An Historical View of the Philippine Islands Volume II Part 7

The princ.i.p.al establishments of the Spaniards, in the island of Panay, are Ilo-Ilo and Antigue; there is no good anchorage on the island of Panay but in this latter place.

Antigue is in 6 42' N. lat.i.tude; the anchorage is six fathom, at a good distance from the land. Vessels cannot take the benefit of this anchorage in November, December, and January, but with great risk, as, during that period, the south-west and west winds blow right on the coast, and render the sea tempestuous. Water for shipping is procured at a small rivulet, situated to the north; there is a much more considerable river, which serves as a ditch to the fort, and along which boats may proceed a great way; but its water is brackish even at neap tides. The inhabitants of this island, more industrious than those of Lucon, manufacture handkerchiefs and cloths from cotton, and the fibres of a plant which the country supplies; the coa.r.s.est description is used for clothing, and with the finer they trade with the neighbouring islands.

In other respects Antigue resembles the rest of the Philippines. Indulgent Nature is prodigal of her gifts, of which the inhabitants make no attempt to avail themselves, for the government uses no means of protection against the ravages and cupidity of the Moors, who incessantly hara.s.s and carry off even the fishing-boats from the bay: this is only protected by a wooden fort, garrisoned by about twenty Christian natives.

This island produces a great deal of grain, but little fruit; cocoa and plantains, of a bad quality, are alone sought after by the inhabitants. There is a great number of stags, wild boars, and wild hogs; buffaloes, horned cattle, and horses, are so common, that no attention is paid either to their safety or to their propagation; the horses wander about at their pleasure; they are public property, having no particular owner: when a horse is wanted, the first that appears is seized, and he is turned loose again when he has performed the requisite service.

The air of the whole island is unwholesome, from the want of cultivation, and the frequency of marshes. It is supposed to contain many very rich gold mines.

The Spaniards have many factories on the coasts of Mindanao, which support a precarious existence only by a constant state of warfare with the innumerable Kings reigning in the island, not one of which will acknowledge the Spanish dominion.

Sambouanga forms the chief establishment of the Spaniards on this island; it is situated on the southern coast of it. According to our observation, it lies in 120 13' long. and 6 54' lat. differing considerably from the observation of Mr. Gentil, who places it in 7 20' lat. apparently after some bad Spanish charts.

The Spaniards have constructed a considerable fort, with stone and brick, and capable of the defence of the bay. The inhabitants are placed within a palisade, ab.u.t.ting on one side to the fort, and on the other to a small wooden battery of 14 guns, which commands the environs of the town.

Sambouanga costs the King of Spain a great deal, and makes no return. This post was established for the purpose of checking the incursions of the Moors of Jolo on the neighbouring islands; notwithstanding which these latter are not a whit less frequent in their visits to the bay of Antigue and that of Manila, carrying off not only the fishing-boats which fall in their way, but vessels richly laden. They are even daring enough to attack the inhabitants of Sambouanga; they land out of the range of the guns, and hara.s.s them close to the palisade; these unhappy beings are thus prevented from quitting their houses; they cultivate the land under the protection of cannon, of which they are compelled to avail themselves of several pieces in such fields as they are desirous of tilling.

The soil is fertile, and requires little culture; it produces rice abundantly. The cattle are very numerous, and of little value. The King having turned some loose upon an immense plain which adjoins the settlement, they have multiplied to such a degree, that when I was there they were estimated at six thousand. A wooden fort, of eight guns, has been constructed in the middle of the plain to check the Moors. Upon another plain, separated from this by a chain of mountains, the Spaniards have turned horses and cattle, which have likewise increased prodigiously; both plains are bordered by a thin wood, full of stags and wild hogs. The rivers, as is the case in the island of Lucon, produce a great deal of gold.

A particular species of cocoa is found at Sambouanga; the tree which produces it differs in no respect from that with which we are acquainted; its fruit has the same form, but is a little less in size; the husk is not of a fibrous consistence like that of common cocoa, the flesh of it is a.n.a.logous to the artichoke; it has its flavour, and, perhaps, we a.s.signed a greater degree of delicacy to it, because we had not the means of comparing them: if this fruit is allowed to grow old on the tree, it changes its nature, and becomes stringy; in this state its taste is tart, and the cocoa is no longer fit for eating. I carried six to the Isle of France, but they did not succeed.

There is a volcano on the south side of Mindanao which burns incessantly, and serves as a landmark to vessels frequenting this navigation.

The island of Jolo, or Sooloo, seems to be the point of demarkation between the Philippines and the Moluccas. The Dutch pretend that it is a dependency on the Moluccas; and the Spaniards are so much persuaded it is one of the Philippines, that they have repeatedly attempted an establishment there; and not having succeeded by mild measures, they have endeavoured to render themselves masters of it by force. Every attempt has failed: the Jolois have never been induced to acknowledge but their own sovereign.

The English have had a factory on a small island to the east of Jolo, but they have been obliged to abandon it.

The French have attempted to form an establishment there. The King of the island, as a proof of his friendly intentions towards the nation, had even desired the French flag. I believe, however, there was good reason for not persevering in the attempt, as, sooner or later, the adventurers would have been the victims of the inhabitants, who are naturally warlike and fierce, though under the government of a good prince.

It was under the administration of M. Poivre, at the Isle of France, that a kind of alliance was formed between the French government and the Sultan of Jolo. M. Poivre had had some intercourse with this Prince, the most powerful of all the sovereigns in the Philippine Archipelago; and he had availed himself of it, to direct to that island the first expedition in search of the spice plants, under the command of M. de Tremigon. The Frenchmen attached to this expedition were hospitably received at Jolo. Alymudin, the Sultan, not only offered them his aid in the conquest, but a considerable territory in his dominions.

Jolo is only a small island of 30 to 40 leagues in circ.u.mference: it notwithstanding merits the attention of the European powers, on account of its being so well adapted for the cultivation of spices, and generally for commerce.

It produces a great many elephants; amber is found there, and there is a pearl fishery. Its harbour is a retreat for the Moors, who piratically infest these seas, distress the navigation of the Spaniards, and carry off in their incursions the colonists, of whom they make slaves; the coast is furnished with fish sufficient for the daily food of the inhabitants; here likewise are gathered the birds'

nests so highly esteemed by the Chinese.

Statement of the Productions of the Philippines, transmitted to the French Minister in 1776.

Gold is found every where, but more abundantly at Gapan, in the province of Pampanga. The provinces of Pangasinan and Cagayan produce

Lead.

Copper.

Iron.

Sulphur.

Excellent Sugar.

Indigo.

The Achiote, a tree, the seed of which is used for dying.

Cotton, of the best quality.

Oil of Cocoa, in abundance.

Wood Oil, equally abundant.

Oil of Louban, a species of fruit.

Oil of Aonpoly, an agricultural production.

Ginger.

Camphor.

Areka Nut, in abundance.

Cocoa, in abundance; from this is made a beverage, the consumption of which is very great.

La Nipe, in abundance, of which likewise a beverage is made.

The Barro Oyesca, a species of the amadon, or tinder made of the large fungus which grows on trees.

Pitch and Tar, in abundance.

Cocoa Nuts, ditto.

Pepper.

Betel.

The Cinnamon of Sambouanga, very good.

Cowries.

Tortoisesh.e.l.l.

Mother of Pearl and Pearls, often of a very fine quality.

Deer Skins, Ox and Buffalo Hides.

La Balate, both white and black, first, second, and third sorts, which forms a considerable branch of trade to China.

Dried Prawns, likewise a considerable article of trade.

Birds' Nests.

Wax, in abundance.

Honey, in abundance.

Musk, or Algalia.

Deer and Ox Sinews, for the commerce with China.

Fine Goimon, dried in the sun for ditto.

Woods and Timber.

The Cocoa Tree, which produces the St. Ignatius' bean, or bean of Cathalonga.

Red Campechy Wood, first and second sorts.

Eagle Wood.

Ebony.

The Narra, or red veined ebony.

The Tindato, entirely red.

Sandal Wood, not much scented.

Fir Trees, in the mountains of Pangasinan.

The Molaven, not subject to decay.

The Quijo, The Banava, for building.

The Calantas, or Cedar.

The Laguan, or red and white apple-tree.

The Palo Maria, for small spars.

The Mangue Chapuy, for lower masts.

There is besides these an infinite variety of different kinds of woods, which we pa.s.s over in silence.

Lompotes, a kind of gauze manufactured at Zebu, and which is in general use in the Philippines and in New Spain.

Sail Cloth of cotton, manufactured in Ylocos.

Testingues, a kind of checked dimity, much worn.

The Abaca, a species of hemp, of which cordage is made.