78 REMARKS AND OPINIONS. 



among others, a hawk. We observed among the 

 amphibia, an iguan, and a large sea-turtle ; among 

 the zoophytes, some of the HolutJniria species, 

 which furnish, under the name of Treimng {Biche 

 de mer, halate\ such an important article in the 

 trade with China. 



The melancholy history of the Marianas is suffi- 

 ciently known in Europe. We refer to the His- 

 toire des Isles Marianes nouvellement converties a 

 la Religion Chretienne et de la Mort Glorieuse des 

 Premiers Missionaires qui y ont preche la Foi, par 

 le Pere Charles Gobien, Paris, 17OO ; and to the 

 extract of it in Burney*s Chronological History, 

 vol. iii. p. 271. 



These islands were discovered by Magellan ; 

 they were called, by the natives, Laguas ; the 

 Spaniards called them Las Islas de los Ladrones, 

 et las Velas Latinas ; and, lastly, Marianas. The 

 pious missionary, Don Diego Luis de San Vitores, 

 landed at Guahon in the year I667 ; he wished to 

 bring the people salvation, but he was followed by 

 soldiers and arms. Already, before the end of the 

 century, the work was finished, and this nation 

 had ceased to exist ! The Spaniards call it Fact- 

 Jicar. 



" This considerable decrease comes from the sub- 

 jection to which they were compelled by arms. 

 Fond of liberty, they could not bear a foreign 

 yoke ; and bfeing unable to shake it off, they either 

 hung themselves, or deprived themselves of life in 

 another manner. The women purposely procured 



