The Island St. John and Mindanao are the Southermost of all these Islands, and are the only Islands in all this Range that are not subject to the Spaniards. St. John's Island is on the East-side of the Mindanao, and distant from it 3 or 4 Leagues. It is in lat. about 7 or 8 North. This Island is in length about 38 Leagues, stretching N.N.W. and S.S.E. and it is in breadth about 24 Leagues, in the middle of the Island. The Northermost end is broader, and the Southermost is narrower: This Island is of a good heighth, and is full of many small Hills. The Land of the South-East end (where I was ashoar) is of a black fat Mould; and the whole Island seems to partake of the same fatness, by the vast number of large Trees that it produceth; for it looks all over like one great Grove. As we were passing by the S.E. end we saw a Canoa of the Natives under the shoar; therefore one of our Canoas went after to have spoken with her; but she run away from us, seeing themselves chaced, put their Canoa ashoar, leaving her, fled into the Woods; nor would be allured to come to us, altho' we did what we could to entice them; besides these Men, we saw no more here, nor sign of any Inhabitants at this end. When we came aboard our Ship again, we steered away for the Island Mindanao, which was now fair in sight of us: it being about 10 leagues distant from this part of St. John's. The 22d day we came within a league of the East-side of the Island Mindanao, and having the Wind at S.E. we steered toward the North-end, keeping on the East-side, till we came into the lat. of 7 d. 40 m. and there we anchored in a small Bay, about a Mile from the Shoar, in 10 Fathom Water, Rocky foul ground. Some of our Books gave us an account, That Mindanao City and Isle lies in 7 d. 40 m. we guest that the middle of the Island might lie in this lat. but we were at a great loss where to find the City, whether on the East or West-side. Indeed, had it been a small Island, lying open to the Eastern Wind, we might possibly have searched first on the West-side; for commonly the Islands within the Tropicks, or within the bounds of the Trade-Winds, have their Harbours on the West-side, as best sheltered; but the Island Mindanao being guarded on the East-side by St. John's Island, we might as reasonably expect to find the Harbour and City on this side as any where else: but coming into the Lat. in which we judg'd the City might be, found no Canoas, or People, that might give us any umbrage of a City, or place of Trade near at hand, tho' we coasted within a League of the Shoar.