north and south of Catanduanes that included the municipalities
of Baras, Bagamanoc, Viga, Gigmoto, San Andres and Pandan. This was com-
plemented by terrestrial coastal surveys in several barangays in the same munici-
palities. The land surveys yielded Chinese blue and white porcelains that were
dated to the mid-17th century and thus not related to either the Espiritu Santo or the
San Geronimo. Several anomalies were detected by the electronic survey but were
modern objects.
2
A total of 641 km were surveyed at the south and east coasts of Catanduanes
Island looking for the two (2) galleons broken down as follows over the years.
2 2 2
47.45 km was surveyed in 2002, 131.35 km in 2003, 109.64 km in 2004, and
2
322 km from 2005 to 2008 (Fig. 7.3).

7.3.2 The San Diego (December 14, 1600)

San Diego was built in the shipyards of Cebu as a merchant ship and was initially
named San Antonio (Desroches et al. 1995; L’Hour 1996). She was docked in
Cavite for reconditioning and repairs when a couple of Dutch ships led by Olivier
Van Noort aboard his flagship Mauritius and a smaller ship Concord entered the
Philippines to carry out private trade in the country (Goddio 1994). When the
Spaniards learned of the incursion, the government hastily assembled a small fleet
of ships including San Diego as the flagship to pursue and engage the Dutch.
Don Antonio de Morga, at that time the Vice Governor General of the
Philippines, head of the Inquisition and a judge of the Royal Audiencia, was tasked
to lead the expedition. An inexperienced sailor, Morga over loaded San Diego with
weaponries including land cannons and other unnecessary cargo. This made