The largest of these encomiendas does not contain more
than fifteen hundred tributes; there are a few of one thousand; most
of them must have from seven to eight hundred; while some have four
hundred or even less. Among these peoples a great deal of gold was
formerly obtained from the mines or placers of Paracali and from the
island of Catanduanes. Camarines yields no rice, and it has not so good
a food supply as other parts of Luzon, owing to the fact that Luzon
is very narrow here, and in many places is rough and mountainous. It
is believed that as much gold is mined now as usually, yet it seems a
small quantity; for, although the Indians in general have more money
than formerly, obtained through their [various] sources of income,
they keep back the gold to work up into chains and jewelry, with
which they adorn and parade themselves freely. They pay tribute in
tin reals. The Camarines have become a very settled and tractable
people through the religious instruction and careful teaching of
the discalced Franciscan fathers, their ministers. They had been,
of all the people of these islands, the most warlike and the most
feared, as was shown by their resistance; indeed, one can hardly
assert that they were conquered. The number of the inhabitants of
this province can be but roughly estimated, as it is difficult to
count them accurately. It is probable, however, that there are more
than one hundred and fifty [thousand], counting the intractable black
people who live in the interior of the country.
Pages:
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99