DAMPIER’s ACCOUNT OF THE PHILIPPINES. 47

low and good anchoring, and that over on the coaft of Guinea is fuch alfo. Andfuch too is the bay of Panama , where the pilotbook orders the pilot always to found,and not to come within fuch a depth, be it by night or day. In the fame feas fromthe high land of Guatimala in Mexico, to California , there is moftly low land andgood anchoring. In the main of Afta, the coaft of China, the bay of Siam and Bengal,and all the coaft of Coromandel, and the coaft about Malacca, and againft it the illandSumatra on that fide, are moftly low anchoring Ihores. But on the weft fide ofSumatra , the fhore is high and bold ; fo mod of the iflands lying to the eaftward ofSumatra ; as the iflands Borneo, Celebes, Gilolo , and abundance of iflands of lefsnote, lying fcattering up and down thofe feas, are low land , and have good anchoringabout them, with many fhoals fcattered to and fro among them; but the iflandslying againft the Eaft Indian ocean , efpecially the weft fides of them, are high landand fteep, particularly the weft parts, not only of Sumatra , but alfo of Java, dimor,&c. Particulars are endlefs ; but in general it is feldom but high Ihores anddeep waters; and on-the other fide, low land and Ihallow feas are found together.

But to return from thi& digreflion, to fpeak of the reft of thefe iflands. . Monmouthand Grafton ifles are very hilly, with many of thofe fteep inhabited precipices on them,that I fliall defcribe particularly. The two fmall iflands are flat and even; onlythe Balhee ifland hath one fteep fcraggy hill, but Goat ifland is all flat and veryeven.

The mould of thefe iflands in the valley is blackilh in fome places, but in moft red.The hills are very rocky: the valleys are well watered with brooks of frefh water,which run into the fea in many'different places. The foil is indifferent fruitful,efpecially in the valleys ; producing pretty great plenty of trees (though not verybig) and thick grafs. The Tides of the mountains have alfo Ihort grafs, and fomeof the mountains have mines within them; for the natives told us, that the yellowmetal they Ihewed us, (as I fhall fpeak more particularly) came from thefe moun-tains ; for when they held it up they would point towards them.

The fruit of the iflands are a few plantains, bonanoes, pine-apples, pumpkins,fugar canes, &c. and there might be more if the natives would, for the ground feemsfertile enough. Here are great plenty of potatoes and yams, which is the commonfood for the natives for bread kind : for thofe few plantains they have, are onlyufed as fruit. They have fome cotton growing here of the fmall plants.

Here are plenty of goats and abundance of hogs; but few fowls, either wild ortame. For this I have always obferved in my travels, both in the Eaft and WeftIndies, that in thofe places where there is plenty of grain, that is, of rice in one, andmaiz in the other, there are alfo found great abundance of fowls ; but on the contrary,few fowls in thofe countries where the inhabitants feed on fruits and roots only. Theew wild fowls that are here are parakites, and fome other fmall birds. Their tamefowl are only a few cocks and hens.

Monmouth and Grafton iflands are very thick inhabited ; and Balhee ifland hathone town on it. 1 he natives of thefe iflands are Ihort fqu at people ; they are gene-ra y rou nd vifaged, with low foreheads and thick eye-brows; their eyes of a hazelcolour and fmall, yet bigger than the Chinefe; Ihort low nofes, and their lips andmouths middle proportioned; their teeth are white, their hair is black and thick,and lank, which they wear but Ihort; it will juft cover thsff ears, and fo it is cutround very even. Their Ikins are of a very dark copper-colour.

1 hey wear no hat, cap, nor turbat, or any thing to keep off the fun. The menor the biggeft part have only a fmall clout to cover their nakednefs ; fome of them

have