they are of delicious taste.  The Indians catch them (although with danger from the Moros), and without other appliances than certain hooks, and as many as they wish.  For lack of salt, they smoke-dry them, which always leaves an unpleasant taste, and the fish spoil easily.  Paragua has its own near-by islands scattered along its coast, some of which are inhabited by pigeons, various species of parrots, peacocks, and aquatic birds; others in which sailors get as many eggs and squabs, or the young of such birds, as they wish.  The largest and most fertile [of these islands] is that of Dumaran, which is separated from Paragua by a narrow strait.  It is a fertile island, in which there is a most abundant harvest of rice, which as a general rule yields more than a hundred-fold.

8.  The island of Alutaya belongs to that province.  It is a rocky and arid land.  However, it has plenty of domestic and useful animals, [the rearing of which forms], the careful industry of its natives.  It is about thirty leguas across the open sea from the islands of Calamianes.  About six leguas away is the island of Cuyo, which is small, being about three leguas in circuit, and low, but very fertile.  It contains whatever is fitting and desirable for the sustenance of human life.  Its natives, being for the most part descendants of Sangleys, are industrious and shrewd in trade.  In exchange for the edible and potable products of their island, and the textiles of Yloylo, and tobacco, they lade fine products in Calamianes, an exchange that causes anger to the alcaldes-mayor.  The latter endeavor to prevent that trade, which injures their interests; but those people by their shrewdness deceive them easily, and frustrate the efforts of the alcaldes.  The natives were on the whole very savage, and had even more barbarous customs and greater stupidity than the inhabitants of the other islands.  They have a knowledge of herbs.  In Paragua especially, there are some very poisonous ones.  They use them to bewitch their fellows and deprive them of life.  There is one of so uncommon deadliness, that if it be chewed in the mouth, and if the exhalations from it be directed in a gentle current toward any person whom it is wished to destroy, his life is quickly taken away.  I heard that from some who have intercourse with the Negroes of Dapit, who know more about it and use it mere easily.  The way to overcome those fatal effects is to carry the effective remedy with one—­another herb or root.  Thus the evil breath loses all its force, and the [aforesaid] herb or root is a sure antidote for its deadliness.

9.  This Recollect province set itself to conquer those savage monsters.  They had but little religion, and that an idolatry so barbarous and stupid that no light of reason was visible in it.  Their knowledge of the first cause was very erroneous and confused.  They admitted another life, but through certain very confused transmigrations.  They revered their dead greatly, for they prepared food for their resting-places.