Two attempts have been made to explore the chief river of Mindanao—the most important of the island, and from which the island of Mindanao derives its name—but with little result, for our people have been able to discover only six or seven villages. Of these villages the principal one is where the petty king lives; others are Tanpacan, Boayen, and Valet, with others, which, according to what has been seen, have a population of a little more than three thousand, although it is reported that there are many more than that number.
Island of Camaniguin. Opposite Butuan River, in the direction of Çubu, and between Vohol and the island of Mindanao, lies the island of Camaniguin. It is about ten leagues in circumference, and has a population of about one hundred Indians. This island is two leagues from Mindanao. It is a craggy and mountainous island. It produces some wax, and la gente della por la mayor parte anda sienpre muy city of Çubu.
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:
- The village of Oton, next to the town.
- The village of Ticbaguan.
- The river Jaro.
- The river Yvahay.
- The river Ajuy.
- The river Harahut.
- The river Panay.
- The river Aclan.
- The village of Antique.
- The village of Bugason.
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.