odies, small eyes short noses, wide
mouths, thin red lips, and sound black teeth, having black lank hair,
and tawny complexions, but rather brighter than other Indians. They are
ingenious and nimble, much addicted to indolence, obliging to strangers,
but implacable when once disobliged. They wear turbans on their heads,
formed of a cloth tied once round, the ends of which hang down, and are
ornamented with lace or fringe. They also wear breeches, over which
they have a kind of frocks, but have neither shoes nor stockings. The
women tie their long black hair in a knot, which hangs down behind,
being smaller featured than the men, with very small feet. Their
garments consist of a piece of cloth sewed together at both ends,
forming a kind of petticoat, with a frock reaching a little below the
waist. They covet the acquaintance of white men, and are very free with
them, as far as they have liberty. When any strangers arrive at the city
of Mindanao, the men come aboard and invite them to their houses, where
they immediately ask if any of them wish to have a _pagally_, or female
friend, which they must accept, and return the favour by some small
present, which is repeated from time to time, in return for which they
eat, drink, and sleep, in their friend's house.

The capital is named Mindanao, like the island, being on the south-west
side, two miles from the sea, on the bank of a small river, in lat. 7 deg.
N. The houses are built on posts, fourteen to twenty feet high,
consisting only of one floor, but divided in many rooms by partitions.
The house or palace of the sultan rests on 150 great posts, being much
higher than any of the others, and had great broad stairs leading up to
it from the ground. In the hall there were twenty pieces of iron cannon
upon field carriages, and the general and other great men have also some
cannon in their houses. The floors are generally well covered with mats,
and they have no chairs, but usually sit cross-legged. Their ordinary
food is rice, sago, and some small fish; but the better people use
buffaloe beef, and fowl, with a great deal of rice, every one using
their fingers, as they have no spoons. The inhabitants of the city of
Mindanao speak both the Mindanayan and Malay languages, and their
prayers are in Arabic, in which also they retain some Turkish words.
Some of the old people of both sexes can speak Spanish, as the Spaniards
had formerly several forts in the island, and had assuredly