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 grown—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, 
