Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 05).djvu/115

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1582–1583]
RELATION BY LOARCA
113

by about two hundred and fifty Moros. The island is eighty leagues in circumference, and is scantily populated, for it has in all less than five hundred inhabitants. Some blacks live in the mountains, who gather a large quantity of wax. The island is ill supplied with provisions.

Island of Luban. Four leagues from the western point of this island, and opposite the bay of Manilla, lies the island of Luban. It is twenty leagues from Manilla, and has a circumference of about ten leagues. It has six villages, with a total population of about five hundred Indians.

Close to this island is a smaller one by the same name, with about one hundred inhabitants. The people are the same as those of Luzon.

Island of Elin. The island of Elin lies two leagues south from the island of Mindoro. It is seven leagues in circumference and is inhabited by about two hundred Visayan Indians.

Alcalde-mayor of Vindoro. These islands—namely Mindoro, Elin, and Luban—are under one encomendero, and all have one alcalde-mayor, who holds jurisdiction also over that region of Lugon which begins at Batangas and ends at the province of Camarines, to which region we shall now return.

Islands of the Babayanes. Opposite the Cagayan River, in the open sea toward China, are seven islands, called Babuyanes. Because many swine are imported therefrom into the province of Ylocos, and since the word for swine in the Ylocos language is babuyes, the islands have been called by that name. Of their inhabitants very little is known.

Island of Calamianes. Returning from Burney and sailing from Manilla twelve leagues beyond the