aclayon,
and Malabooch, which have their ministers; the other three, smaller
ones, being Plangao, Nabangan, and Caypilan, which are appended to
the former, being called visitas here. It has about one thousand
two hundred tributarios. Those are warlike Indians, and have made
plenty of trouble during the past years. However, they are reduced
now, and are conspicuous among the other Indians in the exercises of
Christianity. They pay their tribute in _lampotes_, which are cotton
cloths. It is said that the tribute was formerly paid in gold in
some part of the island; but gold is not now obtained there in any
considerable quantity.
Jurisdiction of Leyte in Pintados
This jurisdiction contains two islands, namely, Leyte and Samar--or, as
it is called by another name, Ibabao. The Society has four residences
in those islands, two in each one.
Leyte
This island has a circumference of about one hundred leguas, and
is long and narrow. A large chain of mountains cuts it almost in the
middle. That and the difference of the two general monsoons, the brisas
and the vendavals, cause there an inequality and a wonderful variety
of weather and climate, so that when it is winter in the north, it
is summer in the south, and vice versa during the other half of the
year. Consequently, when the sowing is being done in one half of the
island, the harvest is being gathered in the other half. Hence they
have two harvests per year, both of them plentiful; for ordinarily
the seed yields a hundredfold. Leyte is surrounded by many other
small islands, both inhabited and desert. The sea and the rivers
(which abound, and are of considerable volume) are full of fish;
while the land has cattle, tame and wild swine, and many deer and
fowls, with fruits, vegetables, and roots of all kinds. The climate
is more refreshing than that of Manila. The people are of a brownish
color, and plain and simple, but of sufficient understanding. Their
instruction and ministry is under charge of two residences or rectoral
houses, namely, Carigara and Dagami.
Residence of Carigara
This residence has ten villages with their churches, and about two
thousand tributarios. The names of the principal villages are Carigara,
Leyte, Xaro, Alangalang, Ogmuc, Bayban, Cabalian, Sogor, Poro, and
Panahon, which are adjacent islets. The products of the earth in which
the natives pay their tribute are wax, rice, and textiles of abaca,
which are here called medrina
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