ed and eighty-one. The shape of this island
of Luzon, taken as a whole, is more like a semi-quadrant than anything
else, although there are many irregularities in places. Some parts
are narrow, because of the numerous arms of the sea which bound and
penetrate the island; but in some parts, principally those on the
north side, the island grows broader and more spacious, as I will
show in the proper place. In other parts it is rough, rugged, and
not a little mountainous. When the island is considered as shaped
like a semi-quadrant, the great bay of Manila lies in the angle,
where the sides meet the city--which is in the center of the island,
near the entrance to the same bay; and has as a port Cavite, a little
more than two leguas to the south.

_Camarines_

The first, of the five provinces in the island of Luzon, beginning on
the eastern coast, is Camarines, which includes all the territory near
the mouth of the channel of Capul. The capital of Camarines is the
city of Cazeres, sixty leguas from Manila. It was settled by Doctor
Francisco de Sande, governor of these islands, in fifteen hundred and
seventy-four. He settled on the Vicor, a large and peaceful river,
whose waters are very fresh and healthful, because it runs through many
veins of gold, as do most or all of the rivers of these islands. There
are in Camarines as many as twenty encomiendas, counting the four into
which the island of Catanduanes (which is included in this district)
is divided. The largest of these encomiendas does not contain more
than fifteen hundred tributes; there are a few of one thousand; most
of them must have from seven to eight hundred; while some have four
hundred or even less. Among these peoples a great deal of gold was
formerly obtained from the mines or placers of Paracali and from the
island of Catanduanes. Camarines yields no rice, and it has not so good
a food supply as other parts of Luzon, owing to the fact that Luzon
is very narrow here, and in many places is rough and mountainous. It
is believed that as much gold is mined now as usually, yet it seems a
small quantity; for, although the Indians in general have more money
than formerly, obtained through their [various] sources of income,
they keep back the gold to work up into chains and jewelry, with
which they adorn and parade themselves freely. They pay tribute in
tin reals. The Camarines have become a very settled and tractable
people through the religious instruction and