THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS , AND THE ISLE OF FRAN«E. 75
north. The Sultan of Borneo poffeffes the fouthern part of Paragoa, the fouth-eafteruextremity of which is no more than twenty leagues diftant from Borneo . The face ofthis ifland is mountainous ; it is covered with wood, and abounds in animals. It yieldswax in great plenty, but of grain a very flender quantity.
CALAMIANES.
The three Calamianes are fituate north-north-eaft of Paragoa, and together withnine contiguous iflets form one province of fimilar name. On thefe iflands birds’ neftsare found, and wax -, on the coafts pearls are filhed. The inhabitants are remarkablefor their gentle nature.
This ifland, fituate in thirteen degrees and fome minutes of northern latitude *, andon the fouth of Manila , is about feventy leagues in circuit !. Covered with toweringmountains it yields little grain, but cocoa-nuts, and fruit in great plenty. . The inha-bitants who dwell on the coafts are mild and fociable j thofe of the interior a favagerace.
marindeque.
North-eaft of Mindoro , in thirteen degrees thirty minutes north, lies the ifland Ma-rindeque. It confifts of elevated land, productive of rice in fmall quantity, but abound-ing in fruit, efpecially cocoas : wax and pitch are likewife among its productions.
MASBATE.
The ifland of Mafbate, north of Zebu , and under the twelfth degree of latitudenorth, is thirty leagues in circumference by eight in breadth. Its ports are fafe andcommodious, with excellent anchorage in deep water. Its produce wax, fait, civet,ambergreafe, and gold.
TIC AO.
North of Mafbate, and eight leagues from the emboradero , or entrance of the ftraitof San Bernardino, lies the ifland Ticao . It has a good port to which veflels refort forrefrefhments. Moft of the inhabitants live in a wild ftate.
CAPOUL.
This ifland is fituate in twelve degrees thirty minutes north, near the mouth of theftrait. It is only three leagues in circuit, but is neverthelefs of importance, owingto its great fertility.
SAMAR, OR IBABAO.
Samar extends from eleven degrees thirty minutes to thirteen degrees of northernlatitude. With Cape Baliquaton and the Point of Manila it forms the mouth of theftrait of San Bernardino, through which the galeon paffes, as well on leaving the Phi-lippines , as on its return from Acapulco.
* Where hut one point of latitude and longitude of an ifland is marked, the center is meant to he expref-fed.-— Translator.
' a ^ le ^ orm °f Mindoro is that of a triangle, the bafe running north-weft by north and fouth-eaft byeaft, about one hundred and twenty Englilh ftatute miles in length, the northern fide one hundred miles,long, that on the eaft feventy. The northern and fouth-weftern fides have each fome bays, the northern aremarkable promontory about the middle ; the eaftern fide forms a very regular line.— Translator.
South-
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