f, they rob one another,
even if they be neighbors or relatives; and when they see and meet
one another in the open fields at nightfall, they rob and seize one
another. Many times it happens that half of a community is at peace
with half of a neighboring community and the other halves are at war,
and they assault and seize one another; nor do they have any order
or arrangement in anything. All their skill is employed in setting
ambuscades and laying snares to seize and capture one another, and
they always try to attack with safety and advantage to themselves.

The land is fertile, and abounds in all provisions common to this
region. [12] If at times some places lack the necessaries of life,
it is because the natives are the laziest people in the world,
or because they are forced to leave their towns through war, or for
other reasons. The land is neither sowed nor cultivated. Another cause
for the lack of provisions is, that they have so little authority
over their slaves. They are satisfied with what is necessary for the
present, and are always more ready to rob their neighbors of their
possessions, than to work and cultivate their own land.

More or less gold is found in all these islands; it is obtained from
the rivers, and, in some places, from the mines, which the natives
work. However, they do not work the mines steadily, but only when
forced by necessity; for because of their sloth and the little
work done by their slaves, they do not even try to become wealthy,
nor do they care to accumulate riches. When a chief possesses one or
two pairs of earrings of very fine gold, two bracelets, and a chain,
he will not trouble himself to look for any more gold. Any native who
possesses a basketful of rice will not seek for more, or do any further
work, until it is finished. Thus does their idleness surpass their
covetousness. In spite of all this, we see that the land possesses much
gold; for all men, whether they be chiefs or not, whether freemen or
slaves, extract and sell gold, although in small quantities. Then, too,
many ships come every year to these islands, from Bornei and Luzon,
laden with cloth and Chinese goods, carrying back gold [13] with them;
yet, with all this regular withdrawal of gold, the natives have always
gold enough with which to trade. All these things permit us to infer
that, if the mines were worked steadily and carefully by Spaniards,
they would yield a great quantity of gold all the time. Nevert