[San Jose.] At San Jose a Spanish governor resides, who presides over the two pueblos of San Pedro and San Jose, and does the duty also of alcalde.  Lieutenant Budd did not see him, as he was absent, but his lady did the honors.  Lieutenant Budd represented the pueblo as cleanly and orderly.  About fifteen soldiers were seen, who compose the governor’s guard, and more were said to be stationed at San Pedro.  A small fort of eight guns commands the roadstead.  The beach was found to be of fine volcanic sand, composed chiefly of oxide of iron, and comminuted shells; there is here also a narrow shore reef of coral.  The plain bordering the sea is covered with a dense growth of coconut trees.  In the fine season the bay is secure, but we were informed that in westerly and southwesterly gales heavy seas set in, and vessels are not able to lie at anchor.  Several small vessels were lying in a small river about one and a half miles to the southward of the point on which the fort is situated.  The entrance to this river is very narrow and tortuous.

Panay is one of the largest islands of the group.  We had an opportunity of measuring the height of some of its western peaks or highlands, none of which exceed three thousand feet.  The interior and eastern side have many lofty summits, which are said to reach an altitude of seven thousand five hundred feet; but these, as we passed, were enveloped in clouds, or shut out from view by the nearer highlands.  The general features of the island are like those of Luzon and Mindoro.  The few specimens we obtained of its rocks consisted of the different varieties of talcose formation, with quartz and jasper.  The specimens were of no great value, as they were much worn by lying on the beach.

The higher land was bare of trees, and had it not been for the numerous fertile valleys lying between the sharp and rugged spurs, it would have had a sterile appearance.

The bay of Antique is in latitude 10 deg. 40’ N., longitude 121 deg. 59’ 30’’ E.

It was my intention to remain for two or three days at a convenient anchorage to enable us to make short excursions into the interior; but the vexatious mismanagement of the tender now made it incumbent that I should make every possible use of the time to complete the operations connected with the hydrography of this sea; for I perceived that the duties which I intended should be performed by her, would now devolve upon the boats, and necessarily expose both officers and men to the hazard of contracting disease.  I regretted giving up this design, not only on my own account and that of the Expedition, but because of the gratification it would have afforded personally to the naturalists.