an island of Asia, and one of the Philippines, lying between those of Paragao and Negro. It is 250 miles in circumference, and is the most populous and fertile of them all. It is watered by a great number of rivers and brooks, and produces a great quantity of rice. Its shape is triangular. The names of its principal capes are Potol, Nafo, and Bulacabi. The coast from Bulacabi to Potol lies east and west; from Potol to Nafo, north and south; from Bulacabi to Iloilo, another cape, less than the great ones, is also north and south; from Iloilo to Cape Nafo, east and west. The middle of the island is in the latitude of ten degrees. On the north side, almost in the middle between the two capes of Potol and Bulacabi, the famous river Panay falls into the sea; and the mouth of the harbour is covered by a small island called Lutaya, in which port the Spaniards had a safe retreat before they discovered and conquered Manilla and Gavité. The fertility of Panay Pancarpus, is caused by the many rivers that water it, for there is no travelling a league without meeting a river; but more particularly by the Panay, which gives its name to the island, and runs a course of 40 leagues. The island, for the better administering of justice, is divided into jurisdictions; the first, called Panay, contains all that lies between Cape Potol and Bulacabi; the rest of the island is subject to the alcayde of Otton, who resides at Iloilo, a point of land running out into the sea, on the fourth side, between the two rivers of Tig Bavan and Jaro, and, with the island Imaras, forms a strait not above half a league over, or rather an open harbour. On this point the governor Don Gonzalo Ronquillo caused a fort to be built in the year 1681. The island contains about 16,360 tributary Indians, partly belonging to the king and partly to particular encomenderos or lords; but they all pay in rice, the island producing 100,000 bushels, Spanish measure, and but little other grain. The inhabitants are stout, lusty, and industrious farmers, and expert hunters, the country being full of wild boars and deer. The women make cloth of several colours. There are in the island 14 parishes, belonging to the fathers of the order of St Augustin, three benefices of secular priests, and formerly one college of the society of Jesus, where they administer the sacraments to the garrison of Iloilo. Besides the tributary Indians, there are here those blacks the Spaniards called Negrillos, who were the first inhabitants of the island, and afterwards driven into the thick woods by the Bisayas who conquered it. Their hair is not so stiff curled, nor are they so stout and strong as the Guinea blacks. They live in the most uncoth parts of the mountains with their wives and children, all naked like beasts. They are so swift that they often overtake wild boars and deer. They lay about the dead beast as long as it lasts; for they have no other subsistence but what they acquire with their bow and arrows. They fly from the Spaniards, not so much through hatred as from fear. Among the islands about Panay lies Imaras, opposite to Iloilo, and about a quarter of a league distant. It is long and low, ten leagues in compass and three in length, the soil fertile, abounding in faraparilla, and exceeding good water. On the mountains there are wild boars, deer, and good timber. It has also in it the port of St Anne, three leagues from Iloilo.