Island of Bohol

The island of Bohol, situated near Cubu, is small and populated.  It has about six hundred tributarios.

The island of Mindanao is larger than that of Luzon, although it is believed to be not so well populated.  Much of it is apportioned among Spaniards, and some of the natives pay tribute.  For three years, the preachers of Mahoma have come into the regions hereabout, coming from Burney to Terrenate.  We have heard that there are some Moros from Meca among them.  The law of Mahoma is preached publicly at the very river of Mindanao, and mosques have been built and are being built.  And it is to the shame of Christianity there that it does not hasten to drive these preachers from that region, since the inhabitants are vassals of your Majesty, and have rendered your Majesty obedience for a long time.  The galleons sailing from India to Maluco know that island, and obtain water and provisions there.  Fifty leagues from this island of Mindanao lies the island of Jolo, which has been given over to encomenderos these many years.  It is an island where many pearls are found, and where elephants are reared.  The inhabitants have a king of their own, who is a relative of the monarch of Terrenate.  Neither in this island nor in that of Mindanao is there much Christian teaching; nor can there ever be, unless the people are pacified.

The island of Ybabao, situated between this island of Luzon and that of Cubu, is quite large, but does not contain many inhabitants.  It has a few encomenderos, is not yet entirely pacified, and has never had any instruction.  The island of Catanduanes is excellent and well populated; it lies next to Camarines.  There are four encomiendas on it; it contains about three thousand tributarios, who up to the present time have never had any Christian teaching.  The island of Marinduque, lying about three leagues from this island, is divided into encomiendas.  It has about eight hundred tributarios, who have never been instructed in the faith.  From this island to the strait called Espiritu Sancto, many small islands are scatered—­namely, Masbate, Capul, Burias, Banton, Conblon, Simara, Sibuyan, the island of Tablas, and many others—­of which, because of their small size and scanty population, no mention is made, although all are apportioned into encomiendas and tribute is collected in them every year.  They have no Christian teaching, nor hope of any.

Eighteen or twenty leagues west of the island of Panay, is located an exceeding fine and well-populated island, called Cuyo; it is very low and small.  Together with seven small islands near by, it contains one thousand two hundred tributarios.  Its inhabitants are rich, and the principal men live very well.  The people of Burney have intercourse with this island, and we suspect that they preach here the law of Mahoma, although not so publicly as in Mindanao.  Many goats, pheasants, and fowls of larger size than those of this region, are reared in this island.  Its encomendero goes thither each year in the months of February and March for the purpose of collecting his tributes, and, this done, returns to his home in the island of Panay.  No other communication is held with this island.  It has no instruction now, and has never had any.