Freshwater
flows from a rock near Achugas Point. This is about half way
between
Sehya (Sella) Bay and Fakpi (Facpi) Point. Some say the rock looks
like
a reclining priest dressed in a robe. Water flows from a depression
in the
center
of this rock.
According
to legend, once in the time of the Spaniards, a taotaomo'na got tired
of
the priest trespassing along his shore. The taotaomo'na attacked
and killed
the
priest.
Another
version states that a well-liked holy priest taught Chamorus about
Christ.
This angered some men. At night they tried to kill him, but he escaped.
The
angry men chased him to the edge of a cliff. The priest had a choice
to
jump
or be killed. He jumped over the cliff just south of Hate' (Cetti or Jati)
Bay.
The angry men could not hide their crime. At low tide between Hate'
Bay
and Fouha Bay you can see the huge coffin shaped rock. Fresh water still
comes
out of the center of the rock.
These
legends are rooted in historical fact. Chamorus from Hate' (Cetti)
village
killed
Pale' Francisco Ezquerra. In this February 2, 1674 incident six Filipino
members
of the mission also died.
Pale'
Francisco arrived in Guahan in 1671. He served in Luta (Rota) and
built
a church
in Malesso' (Merizo). Pale' Francisco had a special devotion for
San
Dimas.
San Dimas is the patron saint of Malesso'. After Pale' Diego Luis San
Vitores'
death Pale' Francisco became Superior of the mission. He sent priests
to
the Philippines to get Pampango soldiers to guard the mission in the Mariana
Islands.
On January 30, 1674, Father Francisco accompanied Captain
Damian
de Esplana while his men burned Sydia village at Sehya Bay. Three
days
later Pale' Francisco Ezquerra died near Hate'.
Muta'
was one of the men who killed the priest. In 1680, Muta' made war
against
the villages who sided with the Spanish. The Spanish and their
Chamoru
allies tracked down the men involved in the killing of Ezquerra.
They
captured some of them alive. They presented the others' heads to Captain
Esplana.
Pale'
Tomas de Cardenoso recovered the robe of Pale' Francisco Ezquerra.
The
Spanish revered it as a relic of the illustrious martyr. Chamorus
wounded
Esplana's
horse with a spear in the neck. Other Chamorus friendly to the
mission
carried the wounded horse to safety. Esplana placed Ezquerra's robe
on
his wounded horse and prayed for its recovery. His prayers were
answered.
The mission's only horse recovered. The horse was able to walk
back
to Hagatna the next day. |