Oj^ manillaislands. 



the Manilla fliip, out of which the family have realized their vaft 

 fcrtate. Even when the Ihip arrives fafe, the treafure is of 

 little advantage to the Spaniards ; it is initantly difperfed over 

 half the world, to pay for the merchandize of its outward 



voyage. 

 MANiitA TA- The city of Manilla was befieged and taken by the Englijh in 

 1762. Our little fquadron, under vice zdmirzl CormJ/^, appeared 

 before it on September 23d, our land forces were under colonel 

 Draper \ after a fliort refirtance the city was taken by ftormi, with 

 as little flaughter as the nature of circumftances would admit. 

 The illand of huconia, and every ifland dependent on it, furren- 

 dered to our arms ; a large fum was accepted to fave the place 

 from plunder, hoftages given for the payment, and bills drawn 

 by the archbilhop or viceroy, which in part were never ac- 

 cepted, and our foldiers and feamen deprived of the reward due 

 to their valor. 



This archipelago confiils of about twelve or thirteen greater 

 illands, with fmall ones innumerable, divided from each other by 

 narrow channels of very difficult navigation, all of them moun- 

 tanous, and many of them volcanic. Manilla-, the largeft and 

 moft northern, is a hundred and fifteen French leagues in length, 

 not reckoning the peninfulaof Camarines^ which juts irregularly 

 from the main body, and extends far to the fouth ; Raynal re- 

 prefcnts all the illands as terribly majeftic. They are covered 

 with bafaltesj with lava, with Jcoricc, with black glafs, with 

 melted iron, with grey and friable ftones filled with the wrecks 

 of the animal and vegetable kingdoms, with fulphur kept in a 

 flate of fufion by the continual adion of fubterraneous fire?, and 



with 



