uct, crimes, and penalties. He regrets the prevalence of slavery,
which profanes all social relations, and even destroys all kindness
and charity. There is no class of freemen; all are either chiefs or
slaves. All offenses are atoned for by the payment of money, save
certain unnatural crimes, which they punish with death. Among the
Moros is practiced the ordeal by fire, and the burial of the living
for certain crimes; but some escape from these in safety, through
their power as sorcerers. The authority and government of the chiefs is
described; they are tyrannical and rapacious, and treat as slaves even
chiefs who are subject to them. Combes makes special mention of some
customs peculiar to the Subanos, or river-people. They are exceedingly
rude and barbarous, without any government; and a perpetual petty
warfare is waged among them. Their women, however, are more chaste
than those of other tribes, and Lutao girls of rank are reared, for
their own safety, among the Subanos. Among these people is a class
of men who dress and act like women, and practice strict celibacy;
one of them is baptized by Combes. A chapter is devoted to their
burials and marriages. In the burial of the dead they spend lavishly,
clothing the corpse in rich and costly garments; but they have ceased,
under Christian influence, to bury the dead man's treasures with
him. Marriages are celebrated with the utmost display, hospitality,
and feasting; and with entire propriety and decorum. Another chapter
describes the boats and weapons used by the natives.

Next we present the famous letter on this subject by Gaspar de San
Agustin (June 8, 1720); our text is collated with other versions, and
freely annotated from these, and from comments made by Delgado and Mas
on San Agustin's statements. San Agustin, who had spent forty years
among the Filipinos, begins by expatiating on the great difficulty
of comprehending the native character, which is inscrutable--"not
in the individuals, but in the race." They are fickle and false,
also of a cold temperament, and malicious, dull, and lazy--due to
"the influence of the moon." They are ungrateful, lazy, rude and
impertinent, arrogant, and generally disagreeable. San Agustin
relates many of their peculiar traits, and incidents showing these,
to much disparagement of the natives. He berates their ignorance
and superstition, their faults of character, their conduct toward
the Spaniards, their lack of religious devotion,