s of Iligan
natives and Moros from the hills, all squatting on the ground, and
haggling over the price of fish and eggs. There were Moro chiefs,
looking world-wearied and indifferent, followed by their attendant
slaves; there were thrifty Moros willing to sell one anything from a
_kris_ or a _barong_ to the very clothes on their backs; there were
handsome young Moro blades, who stared shyly at the strange white
faces and chatted volubly the while in their soft Malay tongue; there
were Philippine market women in _camisa_ and _panuela_, some of them
carrying large, flat baskets of vegetables or fruits on their heads,
the green of ripe oranges and bananas making an effective splash of
colour above their dusky hair; there were a few, a very few, Moro
women, as I have said before, and they wrapped themselves more closely
in their _sarongs_ as we approached, smiling at us broadly with the
utmost friendliness, their blackened teeth behind red, betel-stained
lips reminding one irresistibly of watermelon seeds in the fruit.

Of course the Moros asked us exorbitant prices for their arms,
Americans being made of money, and transient Americans, in particular,
having the added reputation of being utterly bereft of reasoning
faculties, but we had been warned as to their business methods by
officers of the post, so were as adamant. At first the Moros seemed
indifferent whether we purchased or not, and only when we had really
embarked in one of the life-boats for the ship did they let us have
the knives for one-half of what they had originally demanded.

One gentleman who boasted a coat, _sarong_, and wide sash of brilliant
green, the material being of Moro manufacture, and hence of great
interest to the _Burnside_ people, was possessed that one of us should
buy the outfit, and only with great difficulty and the utmost tact was
he persuaded from denuding himself then and there, so anxious was he
to make a sale; and long after the life-boat was under way did some
belated Moro rush to the beach, wildly gesticulating and calling,
evidently willing to exchange some treasured knife, _buyo_ box, or
brightly coloured turban for American gold at our own valuation,
although he had perhaps scorned a very high price for these same
things earlier in the day.

The second morning after our arrival at Iligan, on the occasion of our
first visit there, all on board were shocked to hear that one of the
buoys attached to a cable anchored in the bay wa