The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803; explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commericial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the beginning of the nineteenth century; [Vol. 1, no. 36]

I649-I666] DESCRIPTION OF FILIPINAS

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numerable other things - comprising all that is
necessary to human life, for the dwellings, food, and
clothing of man. There are plantations of these
trees, as in Espafia there are vineyards- although
the former are at less cost and labor. In these islands
there is abundance of salt, fowls, and cattle, besides
swine, deer, and buffaloes; there are also several
kinds of beans, and other vegetables. With these
foods not only do the people support themselves, but
the fleets and garrisons, and the ships that make long
sea-voyages are furnished with provisions. On all
the coasts, and in all the rivers and lakes, excellent
fish are caught in abundance; and in the mountains
the people gather much honey and wax. In the gardens, they raise a great deal of delicious fruit, and
much garden-stuff. Oranges and bananas not only
grow in abundance, but are of the best quality in the
world. In some of the islands nutmeg, pepper,
cloves, and cinnamon are found. The country is
everywhere fertile, and green and pleasant all the
year round; and in some places wheat is sown and
harvested.
31. In these islands grows much cotton, from
which the people make Ylocan blankets, lampotes,
white cloth, medriinaques, material for hose, and
other useful fabrics. In many (indeed in most) islands are found amber and civet, and gold minesthese especially in the mountain ranges of Pangasinam and Paracali, and in Pampanga; consequently,
there is hardly an Indian who does not possess chains
and other articles of gold. Besides these products
(which are peculiar to the country), others are
brought to Manila from Great China, Xapon, and
numberless other kingdoms and islands of this archi