The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898—Volume 39 of 55, 1683-1690: Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of The Catholic Missions, As Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898—Volume 39 of 55, 1683-1690: Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of The Catholic Missions, As Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
The 3d of February we anchored in a good Bay on the West side of
the Island, in Lat. 9 d. 55 min. where we had 13 Fathom-water, good
soft Oaze. This Island hath no Name that we could find in any Book,
out lieth on the West side of the Island Sebo. [21] It is about 8 or
10 Leagues long, mountainous and woody. At this place Captain Read,
who was the same Captain Swan had so much railed against in his
Journal, and was now made Captain in his room (as Captain Teat was
made Master, and Mr. Henry More Quarter-Master) ordered the Carpenters
to cut down our Quarter-Deck, to make the Ship snug, and the fitter
for sailing. When that was done, we heeled her, scrubbed her Bottom,
and tallowed it. Then we fill'd all our Water, for here is a delicate
small run of Water.
The Land was pretty low in this Bay, the Mould black and fat, and
the Trees of several Kinds, very thick and tall. In some places
we found plenty of Canes, [22] such as we use in England for
Walking-Canes. These were short-jointed, not above two Foot and a
half, or two Foot ten Inches the longest, and most of them not above
two Foot. They run along on the Ground like a Vine; or taking hold
of the Trees, they climb up to their very tops. They are 15 or 20
Fathom long, and much of a bigness from the Root, till within 5 or
6 Fathom of the end. They are of a pale green Colour, cloathed over
with a Coat of short thick hairy Substance, of a dun Colour; but it
comes off by only drawing the Cane through your Hand. We did cut many
of them, and they proved very tough heavy Canes.
We saw no Houses, nor sign of Inhabitants; but while we lay here,
there was a Canoa with 6 Men came into this Bay; but whither they
were bound, or from whence they came, I know not. They were Indians,
and we could not understand them.
In the middle of this Bay, about a Mile from the Shore, there is
a small low woody Island, not above a Mile in Circumference; our
Ship rode about a Mile from it. This Island was the Habitation of
an incredible number of great Batts, with Bodies as big as Ducks,
or large Fowl, and with vast Wings: For I saw at Mindanao one of
this sort, and I judge that the Wings stretcht out in length, could
not be less assunder than 7 or 8 Foot from tip to tip; for it was
much more than any of us could fathom with our Arms extended to the
utmost. The Wings are for Substance like those of other Batts, of a
Dun or Mouse colour. The Skin or Leather of them hath Ribs running
along it, and draws up in 3 or 4 Folds; and at the joints of those
Ribs and the Extremities of the Wings, there are sharp and crooked
Claws, by which they may hang on any thing. [A further description
of the great bats and their habits follows.] At this Isle also we
found plenty of Turtle and Manatee, but no Fish.
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