[2] Delgado (Historia, pp. 418, 419) and Blanco (Flora, pp. 428–429) describe a tree called dangcalan, or palo maría (calophyllum inophyllum—Linn.), which is probably the tree referred to in the text. While generally a tree of ordinary size, it is said to grow to huge dimensions in Mindanao. Besides its use as above mentioned, an oil or balsam is distilled from the leaves, or obtained from the trunk, which has valuable medicinal uses, in both external and internal application. This oil sometimes serves to give light, but the light is dim, and to anoint the hoofs of horses. It blooms in November, the flowers growing in bunches of seven or nine each; and its leaf is oval and tapering. The wood is light, exceedingly tough, and reddish in color. It is very plentiful in the Visayas, and generally grows close to the water. It is known by a number of different names, among them being bitanhol or bitanjol, and dincalin.
[3] Perhaps the guijo (also spelt guiso or guisoc; Dipterocarpus guiso—Bl.), a wood of red color, which is strong, durable, tough, and elastic; it produces logs 75 feet long by 24 inches square, and is now used in Hongkong for wharf-decks and flooring, but in Manila for carriage shafts (U.S. Gazetteer of Philippine Islands). Blanco says that this tree is much esteemed for carriage-wheels, and is also used for topmasts and keels. The Indians call it guiso, but the Spaniards have corruptly called it guijo. It is common in Mindoro.
[4] Probably the lauan (also called lauaan and sándana; Dipterocarpus thurifera—Linn.), a reddish white or ashy wood with brown spots, used chiefly in the construction of canoes, and producing logs 75 feet long by 24 inches square (U.S. Gazetteer). Blanco says that this tree yields a fragrant, hard, white resin, which is used instead of incense in the churches. San Agustin, quoted by Blanco, says that the planks of the sides of the ancient galleys were of lauaan, for balls do not chip this wood. Delgado mentions two species: lauaan mulato, in color almost dark red; and lauaan blanco (white), which was used as planking for boats.
[5] That is, the cubit; a measure of length equal to the distance from the elbow to the end of the middle finger. The codo real, or royal cubit, is three fingers longer than the ordinary codo. The geometrical codo is equivalent to 418 mm., and the codo real to 574 mm. See Velásquez: New Dictionary of Spanish language (New York, 1902).
[6] The banabá (Lagerstrœmia speciosa—Pers.; Munchausia speciosa; Lagerstrœmia flos reginæ—Retz.) grows to a height of thirty to fifty feet, and varies in color from reddish white to dull red. Its flowers are red and very beautiful, and bloom in March. The tree is very common and used for many things, especially for ship and house construction, particularly the red variety. It is strong and resists the elements well. See U.S. Gazetteer and Blanco’s Flora.
[7] Perhaps a colloquial name given by the Spaniards, or a corruption of the native name.
[8] See ante, note 39.
[9] Also called the dúngol and dungon (Sterculia cimbriformis; D.C.). It yields logs 50 feet by 20 inches square. It is pale reddish in color, and is used for roof-timbers and the keels of vessels. It is strong but does not resist the seaworms. It blooms in March and December. See ut supra.
[10] U.S. Gazetteer mentions the various woods used for shipbuilding as follows: Yacal or saplungan (Dipterocarpus plagatus—Bl.), betis (Azaola betis—Bl.), dúngon, and ípil or ypil (Eperua decandra—Bl.), for keels and stern-posts; antipolo (Artocarpus incisa—Linn.), for keels and outside planking; molave (Vitex geniculata—Bl.), for futtock-timbers and stem-crooks for frame-work; banabá, for outside planking and beams; guijo, for beams, masts, and yards; batitinan (Lagerstrœmia batitinan), for keelsons and clamps; mangachapuy or mangachapoi (Dipterocarpus mangachapoi—Bl.), for water-ways and decktimbers; amuguis (Cyrtocarpa quinquestila—Bl.), for upper works and partitions; palo-maria, for futtock-timbers, masts and yards.
[11] The offices of those in charge of the building of ships would seem, from the following law, to have been a sinecure in the islands. This law is taken from Recopilación de leyes, lib. v, tit. xv, ley viii. “The governors of Filipinas appoint persons to build the galleons or boats, who are wont to cause great thefts and injuries to our royal treasury, and on the Indians. For their occupation they are given ten or more toneladas of cargo in the trading ships, on account of being relatives or followers of the governors. Some have had as many as forty toneladas, and have filled them with gold at forty reals per tae, or seven and one-half castellanos—forcibly seizing it from the Indians at an unjust price, in order afterward to sell it at ninety-six reals per tae. Inasmuch as they are persons of influence, their residencia is never taken. We order that the residencias of such builders, and of the others who shall have received and had money from the royal treasury for shipbuilding or any other sea or land expense, shall be taken, at the same time as those of the presidents and ministers who are obliged to give them. In respect to the governors not employing their relatives and kinsmen, servants, or followers, or those of the auditors, in these matters or in any others, they shall keep the rules and ordinances.” Felipe IV, August 19, 1621.