Chapter Second

Of the island of Panay and of the district under its jurisdiction

Island of Panay. Twelve leagues from the nearest point of Çubu, and two and one-half leagues from Negros Island, lies the island of Panay, the most fertile and well-provisioned of all the islands discovered, except the island of Luçon; for it is exceedingly fertile, and abounds in rice, swine, fowls, wax, and honey; it produces also a great quantity of cotton and medriñaque. Its villages stand very close together, and the people are peaceful and open to conversion. The land is healthful and well-provisioned, so that the Spaniards who are stricken with sickness in other islands go thither to recover their health. The natives are healthy and clean; and although the island of Çubu is also healthful and has a good climate, most of its inhabitants are always afflicted with the itch and buboes. In the island of Panay the natives declare that no one of them had ever been afflicted with buboes until the people from Bohol—who, as we said above, abandoned Bohol on account of the people of Maluco—came to settle in Panay, and gave the disease to some of the natives. For these reasons the governor, Don Gonçalo Ronquillo, founded the town of Arevalo, on the south side of this island; for the island runs almost north and south, and on that side live the majority of the people, and the villages are near this town, and the land here is more fertile. In this town dwell fifteen encomenderos, who have among them about twenty thousand Indians, all pacified and paying tribute. Since the town is situated on the side nearest Negros Island, its nearest neighbor, the above-mentioned governor placed under its jurisdiction the rivers Ylo, Ynabagan, Bago, Carobcop and Tecgaguan—which, as has been said before, constitute the best district of Negros Island. For all these reasons, people flocked thither to build their houses; and the place has become the best-provisioned district in all the islands. This island of Panay provides the city of Manila and other places with a large quantity of rice and meat.

Alcalde-mayor of Arevalo, with a salary of 300 pesos. The city of this island has one alcalde-mayor, four regidors, one alguazil-mayor, two alcaldes-in-ordinary, and one notary for the public and for the cabildo. The regidors are elected for life, and the alguazil-mayor remains in office as long as does the alcalde-mayor. Being a new town, there are few lawsuits; and the notary can depend on no other compensation than that which he derives from lawsuits among the Indians (for he accompanies the alcalde-mayor on his official visits), and from the cases which are brought before the law for settlement. This city holds jurisdiction over a circuit of three leagues, but it possesses no territory of its own.

The following are the principal communities in this island:

and others of less importance. The alcalde-mayor receives a salary of three hundred pesos, paid from the fines forfeited to the royal treasury; and if those do not suffice, he will be empowered by the governor and other royal officials to collect the tribute which his Majesty receives in that island—from somewhat more than two thousand men, who dwell in the vicinity of the rivers Haraut, Ajuy, and Panay—the fifths of the gold which is dug in that region, almost nothing in amount. This town is about fifty leagues from that of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus in the island of Çubu. As this island contains great abundance of timber and provisions, it has almost continuously had a shipyard on it, as is the case now at the location of the town of Arevalo, for galleys and fragatas. Here the ship “Visaya” was launched. This island is about one hundred leagues in circumference.

Island of Ymaraes. About two arquebus-shots from the island of Panay lies the island of Ymaraes. It is about twelve leagues in circumference, and has a population of about five hundred Indians, all of whom are in charge of one of the encomenderos of the island of Panay. It abounds in rice, cotton, honey, wax, and much game, as is usual in all the islands. It has much timber, which serves for the shipyards, and for house-building in the neighboring islands. Although of such extent, Ymaraes comes under the jurisdiction of the town of Arevalo.

Island of Cuyo. Opposite Antique, which is located in the island of Panay, and about sixteen leagues farther in the same westerly direction, lies the island of Cuyo. This island is also in charge of one of the encomenderos of the island of Panay, and has a population of about eight hundred. It abounds in rice which bears a reddish kernel, because the soil is of that color. A great many goats are being raised, for the region is favorable for that. There are large fisheries, and some pearls are gathered. A large quantity of cotton cloth is woven there, although the cotton is not produced on the island. Formerly many ships from Burney were wont to come to barter for bruscays, which are a kind of sea-shell which in Sian is used as money, as cocoa-beans are used in Nueva España. It is under the jurisdiction of Arevalo, although the authority of that town has never been exercised therein. This island is twelve leagues in circumference.

Islets of Lutaya. Not far from this island are five [seven] very small islets called Lutaya, Dehet, Bisucay, Cadnuyan, Tacaguayan, Lubit, and Tinotoan. The people are very poor, and are kept in slavery by the chiefs of the island of Cuyo. These islets, all together, contain somewhat more than one hundred men. The chief occupation in all these islets is making salt and mats—the latter from rushes, for they are a wretched people. These they pay as their tribute. This island is six leagues in circumference.

Island of Osigan. Northeast of the island of Panay and three leagues from its extreme point, lies the island of Osigan, which we call the island of Tablas. It is about eighteen leagues in circumference, and is quite mountainous. Wax is collected there. It has a population of about two hundred and fifty Indians, living in small villages.

Island of Çibuyan. Six leagues from Osigan lies the island of Çibuyan. It is about twelve leagues in circumference, and six leagues wide. It has about three hundred Indians, of whom two hundred are under one of the Panay encomenderos. In this island are to be found very good gold mines, but they are not properly worked, for the Indians are all Pintados, and are very slothful. They belong to the jurisdiction of Arevalo.

Island of Buracay. About two arquebus-shots from the north point of the island of Panay, lies the island of Buracay. It is about three leagues in circumference, and one-half league wide. It is inhabited by about one hundred Indians, who cultivate rice there, and in addition derive profit from some goats.

Island of Anbil. One half league from this island is another island, called Anbil. It is about three leagues in circumference, and one wide. Its fifty Indians are mostly ship-builders.

Island of Simara. About two leagues from the island of Tablas—or, as it is also called, Osigan—lies the island of Simara. It is about four leagues in circumference, and two leagues wide. It has a population of one hundred and fifty. These people are traders, and raise goats, and therefore the island is called Cabras [“Goats”] Island. It is about twelve leagues from the island of Panay.

Island of Sivaay. Four leagues west of the north point of Panay, is the island of Sivaay. It is five leagues in circumference, and one and one-half leagues wide, and has a population of seventy Indians.

Island of Similara. About three leagues farther, toward the island of Mindoro, is found the island of Similara, with a population of ninety Indians. It is four leagues in circumference, and one league wide. All the people of these islets gather a very scanty harvest; they make salt, and are traders.

Island of Batbatan. South of the north point of Panay, and about one and one-half leagues from that island, lies the island of Bacbatan, with a population of eighty Indians. The island is about three leagues in circumference, and one league wide. The inhabitants raise their wheat and produce their wax on the island of Panay. All these islands—Buracay, Anbil, Simara, Sivaay, Similara, and Bacbatan—are under one of the encomenderos of Panay.

Island of Banton. The island of Banton lies about one and one-half leagues from the island of Simara, or Cabras. It is about eight leagues in circumference and three leagues wide, and has two hundred Indians. The island is very craggy; it abounds in palm-trees, potatoes, yams, and wax. The people are traders.

Island of Donblon. The island of Donblon lies between Çibuyan and the island of Tablas. It is seven leagues in circumference and three leagues wide. Donblon is inhabited by nearly two hundred and fifty Indians, and abounds in wax. This island and that of Banton come under one of the Panay encomenderos, and under the jurisdiction of the town of Arevalo. The jurisdiction of this town extends also over the islands of Ymaras, Cuyo, Bacbatan, Sivahi, Similara, Buracay, Anbil, Simara, Osaygan, Banton, Donblon, Cibuyan, and over the larger populated section of Negros Island—namely, from the cape of Sitaravaan to Siparay, an extent of more than twenty leagues. Banton, which is the last island of this jurisdiction, lies about fifty-five or fifty-six leagues from the town of Arevalo.

Island of Cagaian. Sailing south-southeast from the town of Arevalo, one comes to the open sea; for there are no other islands in that direction except the ones called Cagayan—two low islets about fifteen leagues from the island of Panay. They are surrounded by many low reefs; and unless their narrow entry is well known, the ships which go there encounter great dangers. These islands have about four hundred inhabitants, all of whom are very skilful ship-builders. It is said that a few years ago the natives peopled these islands in order to fortify themselves by the reefs, for fear of the pirates. Then they undertook to return to the island of Panay in order to dwell there; but very many of their women died there. Seeing this, as they are soothsayers they returned to the islands of Cagayan, whence they set out every year, and scatter themselves over all the islands to build ships. These Indians of Cagayan have made his Majesty’s ships in these islands, as well as the galleys, galliots, and fragatas. They also help in repairing and righting ships. Being therefore the most important people in these islands, the adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi allotted the islands of Cagayan to the encomenderos of Negros Island. Afterwards it seemed best to put them under his Majesty’s control. Thus the town of Arevalo holds jurisdiction over an extent of about two hundred and fifty leagues.