recounts their customs in adoption of children, inheritance of
property, and slavery. Similar information is furnished by another
Jesuit writer of note, Francisco Combes, on the native peoples of
Mindanao and other southern islands, in which he spent twelve years as
a missionary. He enumerates the several tribes and their distinctive
characteristics; of these the Lutaos (or Orang-Laut, "men of the sea"),
the chief seafaring and trading tribe, have acquired an ascendancy
over the others which is comparable to that of the Iroquois among
the North American Indians. Combes describes their mode of warfare,
and ascribes to their aid the supremacy of Corralat over the other
Moro chieftains, since their wars are of little importance except
when waged by the sea-routes. These Lutaos of the coast hold in a
sort of vassalage the Subanos, or river-dwellers, who are slothful,
ignorant savages, treacherous and cowardly. Combes next praises "the
noble and brave nation of the Dapitans," a small tribe who migrated
from Bohol to Mindanao; he relates their history as a people, and why
they changed their abode, and how they have always been the loyal
friends and followers of the Spaniards. The virtue and ability of
their women receives much praise. Combes discusses the origin of the
Mindanao peoples, and sketches the general characteristics of each,
and their mutual relations. According to our author, the Joloans and
Basilans came from Butuan, in northeastern Mindanao; and the history
of this migration is related in some detail, as well as the way in
which the Joloans became so addicted to piracy.

Combes proceeds to recount the beliefs and superstitions current in
the southern islands. Paganism prevails in them; but the southern
coast of Mindanao, and Basilan and Jolo, are Mahometan. Curious
legends are related of the founder of the latter religion there, who
is reverenced almost as a divinity; but those people know little
of Mahomet's religion save its externals, and are practically
"barbarous atheists." The people are largely governed by omens;
they sometimes offer sacrifices to their old-time idols, but these
have little real hold on them. Sorcery has great vogue among them,
and Corralat and other powerful chiefs excel in it; this is one
source of their ascendancy. Combes describes their mode of life:
their food (which is little besides boiled rice), their clothing,
their houses and furniture; and their usages and laws regarding
cond