(Part 18 of 20)
rSanta Catalina de Porac
ALTHOUGH this pueblo has flat terrain, it is near mountains and near the slope (caida) of the mountains known as Pinatubo and Abo.
Its territory extends westward until it meets the boundary of the province of Zambles, from which it is separated by the grand cordillera.
Included in this area are the small barrios of Mapapano, Sagpampias, Masipit, Puntapias, Sapangmatua, [page 34] Mabuanbuan, Agtasnang, Casupanan, Suclaban and Gogo, in each of which, there are a few small houses.
Also belonging to this territory is the Hazienda de Caongpavit, which is part of the sitio of Calantas, and is part of the estate of Don Juan Agustin del Aguila Ycaza.
[Santa Catalina de Porac] is around a league and a half away from the above mentioned Hazienda de Caongpavit, which is at the south 25 degrees west, and half a league from the barrio of Calantas, which is at the south 33 degrees west.
It is two and a half leagues from San Fernando, which is at the east 4 degrees north. Three leagues from it is the poblacion of Mabalacat.
Mabalacat
This pueblo is at the north 2 degrees 00 minutes 30 seconds east of the preceding one. Its terrain is even, although made up of low hills. It is half an hour away from the mountains of the west. It is coterminous with the province of Zambales, which runs at the west, and with its visita, namely: San Antonio, which is at the north 60 degrees west.
Its brook (riachuelo) known as Abacan serves as the boundary between it and San Fernando, which is at the south 43 degrees east. The barrio of Culiat, situated between these two poblaciones, is a little more than five miles at the south 48 degrees east.
On the edge of Mabalacat, there are some rivers. Among these are the Sapangbalayan, the Paruao, and the Mangalit, this last one with a dam for irrigation, plus the brook (riachuelo) known as Quitangil, and some creeks (arroyuelos), whose waters are crystalline and very good for all purposes.
On the mountains, there are all kinds of [page 35] timber for the construction of houses and for manufacture; and sappanwood ( sibucao), palms, canes, southernwood (bojas), buri, rattan, as well as wild deer, pigs and carabaos; and also the bird known as "tabon", the "perico", the "catatua" and the other exotic birds (otras especiales aves).
Inhabiting those mountains are negritos or aetas. Orignally infidels, many have been converted to the Christian religion. They now regularly go down to this pueblo bringing wax and some other products they have which they trade in.
The inhabitants of this pueblo are engaged in agriculture, in hunting deer and wild carabaos, the production of sugar, indigo dye, indigo paste, and sesame oil, aside from trading, which they do with the aetas, as mentioned above.
It is three short leagues away from Magalang, which is at the north 22 degrees east. One league away, and at the north 13 degrees west, is the pueblo and mission of Bambang.