ake war by sea. In ancient
times this power caused all this island to pay tribute to the king of
Mindanao in order to be free from his attacks. In the time of Buisan,
the father of Corralat, they had hopes of rendering all the islands
of Pintados tributary; and, though the island of Burney is so out of
the way, more than twenty thousand vassals pay tribute to him in the
villages called Suaco. For the same reason, although the Joloan nation
is so small, it has become the most distinguished in these islands;
for on sea it equals the strength of the Mindanaos, as they have as
many or more vassals of the Lutao nation.

The fourth nation is the Subano. They are the settlers along the
rivers. To them is due the name suba, which is the equivalent of
"river" in the general language of these nations. It is the nation of
least esteem, both because of their natural barbarousness, for they
live in the plains with as little association with one another as
have brutes (one house being located a legua's distance from another,
according to where each one wishes to build his hut); and because of
their poverty, which is dire. For since they have no other intelligence
than [what is required for] their work, their slothfulness reduces
their efforts to what necessity [only] requires, so that what is
abundant for a laborious life is always lacking with them. They are
deficient in civilized ways, along with human intercourse, as they
are born so hostile and so averse to communication [with others] that
they grow old in their rude settlements without curiosity drawing
them from their place of residence, or without their seeing the sea,
although some of them live where they hear news of the horror of its
tumults and movements. If either necessity or gain has made them give
a glance at their rivers, they are satisfied with that, and do not
seek a better fortune with its dangers. This inertia forbids them,
incapable of giving force to their ambition, from following its
impulses with [favoring] winds.

They are as cowardly as treacherous, the one being the consequence of
the other. He who better plans a bit of treachery and comes out most
safely is considered the most valiant. As they all know one another,
they look out for one another, and build their houses so high up
that a pike cannot reach and wound them. Their usual practice is
to seek a very high tree, where they can build their nests safely;
and, their houses being so unostentatious in s