THE MALAY RACE. 



123 



have been extremely rare." In short, the internal action of govern- 

 ment appeared to be mild and primitive, and the people, contented 

 and happy ; and the traveller is carried back to those times, when the 

 Catholic missionaries first reached this quarter of the globe. Of all 

 the immense region of the East Indies, the Spanish portion of the 

 Philippines has alone been converted ; while the proceedings of the 

 other European powers appear to disadvantage, even after making 

 every allowance for the prior visits of the Muslims. 



On the 21st of January, the Vincennes sailed from Manila to the 

 southward, proceeding among some small islands, and afterwards 

 along the western coast of Mindoro. The aspect of the land was 

 much like that of Luzon ; but we could distinguish few signs of in- 

 habitants, further than the smoke of fires. At the southern extreme 

 of the island, one of our boats visited " a small Malay village." 

 Rocks and rocky islets were occasionally in sight to the southward 

 and westward ; and after leaving Mindoro, we obtained a distant view 

 in the opposite direction, of the high mountain of ' Setoal.' 



The western shore of the important island of Panay presented the 

 same general aspect; but there were evident signs of inhabitants, 

 as houses, cocoa-nut plantations, and even some buildings of Spanish 

 construction. A party landed at a spot where the Spanish flag was 

 flying; and reported on their return, "that there was only one white 

 resident, then absent, and that the people appeared to be much 

 frightened at the visit." Our native pilot persisted in asserting, that 

 the Spaniards kidnap the people in this quarter, for slaves. 



b. Mi7idanao. 



The next land seen, the western end of Mindanao, was clothed 

 in great magnificence with an unbroken forest: a circumstance that 

 seemed to account in part for the independence of the inhabitants. 

 The Spaniards, notwithstanding their convict establishment, do not 

 claim the sovereignty of this island ; which, by their account, " be- 

 longs to the Moors." 



On turning the extreme point of Mindanao, we found ourselves 

 close to the small Spanish fort of Caldera; where the Vincennes an- 

 chored. It bore on the walls the date of 1784 ; and was occupied by 

 a few Malay soldiers, with a European officer. The latter stated, 



