9. MasLaie is in the middle of that Ilea-basin which Is called the Bisaya Sea: the islands surrounding this ba.in and those within it are comprehooded under the general name of the Maya. Iolanda. 3faahate has a triangular form, whose apex is to the east. The bue, or western coast, is nearly 40 miles long, and the perpendicular length about 55 miles. Berghaus makes the surface 122.1 square miler. This island appears to be a mites of high rocks, and to contain very little cultivable ground. The population of the whole of the Bisayan Islands in 1849 was 803,000.
10. The island of Magindanao, or Jfindanao, is the moat southern of the Philippines, and the largest next to Luzon. Ito form I. extremely rregular. Berghana makes the area 36,140 square miles. The coast line perhaps considerably exceeds 1000 miles. This island Is hilly but not mountainous, except on the eastern coast, though there are some volcanoes, and in one part two deep bays, that of 'Ilene on the south, and that of Sishluns on the north, nearly separate the island. Numerous rivers water this large island. Large tracts are destitute of trees and covered with fine grass and finer savannahs than occur in any other Wand of the Indian Archipelago. The Spaniards have formed a great number of settlements on the eastern and western coast, whore the inhabitants consist almost exclusively of Biariyea, or Malays of the Philippines. The large peninsula which extends between the Bay of Mann in the west and the Pacific on the cast acknowledges the anfhority of the sultan of Magindanao, whos) subjects are mostly Malaya, and Inhabit the country along the coast ; but the interior is occupied by the Haraforas, who are treated by the Malays not as subjects, but as slaves.
The year is divided between the dry and rainy seasons, which depend on the monsoons. The rains commence in the beginning of May, and do not cease before the end of October or the beginning of November. They attain their maximum in the month of July. Between the beginning of November and the end of April showers sometimes occur. The northern part of Luzon is situated within the range of those terrific hurricanes which are called ' and which are rarely felt south of 14° N. lat. The mean temperature in summer is between 80° and 82° Fehr., and that of winter between 70° and 72°. Earthquakes occur frequently, and sometimes cause great damage.
The staple articles of produce aro sugar, indigo, rum, tobacco, sapan-wood, rice, millet, maize, edible birds'-nests, and trepang. Tobacco, which grows very well in many places, and is of the first quality, is only exported in the form of cigars. Rice, for which there is always a ready market, and which constitutes the principal food of the bulk of the population, is the first object of cultivation nearly all over the island. Where the fields cannot be put under water the upland rice is cultivated. Coffee, cacao, ebony, sulphur, cotton, pearls, mother-of-pearl shells, tortoise-shells, and cordage are also exported. Cinnamon and cloves, with the cocoa-nut and banana, are among the products of these islands.
The buffalo is universally used in all field-labour, though iu some parts people have begun to substitute the bullock for it. The buffalo bore, as on all the islands of the Indian Archipelago, is of uncommon size and strength ; the caymans, which are in the Laguna de Bay, and rather of a large kind, never attack a buffisle. horses have also been introduced by the Spaniards; the breed is small but very hardy; they are only used for riding. Sheep are few but goat.; are more numerous. Pigs are plentiful, and domestic fowl are reared in immense numbers, especially ducks on the banks of the Laguna de Bay. Except the caymans, which ere numerous in the Laguna do Bay, there are no rapacious animals. The Philippines are rather dis tinguished by the number than by the variety of wild-fowl. The sea abounds with fish, and the inhabitants, like all the tribes of the Malaya, prefer fish to meat.
Manila, the capital and seat of the captain-general or governor of the island, is built on the eastern shores of the Bahia de Melilla, at the mouth of the river Pasig, or the channel by which the Laguna de Bay discharges its water. It consists of two towns with extensive
suburbs. The city, Manila, is built on the southern banks of the Pasig; it is fortified, and inclosed by high walls and a ditch which is connected with the river. The streets are straight, wide, and well paved. The houses are built of stone, and are substantiaL There are several well-built churches and convents. The palace of the captain-general is not distinguished by its architecture, but the custom house, or aduana,' is a large and fine building. In the great square is a statue of Charles IV. of Spaiu in bronze, given to the town by Ferdinand V1L in 1821; it le a fine work of art, and somewhat larger than life. On the land side is a large plain, on which the troops are exercised, and where the fashion of the place display themselves and their equipages in the evening. A well-built bridge lends from the city over the Pasig to a collection of suburbs, the whole of which form what is generally known as the trading part of Manila. The principal suburb is Bffiondoe, and the population of the whole amounts to 150,000. In the fortified town, inhabited chiefly by Spauish officials sod military, the streets are strait and formal, with granite footpaths, but macadamised carriage roads. In Biiiondoe there is more variety ; many of the houses are spacious, but from dread of earthquakes none of them are more than one story in height above the ground-floor, and In their construction the bamboo enters largely: the upper floor forma the residence of the family, and is surrounded by a gallery, which can be shut in or thrown open by menus of large sliding shutters with panes of mother-of-pearl instead of glass, so as to admit the light while excluding the heat. Several canals communi cating with the river intersect the town, upon which numerous pleasure-boata ply for the convenience of the Inhabitauts, and along the banks of the river are many villa-residences belonging to the principal merchants of the place. Manila contains a royal college for the instruction of youth, a university which was founded by Philip IV. in 1615, a nautical academy, an hospital for the poor, and various other religious and charitable establishments.
Cavite, which lies south of Manila, is a well-built fortress, situated at the extremity of a tongue of land about 2 miles long: it protects the Ensenada de la Estauzuela, the only harbour iu the Bahia de Manila. The arsenal is in that fortress, and vessels are built there. The town of San Roque is near to Cavite.
The only manufactures of the Philippine Islands consist of a very fine species of grass-matting, of which hats, baskets, &c., are made, and of cigars and cheroots, which have a high reputation. For a long time the commerce of the colony was severely restricted by the Spanish government, and is yet carried on under many difficulties. The chief trade is with Great Britain ; the imports consist chiefly of cotton, woollen, and silk manufactures, watches and clocks, jewellery and drugs; the exports are chiefly sugar, tobacco and cigars, indigo and hemp : the amount of each varies from half a million to three quarters of a million sterling.
Ilistory.—The Philippines were discovered in 1521 by Fernando Magalbaeas, who was killed on one of the islands. In 1564 a small squadron under the orders of Lopez de Legaspi was sent from Mexico to form an establishment, which he effected in the following year oa the island of Zebu, the inhabitants of which submitted to the Spaniard. without any resistance. In 1571 Legaspi founded the town of Manila, and the Spaniards remained in and sturbed possession of the Philippines till 1762, when the English took the town of Manila. In 1761 the Eoglish restored Manila to the Spanish government. In 1351 the captain-general, In order to repress piracy, from which eassting.trade had greatly suffered, undertook au expedition agrunst the neighbouring islands of Sooloo, which was completely successful, and a settlement formed on the principal Wand.