MANILA, LUCONIA, or Luzon, the name of the largest of the Philippine islands in the East Indies, subject to Spain. It had the name of Luzon from a custom that prevailed among the natives of beating or bruising their rice in wooden mortars, before they either boiled or baked it; luzon, in their language, signifying a mortar.
As to situation, it is remarkably happy, lying between the eastern and western continents, and having China on the north, at the distance of about 60 leagues; the islands of Japan on the north-east, at the distance of about 250 leagues from the nearest of them; the ocean on the east; the other islands on the south; and on the west Malacca, Patana, Siam, Cambodia, Cochinchina, and other provinces of India, the nearest at the distance of 300 leagues.
The middle of this island is in the latitude 15° north; the east point in 13° 30', and the most northern point in 19°. The shape of it is said to resemble that of an arm bent; the whole length being about 160 Spanish leagues, the greatest breadth between 30 and 40, and the circumference about 350. As to the longitude, the charts differ, some making the middle of the island to lie 113° east from London, and others in 160°. The climate is hot and moist. One thing is held very extraordinary, that in stormy weather there is much lightning and rain, and that thunder is seldom heard till this is over. During the months of June, July, August, and part of September, the west and south winds blow, which they call vendavales, bringing such rains and storms, that the fields are all overflowed, and they are forced to have little boats to go from one place to another. From October till the middle of December, the north wind prevails; and from that time till May, the east and south-east; which winds are there called breezes. Thus there are two seasons in those seas, by the Portuguese called monzons; whence our word monsoon, that is, the breezes half the year, with a serene dry air; and the vendavales the other half, wet and stormy. It is further to be observed, that in this climate no vermin breed upon Europeans, though they wear dirty shirts, whereas it is otherwise with the Indians. The days here being always of an equal length, and the weather never cold, neither their clothes, nor the hour of dining, supping, doing business, studying, or praying, are ever changed; nor is cloth worn, but only against the rain.
The air here being, as has been observed, very hot and moist, is not wholesome; but is worse for young men, that come from Europe, than for the old. As for the natives, without using many precautions, they live very commonly to fourscore or 100. The soil is so
rich, that rice grows even on the tops of the mountains, without being watered; and this makes it so plentiful, that the Indians value gold so little as not to pick it up, though it lies almost every where under their feet.
Among the disadvantages of the island, besides frequent and terrible earthquakes, here are several burning mountains. The face of the island, however, is far from being disfigured by them, or by the consequences of their explosions.
The mountaineers, called Tingiani, have no particular place of abode, but always live under the shelter of trees, which serve them instead of houses, and furnish them with food; and when the fruit is eaten up, they remove where there is a fresh forest.
Here are 40 different sorts of palm-trees, the most excellent cocoas, wild cinnamon, wild nutmegs, and some say wild cloves also; ebony; sandal-wood; and the best cassia, and in such plenty, that they feed their hogs with its fruit; all kinds of cattle, and prodigious quantities of gold, amber, and ambergriese.
There are several sorts of people in this island besides the Spaniards, as the Tagalians or Tagaleze, the Pintados or painted negroes, the Ilayas or Tinglianos, and the Negrellos. The Tagalians, who are thought to be Malays by descent, are a modest, tractable, and well-disposed people. The Pintados, or painted negroes, are tall, straight, strong, active, and of an excellent disposition. The Tinglianos, whom some suppose to be descended from the Japanese, are very brave, yet very courteous and humane. They live entirely on the gifts of nature; and never sleep under any other shade than that of the trees or a cave. The Negrillos, who are held to be the Aborigines of the island, are barbarous and brutal to the last degree. When they kill a Spaniard, they make a cup of his skull and drink out of it.
This island is divided into several provinces, containing divers towns, the chief of which are Manila, Caceres, New-Segovia, Bondo, Passacao, Ibalon, Bulaw, Serfocan, or Bagatao, Lampon, Fernandina, Bolinao, Playahonda, Cavite, Mindora, Caleleya, and Balayan.