M. DE GUIGNES* OBSERVATIONS ON

76

South-weft of this ifland between Samar and Leyte is the ftrait of Juanillo, anotherpaflage of the Philippine Iflands.

Samar is an ifland covered with mountains, but poffeffing vallies of great exuberance.Here it is the bean of St. Ignacius is grown; a fruit in high eftimation with the In-dians for its medical virtues, but the ufe of which the phyficians of Europe confiderdangerous.

In this ifland it is always cooler than at Manila , the air being continually refrefhedby breezes from the ocean.

LUBAN AND AMBIL.

Thefe are but iflets. Luban is only five leagues in circumference, and Ambil ftillfmaller * : on the latter is a very lofty volcano. They yield wax, and a kind of blackhemp.

BABUYANES AND BATANES.

Thefe iflets are fituate about the nineteenth degree of latitude north. The neareft isfubjedt to the Spaniards, and produces wax, ebony, cocoas, and bananas.

MANIDA.

This ifland, the moft confiderable of the Philippines , ftretches from latitude twelvedegrees thirty minutes to eighteen degrees forty minutes north : it is upwards of onehundred and twenty leagues f long, by a various and very unequal breadth, being verynarrow in certain parts, and in others from thirty to forty leagues broad.

It is divided into feveral provines, that is to fay, Balayan, Tayabas, Camarines, Pare-cala, Cagayan, Illoccos, Pangafinam,Pambangan, Bulacun, Bahi, and Manila ; 'to thefethe ifland of Camadnanes being added, makes the whole number twelve.

Balayan lies on the weftern fide at about the fourteenth degree north : it poffeffestwo confiderable bays Bambon and Batangas. The iflands of La Cafa, and theCorregidor are dependent on this province.

Tayabas is fituate eaftward of Balayan ; on the fouth-eaft and north-eaft, it is wafliedby the fea. This province is of great extent and very populous.

Camarines, fouth-eaft of Tayabas extends as far as to the ftrait of Samar . On itsweftern Ihores is the port of Sorfocon of great extent and well adapted for building ofIhips. On its eaftern fide is the bay of Albay, near which is a lofty volcano.

Cantaduanes is an ifland J, eaft of the province of Camarines in fourteen degreesnorth; it is thirty leagues in circuit, and forms of itfelf one province. It yields muchrice, palm, oil, cocoa nuts, honey and wax ; the inhabitants colled! fotne gold fromthe rivers, and carry on a confiderable traffic with Manila in boats : to remedy theinconvenience which the tranfport of thefe one by one would occafion, they build themof different fizes, and place the one fucceffively within the other. The planks ofwhich thefe boats are made are not joined together with nails, but are fewed or joinedtogether with cane and rattans. The inhabitants of the ifland are warlike, and painttheir faces.

Parecala || has mines of gold, and produces loadftone. The cacao tree and thepalm yielding wine grow in this province : it has two bays, the one called Lampon,the other Mauban.

* Thefe iflets, at the entrance of the ftraits of St. Bernardino, lie, Ambil north-eaft, and Luban fouth-fouth-weft of Cape Baliquaton, each a few miles diftant. —’Translator.

f French leagues, twenty to the degree.

j Nearly of oblong form, thirty-five Englifh ftatute miles from north to fouth, tranfverfely abouttwenty-five broad. — Translator.

P North of Tayabas, on the coaft.

Cagayan