Of the Island of Mindanao. Chapter XXXVI.

Mindanao is closer to the equinoctial line than the islands of Ibabao,
Leite, Sebu, and Bohol, and is larger than almost all those four
together. I shall say no more of its richness and fertility than
that it is not inferior to the most fertile of all of them. Besides
that, it is this island only that abounds in civet and cinnamon. The
cinnamon grows among the mountains, and the civet is obtained in
large quantities from the many civet-cats which only this island
breeds. The natives in nearly all of the island are friendly; but
in the southern part along the river of Mindanao (which they call,
and is, another Nile in its grandeur and breadth), the people, with
those of some adjoining districts, are rebellious and turbulent,
and are enticed by the Ternatans, who have introduced there the
doctrine of Mahoma. As a result, both of those peoples are enemies,
not only to us, but to our friends in the same island. An incident
occurred there which I shall not fail to relate, to show the valor of
those islanders. While the Spaniards had their camps and garrisons
stationed on this river, together with some vessels anchored in the
water, there was celebrated the marriage of a friendly chief with
the daughter, or the sister, of another chief who dwelt farther up
the river; and the commander of that camp, as a token of friendship,
undertook to honor this event by despatching two galliots up the
stream to convey the bride. The Mahometan enemy, Silongan, who dwelt
in the district through which they must pass, upon learning that our
people had gone by, and when they were to return, made no attempt to
hinder their passage with the bride, although they were actually at