rtesies. It is an event of so great preeminence that the
governor and all his captains and best soldiers go to it, in order to
honor and conciliate those people. And any prince can well go to see
those ceremonies, for neither actions nor words show that they are
barbarians; but [they appear as] the most modest nation in the world,
which is celebrating its marriage without any idea of the [carnal]
delights of it. They are so moderate in showing their affection that
during three days they do not avail themselves of the license of their
estate. Such is the way in which they act that the fathers worthily
honor it with their presence, and on that day go to their houses,
for they are unaccustomed to the modesty and caution unless it is
when they confess and anoint them. Everything is dispensed with on
that day because of its gravity. We all, then, went on that day with
the superior, and the governor and captains. I was very glad to be a
witness of so great splendor, modesty, and gravity in natives who are
in other things so simple and unceremonious; and to see a sacrament so
hazardous treated with so much devotion, in the respect shown to the
ministers of it. That chief spent at that feast more than four hundred
arrobas of wine, and more than one thousand birds. Although they are
poor, in order to meet the obligations of that day satisfactorily they
strip themselves, showing an equally generous spirit in such action
with the living as is displayed in the fatherland with the dead; for
the greatest displays of their grandeur are the funerals and weddings.

CHAPTER XVIII

Boats and weapons of these natives

The craft used by the Lutaos for war are, like those of terrible
pirates, built with particular attention to speed--both for pursuit,
and to seek shelter whenever affairs go wrong with them, or when
their undertaking is dangerous to them. For since their wars are
always waged for greed, and reputation never induces them, they try to
advantage themselves quite at their safety; and they readily abandon
any undertaking if they see that it will be costly to them. That care
and attention, which govern their boat-building, cause their ships to
sail like birds, while ours are like lead in this regard. The planking
that they use is very thin, and has no other nails, crotches, or knees
than a little rattan. Rattan is the substance which here takes the
place of hemp, in tying things together, some planks [in the craft]
b