_Zulvan_, of no great compass; yet considerable for its productions.
They had in their barks various kinds of spices, as cinnamon, cloves,
nutmegs, ginger, and mace, with several ornaments made of gold, which
they carried up and down to sell as merchandise. Although without
apparel, these people were dressed, or ornamented rather, in a more
costly manner than Europeans; for they had gold earrings in each ear,
and various jewels fastened by means of gold to their arms; besides
which, their daggers, knives, and lances were richly ornamented with the
same metal.[8] Their only cloathing consisted of a kind of apron, of a
species of cloth made very ingeniously from the rind of a tree. The most
considerable men among them were distinguished from the common people by
a piece of silk ornamented with needle-work, wrapped round their heads.
These islanders were gross, broad; and well set on their limbs, of an
olive complexion, having their bodies constantly rubbed over with
cocoa-nut oil.
[Footnote 8: It is highly probable that the valuable spiceries, gold,
and jewels, of the text, are mere fables, invented by Pigafetta, to
enhance the value of his voyage, as such productions are now unknown to
the Ladrone islands.--E.]
Departing from this place on the 21st March, 1521, and steering between
west and south-west, they passed among the islands named _Cenalo,
Huinanghan, Hibussan,_ and _Abarian._[9] The 28th, they came to the isle
of _Buthuan,_ where they were kindly received by the king and prince,
who gave them considerable quantities of gold and spices; in return for
which, Magellan presented the king with two cloth vests, giving knives,
mirrors, and glass beads to the courtiers. Along with the king and his
nobles, Magellan sent two persons on shore, one of whom was Antonio
Pigafetta, the historian of the voyage. On landing, the king and his
attendants all raised their hands to heaven, and then the two
Christians, who imitated this ceremony, which was afterwards observed in
drinking. The king's palace was like a great hay-loft, mounted so high
upon great posts of timber, that they had to go up by means of ladders,
and was thatched with palm-leaves. Though not Christians, these
islanders always made the sign of the cross at their meals, at which
they sat cross-legged like tailors. At night, instead of candles, they
burnt a certain gum of a tree, wrapped up in palm-leaves. After
entertaining them in their respective palaces, the
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