310

An.1686

Isle of Mindanao. Libby-trees, Sago.

this side, as any where else: but coming into the lat. in which we judg'd the City might be, found no Canoas, or People, that might give us any um- brage of a City, or place of Trade near at hand, though we coasted within a league of the shore.

The Island Mindanao is the biggest of all the Phi- lippine Islands, except Luconia. It is about 60 leagues long, and 40 or 50 broad. The South end is in about 5 d. N. and the N. W. end reacheth almost to 8 d. N. It is a very mountainous Island, full of Hills and Valleys. The Mould in general is deep and black, and extraordinary fat and fruitful. The sides of the Hills are stony, yet productive enough of very large tall Trees. In the heart of the Coun- try there are some Mountains that yield good Gold. The Valleys are well moistned with plea- sant Brooks, and small Rivers of delicate Water; and have Trees of divers sorts flourishing and green all the year. The Trees in general are very large, and most of them are of kinds unknown to us.

There is one sort which deserves particular no- tice; called by the Natives Libby Trees. These grow wild in great Groves of 5 or 6 mile long, by the sides of the Rivers. Of these Trees Sago is made, which the poor Country People eat instead of Bread 3 or 4 months in the year. This Tree for its body and shape is much like the Palmeto-tree, or the Cabbage tree, but not so tall as the latter. The Bark and Wood is hard and thin like a Shell, and full of white Pith, like the Pith of an Elder. This Tree they cut down, and split it in the mid- dle, and scrape out all the Pith; which they beat lustily with a wooden Pestle in a great Mortar or Trough, and then put into a Cloth or Strainer held over a Trough; and pouring Water in among the Pith, they stir it about in the Cloth: so the Water carries all the substance of the Pith through the Cloth down into the Trough, leaving nothing in the