AIINDANAO. 7^ 



tirft which the Spaniards colonized. It is pretended that there 

 were, at the time the Europeans arrived, three thoufand families 

 of warlike Indians. The Spaniards have had, wherever they came, 

 a happy talent in reducing the redundancy of people. 



Here, in 1598, Philip eredted the town, built by Logafpi, into 

 a city, and dignified it with an epifcopal foundation ; an Auguf- 

 tine, Pietro de Agurto, firft filled the fee. This illand was in- 

 dulged with fending fhips to Calao in Peru, but after the Spa- 

 niards had made the conqueft oi Luconia, and given to its capital 

 the privilege of the Manilla fhips, the trade oiZebu declined fafl ; 

 infomuch that its city is now funk into a village. The palTage 

 from hence to the new world was far more expeditious than that 

 from Manilla^ having been performed in two months, and the 

 return in three, and feldom without the difcovery of fome iflands 

 in the vaft Pacific. 



We have before faid, that on Matt a ox Ma^an,oY poflibly Mactan'. 

 the Majbate of modern maps, a fmall adjacent illand, Magellan, 

 like his illuftrious compeer Cook, met with a premature death 

 from the hands of favages. 



The ifland of Mindanao, or Maginda?iao, is the lafl and moft i^i^^ of 

 fouthern of the great group. Many writers feparate Mindanao '1^^°^^^^^' 

 from xhe. Manilla ov Philippine iflands, among others our judi- 

 cious countryman Mr. Dalrymple. Though fo very near as evi- 

 dently to form one of that vafl archipelago, the inhabitants may 

 differ in manners, but the prod\i6lions of all are nearly fimilar. 

 The Spaniards have on it fome unprofitable lettlements, the 

 chief is at Sambouange, in Lat. 6° 54' N. on the fouth fide of the 

 iiland. They have fortified it with a citadel of flone and bricks, 

 Vol. IV. • L and 



