in; little current is believed to exist; and the tides, as far as
our observations went, seem to be regular and of little strength.

The island of Panay is high and broken, particularly on the south
end; its shores are thickly settled and well cultivated. Indigo and
sugar-cane claim much of the attention of the inhabitants. The natives
are the principal cultivators. They pay to government a capitation tax
of seven reals. Its population is estimated at three hundred thousand,
which I think is rather short of the actual number.

On all the hills there are telegraphs of rude construction, to give
information of the approach of piratical prahus from Sulu, which
formerly were in the habit of making attacks upon the defenceless
inhabitants and carrying them off into slavery. Of late years they have
ceased these depredations, for the Spaniards have resorted to a new
mode of warfare. Instead of pursuing and punishing the offenders, they
now intercept all their supplies, both of necessaries and luxuries;
and the fear of this has had the effect to deter pirates from their
usual attacks.

We remained off San Pedro for the night, in hopes of falling in with
the Flying-fish in the morning.

On the morning of the 28th, the Flying-fish was discovered plainly in
sight. I immediately stood for her, fired a gun and made signal. At
seven o'clock, another gun was fired, but the vessel still stood off,
and was seen to make sail to the westward without paying any regard
whatever to either, and being favored by a breeze while the Vincennes
was becalmed, she stole off and was soon out of sight. [270]

After breakfast we opened the bay of Antique, on which is situated the
town of San Jose. As this bay apparently offered anchorage for vessels
bound up this coast, I determined to survey it; and for this purpose
the boats were hoisted out and prepared for surveying. Lieutenant
Budd was despatched to visit the pueblo called San Jose.

On reaching the bay, the boats were sent to different points of it,
and when they were in station, the ship fired guns to furnish bases
by the sound, and angles were simultaneously measured. The boats made
soundings on their return to the ship, and thus completed this duty,
so that in an hour or two afterwards the bay was correctly represented
on paper. It offers no more than a temporary anchorage for vessels,
and unless the shore is closely approached, the water is almost too
deep for the purpose.

[San Jos