THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 79 



the centre to each point, thus dividing the island into 

 three natural districts, which form the provinces of 

 Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo. The little province of Con- 

 cepcion occupies the north-east corner, and is the smallest 

 in the archipelago with the exception of Batanes — the 

 group of islands at the extreme north. 



Panay is exceedingly fertile, being well irrigated by 

 numerous mountain streams, and is very populous, the 

 last returns giving 830,000 as the number of its inhabit- 

 ants. It is, in fact, after Zebu, the most densely peopled 

 and highly cultivated island of the group. The natives, 

 with the exception of a few Negritos in the mountains, 

 are exclusively Bisayans. The land near the coast is low, 

 easily irrigated, and specially adapted for sugar growing. 

 The mountains scarcely exceed 3000 feet. There are no 

 active volcanoes, but fumaroles and other evidences of 

 dormant volcanic forces exist in the province of Iloilo. 

 Gold, copper, iron, and quicksilver have been found, and 

 coal in Antique, but none of these are worked. Next to 

 Manila, Iloilo is the most important town in the 

 Philippines. It is a free port with an excellent harbour, 

 and is frequented largely by British vessels. A municipal 

 corporation was established in 1891, from which great 

 benefits are expected to be derived with regard to public 

 lighting, police, repair of roads, and other improvements 

 which up to the present have been much neglected. 

 The decrease in the price of sugar has, however, proved a 

 great blow to the island, as it is upon this crop that 

 its welfare chiefly depends. The export for the year 

 1890 amounted to 96,000 tons, and was less than that 

 of the previous year by 14,000 tons. Tobacco is also 

 largely grcv/n — to the amount of 2,314,100 lbs. in 

 1890, and large quantities of sapan wood, pina fabrics, 

 cacao, coffee, and rice are produced. The latter cereal is, 



