Island of Catanduanes.  The island of Catanduanes has a population of about four thousand, and is allotted to four encomenderos.  The alcalde-mayor receives a salary of three hundred pesos, which is paid from the fines forfeited to the royal treasury, or from the royal treasury itself.  He appoints no lieutenant, except one for the town when he is absent.  The governor appointed a notary for this town, who, having little to do, attends also to the affairs of the alcalde-mayor, and accompanies him on his tours of inspection.  Thus his various occupations yield him an annual income of nearly four hundred pesos.

There is also a treasurer in this town, appointed by the governor, at a salary of two hundred pesos.  His duty is to collect the tribute due to his Majesty, and to go every year to Manila to give an account of his work.

The country is fertile and healthy.  It abounds in rice and palm-trees, from which wine and a great quantity of brandy are made.

As already said, the natives of this province closely resemble the Pintados—­although the former are more slothful; for they spend nearly all their time in drinking, while their wives cultivate the land.  Like the Pintados, they are a sociable people, and observe the same customs.

They all worship the ugly wooden idol, and talk to the demon.  They have also many wizards.  Not having lived in this province, I am not acquainted with their manner of sacrifice, nor have I found one who could tell me of it.

Mines.  As I have said, there are mines in Paracale, in the bay of Caporaguay, and in the island of Catanduanes.  All these districts are in the neighborhood of the town of Caceres.

Distances.  From Pasacao, one has to follow the coast of the island eastward twenty leagues to Bucaygan, and sixty leagues more to the northwest, before he reaches Vicor River.  All this may be shortened to the three leagues [by land] between Pasacao and the Vicor River.  The distance between Vicor River and the cape of Babuyanes—­situated at the other end of the island, toward Japan, as above stated—­is one hundred and twenty leagues.  The coast between Vicor and Babuyanes is rugged, and extends northwest and southeast.  Not all this land is inhabited, but only three districts of it, namely:  the province of Valete, with about eight hundred Indians; ten leagues farther, that of Casiguran, with about five hundred Indians (a district resembling Ylocos, which lies on the opposite coast, although the two provinces have no communication, because of the ruggedness of the country); and, farther on, the province of Alanao River.  This last is well peopled, and produces gold and cotton; its native Indians resemble those of Valete and Casiguran.  Besides these three districts, no other settlement on this coast is encountered until the cape of Babuyanes is reached.  From the cape the coast runs east and west until the river of Cagayan is reached.  This is a very large river.  It is twelve leagues from the cape to the mouth of this river.