Note 49 — Chapter VIII

... 1108. In the great archipelago of San Lazaro, as one enters the Philipinas from Marianas, the islands of Luzòn, Mindòro, Panài, Zebù, and Lèyte form among themselves an almost perfect circle which has a circumference along the beaches from the center of about two hundred leguas encircling the above-named islands, which are very near one another. Within this circumference, toward the part of Mindòro and Panay, are located the islands of Romblòn, and toward the part of Lèyte those of Masbàte, Ticào and Burìas, which belong to the bishopric of Nueva Càceres in ecclesiastical matters, and to the alcaldeship of Albay in political matters. Masbàte, which is the chief island, is sixty leguas southwest of Manìla. It lies in a latitude of about sixty degrees, has a circumference of fifty leguas, a length of nineteen, and a breadth of five or six.49 The island of Ticào is about nine leguas long, four and one-half wide, and about twenty-three leguas in circumference.50 That of Burìas has a circumference of twenty-six leguas, four wide and twelve long.51 Masbàte has the reputation of having the richest gold mines that were found by the first Spaniards, and from which they benefited to a great extent. Their working has not been continued, either for lack of people suitable for this work or for other reasons which do not concern us. That of Buriàs abounds in the palm called Buri, of whose fruit and even of whose trunk, the Indians make an extraordinary bread. That of Ticào produces many woods, excellent for the construction of medium-sized boats. The natives of those three islands are of the same qualities as the rest of the Philipinas. However, they have become very sociable because of the almost continuous intercourse that they have with the Spaniards, on account of the many who pass on their way to other countries.