that part of the island of Mindanao which has
been explored, the jurisdiction of the city of Cubu extends over a
circuit of six hundred and sixty-seven leagues.

_Island of Mindanao_. Of all the islands discovered up to the present
time, Mindanao is supposed to be the largest, although but few of
its inhabitants are friendly--almost none, in fact--and those dwell
along the coast. The Spaniards have explored only about one hundred
and fifty leagues of this island, namely, from the river of Catel to
the principal river, which is called Mindanao. From the city of Cubu
one has to sail southeast to reach the nearest point of Mindanao,
which is called Dapitan. Dapitan has a port, and lies in the middle
of the discovered section of the island. Once this section was thickly
populated, but now there are only a few inhabitants left. It produces
rice and gold, for there are gold-placers and mines all over the
island; but the gold is found in so small a quantity that it can
hardly be detected. From Dapitan to the point of Cinnamon there are
more than thirty rivers whose banks are settled.

_Observations on the Island of Mindanao._ But those who live along
the shore are very few, and are called Lutaos--a name applied to
a tribe of people in this land, whose only means of sustenance is
derived from fishing; and who take their wives, dogs, cats, and all
their possessions in their boats. The fish that they catch they trade
with the people of the mountains.

_Tree-dwellings of the mountaineers of Mindanao._ The mountaineers
of this island build their houses in certain trees, so large that in
each one a house is built which can contain forty or fifty married
men and their families; the tree serves as a fortress against the
enemy. As far as seen this region abounds in wax. The land is very
rough and mountainous, and the inhabitants dress in medinaque cloth.

Forty leagues from Dapitan, on the side facing Maluco, is Cavite
Point, where there is abundance of cinnamon; this is the district
which extends toward Maluco.

_Island of Taguima._ Not far from this Cinnamon Point, lies the island
of Taguima, which is about fourteen leagues in circumference, and
four leagues wide. It has a population of about five hundred Indians,
with two encomenderos. In all parts of Mindanao are found a great
many civet-cats. The Portuguese ships, on their way from Malaca to
Maluco for cloves, pass by this island, and formerly did much harm
to the natives, o