[16] The tabon, also called “the mound-builder” (Megapodius cumingi).  Its eggs are highly prized by the natives as an article of food; they rob the deposit made by the birds.  After each egg is deposited, the parent birds (several pairs of whom often frequent the same spot) scratch earth over it, thus gradually raising a mound of considerable size.  See description of this bird in Report of U.S.  Philippine Commission for 1900, iii, pp. 314, 315.

[17] Of the banana (Musa), over fifty varieties have been enumerated as found in the Philippine Islands.  Many of these are minutely described in Blanco’s Flora, pp. 167-175.  The nangca (or langca) is Arctocarpus integrifolia; the macupa (also known as tampoi), Eugenia malaccensis; the santol (santor), Sandoricum indicum.  See descriptions of all these in Blanco’s Flora, and in U.S.  Philippine Gazetteer, pp. 93-95.

[18] The bejucos, as before explained, are various species of Calamus, commonly known as rattan.  Blanco describes two of these (C. maximus and C. gracilis) as furnishing a supply of water.  Some of the species attain a height of more than six hundred feet.

[19] A sketch of this officer in Cartas de Indias (p. 734) states that he founded the city of Nueva Segovia, and probably remained in the islands from the time of their conquest until his death; also that the Japanese corsair here referred to was named Tay Zufu.

[20] Champan (or sampan):  a Chinese vessel; described by Retana (Zuniga’s Estadismo, ii, p. 513*) as being “about as large as a Spanish patache, but inferior to the junks of the Chinese; used by that people for trading in the Filipinas islands.”  The term is now applied to a boat 12 or 15 feet long, in which a family often makes its home, on the Canton River; also to a vessel of 70 or 80 tons’ burden, used in the rivers of Colombia, S.A.

[21] The Dominican order (also known as the Order of Preachers) was founded, about 1215, by St. Dominic de Guzman; he adopted, but with various additions, the rule of St. Augustine.  Among the great men who have belonged to this order are Thomas Aquinas, Johann Tauler, and Girolamo Savonarola.

[22] Chiapas (Chiapa) was a province of the ancient kingdom of Guatemala; also a bishopric (erected in 1538).  Its capital bore the same name.

[23] The vicar-general to whom these letters were addressed was named Fr. Juan Crisostomo Sevillano.—­Rev. T.C.  Middleton, O.S.A.

[24] The original MS. is endorsed by some archivist:  “Letter of Captain Gabriel de Rivera to his Majesty, upon Philippine affairs;” but the letter is evidently addressed to some official—­perhaps the viceroy of New Spain, or the president of the royal council.