NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE. 
649 
ing, and saluting with their cannon), and met with a most friendly reception from the 
Rajah of Zebu, who allowed him to erect a chapel on shore and celebrate mass, and who 
eventually became a Christian, being with all his family publicly baptized; an example 
followed by most of his subjects. Notwithstanding their Christianity, the natives were 
wholly addicted to pleasure and idleness. Five or six hours every day were occupied by 
their meals, their meat being very little cooked and much salted, making them drink much 
and often. Their dress consisted only of a light covering round the middle, and their 
houses were built on poles, the ground floor being occupied by their pigs, goats, or 
poultry. In the villages many houses were constructed in trees. The domestic animals 
at Zebu were dogs, cats, pigs, goats, and poultry, the two former being used for food 
equally with the latter. The vegetable provisions were rice, maize, cocoanuts, sugar- 
cane, oranges, pumpkins, and lemons. 
Magellan, unfortunately for himself, shortly after his arrival began interfering in the 
wars between the various Rajahs of Zebu and the neighbouring islands, and was ki lled 
at Mactan, on the 27th April, in a quarrel unnecessarily engaged in, and for an unjust 
cause. On the spot where he was killed a monument has been erected to his memory. 
In April 1565, forty-four years after the death of Magellan, Miguel Lopez de 
Legaspi arrived at Zebu, having been commissioned to annex the Philippine Islands as 
a colony of Spain, and to convert the natives. He also was peacefully and well received 
by the Zebu people, but quarrels arising respecting provisions, the natives took up arms 
and were then conquered and subjected by the Spaniards, who founded here their first 
settlement, which they named the “ City of Jesus,” because they found in one of the 
native huts a carved image of Christ, which it was believed had remained there 
from the time of Magellan. This image is still in the monastery of St. Augustine 
in the city. 
The island of Zebu is 120 miles in length, and varies from 10 to 17 miles in 
breadth; its area is about 1200 square miles. A lofty* mountain range traverses 
the island from north to south, reducing the ground sufficiently level for cultivation to a 
minimum, so that although the island produces sugar, tobacco, maize, and rice, and, in the 
mountains, potatoes, the quantity of rice grown is not sufficient for the population, the 
deficiency being supplied from Panay. 
The town of Zebu has a population of about 34,000 ; it is the seat of government of 
the Bisayans and the residence of a bishop. A considerable export trade is carried on, 
the articles exported being principally sugar and Manila hemp (abaca). The sugar is of 
inferior quality, and principally used in the distillery and for making beer, its value being 
from £12 to £15 per ton. 
Zebu possesses considerable beds of coal, but the surface crop only is worked. The 
ship took in 10 tons to report on its quality, and found it very inferior; the price paid 
was 8 dollars a ton, whilst for Australian coal the price was 1 6 dollars a ton ; small 
