found in the rolling hills and mountains of the southernmost portion of Bislig and Agusan Province. However, historical records shows that the name has been variously spelled by the Spanish chroniclers. Conquistador Miguel de Loarca, in his extreme exploratory survey trip of the archipelago, first mentioned and spelled it "Beslin" in his historical accounts "Relacion de los Yslas Filipinas" in 1582, as well as in the Confirmaciones de Encomienda (1616–1700) which Bislig was under the encomienda of Alferez Juan delas Marianas in 1619. In the "Historia general de los religiosos descalzos del orden de San Agustin" of Fray Andres de San Nicolas in 1664 spelled it "Bislin" and also in the "Historia general... del Orden de San Agustin" of Fray Luis de Jesus in 1681. A Franciscan writer, Fray Juan de San Francisco de San Antonio spelled it "Baslig" in his "Cronicas" in 1738. Other Spanish chroniclers spelled it "Bislic" and "Bisliq". In the first detailed map of the Philippines in 1749, published in "Historia de la Provincia de Filipinas" by a Jesuit, Father Pedro Murillo Velarde spelled it Bislig, as did in the "Historia General ..." of Fray Pedro San Francisco de Assis in 1768 and in the "Mapa dela Provincia de Caraga" by Francisco Alegre in 1751. A complete statistical data of District of Caraga compiled in 1750 spelled as "Bislig", and also in the document titled "Provincia de San Nicolas de Tolentino de Agustinos descalzos dela Congregacion de España y Indias" in 1879. From the time on, it is known and spelled as Bislig. Geography Bislig is approximately northeast of Davao City, south of Tandag City (the provincial capital), south of Hinatuan, and southeast of Butuan. Bislig has a land area of 40,503 hectares spread over 24 barangays, with close to half which are tropical rainforests is classified as "public forest". Climate Bislig has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy to very heavy rainfall year-round and with extremely heavy rainfall in January. Barangays Bislig City is politically subdivided into 24 barangays. History The first inhabitants of Bislig were believed to have come from the Agusan Valley in the hinterlands of Mindanao beyond the Magdiwata Mountains. These people used spears, bows and arrows and lived a semi-nomadic life and were called Manobos. They were ruled during the later part of the seventeenth century by a native leader called "Bagani", meaning a formidable leader. They were very brave,