Incidentally, the greater part of the island lies south of the typhoon belt.

Malampaya Sound, situated near its northwestern extremity, is one of the world's great harbors.

But should we wish to rid ourselves of this wonderful island, I may say, without violating any official confidences, that there was a time when Germany would have been more than pleased to take it off our hands; and indeed our British friends, who were sufficiently interested in it to survey it some decades ago, might possibly be prevailed upon to accept it! There are good reasons why Blount thought it convenient to make it appear that Palawan was politically unimportant.

Shortly after the outbreak of hostilities with Spain the Filipino garrison at Puerto Princesa mutinied, and the things which they did were not nice.

Among others, they liberated the convicts, Puerto Princesa being at the time a penal colony, and the latter, together with some of the soldiers, started up the east coast of the island, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake.