It was with great excitement that we escorted the slow-moving caravan.
For decades, the cannons had rusted on the platforms of the Boac Cathedral walls, barely used. In time, the townspeople had regarded them no differently than statues—merely decorations.
The Spanish had placed them there, facing the river, in case of Moro pirate attacks. But when the pirates stopped targeting Boac, their purpose became merely symbolic.During the revolution against Spain last year, the defenders fired a few rounds—once or twice—though only for intimidation, not real combat.
But today, we were transferring them somewhere they could actually be of use.
Two carabaos led the caravan, pulling a cart that carried four swivel guns, dismounted from the fort's stone parapets. I was surprised to see they weren't actually more impressive than the pirate swivel guns found on the garay warships.
