than two or three Hundred Indians have been left at Rota, to cultivate
rice for the Ifland of Guam-, fo that now Guam alorle can properly
be faid to be inhabited. This Ifland of Guam is the only
fettlement of the Spaniards ; here they keep a governor and gar-
rifon, and here the Manila fliip 'generally touches for refreftiment,
in her paffagë from Acapulco Vo the Philippines. It is efteeméd to
be about thirty leagues in circumference, and contains, by the Spa-
nijh accounts, near four thoufand inhabitants, o f which a thoufand
are fuppofed to live in the city-of Sa'n'Ignatio de Agana, whererhe
Governor generally refides, and where the houfes are reprefented as
cohfiderable, being built with ftone and timber, ‘and covered with
tiles, a very uncommon fabric for thefe Warm climates'and favage
countries : Befides this city, there are Upon the Ifland thirteen or
fourteen villages. As Guam is a poft of fonts confcucnce, on account
of the refreihment it yields to the Manila Ihip, there are two
cattles on the fea-lhore ; One Is' the Caftïë’of St .A n g e lo , which lies
near the road Where the Manila (hip ufuàlly anchors, anil is blit
an infigmficant fortrefs, mounting only five guns, eight-pounders ;
the other is the cattle of S t . Tertis, Which is N. E. from St. 'A n -
and four leagues diftarit, and is intended to protea a road
where a fniaTlveffel anchors, ' which âfrivgs here every ;other year
from Mdriila. This fort- moühts ïhe famemumber o f giihs as ’the
former: And befides thefe forfs, there is a'battery of'five pieces
of cannon on an eminence near thefea-ftiore. The Spafiijhtroop's,
employed at this Ifland, ddiifift of ’three-'OStfi-paniês b f fbot, hé-
tWix t forty ahd fifty‘-men each and this is the principal ftrength
the Govérhor has’'to 'depend1 on y for'he cânnbt rely on any afiift-
ance from the Indi'&n inhabitants, I beihgigënèrally upon" ill -terms
with them/.and fo àfipré'Henfivé' o f them, that he has'debarred
them the ufe both o f ’fire-arms and lancés. - ■
The reft of thefe Iflands'. -thohgh riot inhabited, do yet abound
with many kfads o f réfrettfifiênt ahd: provifion j but' there is no
'good harbour or road ' anïcÆgft them all O f 'that of Tinian We
have treated largely already ; nor-is the road o f Guam much bet-
2
ter; fince it is not uncommon for the Manila drip, though the
propofes to ftay there but twenty-four hours, to be forced to fea,
and to leave her boat behind her. This is an inconvenience fo fen-
fibly 1 felt by the commerce at Manila, that it is always-recommended
to the Governor of Guam, to ufe his beft endeavours for
the difeovery o f feme fecure port in the neighbouring ocean. How
induftrious he may be to comply With his inftru&ions, I know not;
but this is certain, that, -notwithftanding the many Iflands already
found out between the coaft o f Mexico and the Philippines, there is
.not any one fafe port to be met with in that whole traitt; though
in other parts o f fire world it is not uncommon for Very fmall
Iflands to furnifh moft excellent harbours.
From what has been faid it appears, that the Spaniards, on the
Ifland of Guam, - are extremely few, compared to the Indian inhabitants';
and formerly the difproportion was fliil greater, as may
Be eafiiy conceived from thé account given in anotfeer chapter, of
the numbers heretofore on Tinian alone. The Indians are a bold,
ftrong, well-limbed people; and, as it fliould feem from -feme of
their pradtiees, are no -ways defédtive in -underftanding; for their
•flying Praaarin particular, which during ages paft have been the
only veffels employed by them, ar-e fo Angular -and extraordinary
an invention, that it would do honour to any nation,, however
dexterous and acute. Since, if we cótifider the aptitude of this
Proa to the navigation of thefe Iflands, which lying all of -them
nearly under the fame meridian, and within the limi ts of the trade-
wind, requite the veffels made-ufe o f in paflingfrom one to the
other, to be peculiarly fitted for failing with the wind upon the
beam; or, i f we examine the uncommon fimplicity and ingenuity
-of its fabric and contrivance, or the' extraordinary velocity with
which it moves, we ttiall,; in each o f thbfe articles, find it worthy
of our admiration, and deferving a piaic-e-amongft the mechanical
produaions1 o f the moft civilized'nations, where-arts and fciences
have moft emihently floutiflied. As former Navigatofs, though
they have mentioned thefe veffels, have yet treated of them
X x 2 imperfedly,