ried to a celebrated Arabian chief named Sheriff Alli,
who visited the shores of Borneo in quest of commerce. The descendants
of this marriage extended their conquests not only over the Sulu
Archipelago, but over the whole of the Philippines, and rendered
the former tributary to Borneo. In three reigns after this event,
the sultan of Borneo proper married the daughter of a Sulu chief, and
from this union came Mirhome Bongsu, who succeeding to the throne while
yet a minor, his uncle acted as regent. Sulu now wished to throw off
the yoke of Borneo, and through the intrigues of the regent succeeded
in doing so, as well as in retaining possession of the eastern side
of Borneo, from Maludu Bay on the north, to Tulusyan on the south,
which has ever since been a part of the Sulu territory.

This event took place before Islamism became the prevailing religion;
but which form of idolatry, the Sulus pretend, is not now known. It
is, however, believed the people on the coasts were Buddhists, while
those of the interior were Pagans.

The first sultan of Sulu was Kamaludin, and during his reign one Sayed
Alli, a merchant, arrived at Sulu from Mecca. He was a sherif, and soon
converted one-half of the islanders to his own faith. He was elected
sultan on the death of Kamaludin, and reigned seven years, in the
course of which he became celebrated throughout the archipelago. Dying
at Sulu, a tomb was erected to him there, and the island came to be
looked upon by the faithful as the Mecca of the East, and continued
to be resorted to as a pilgrimage until the arrival of the Spaniards.

[Tawi Tawi.] Sayed Alli left a son called Batua, who succeeded him. The
latter had two sons, named Sabudin and Nasarudin, who, on the death
of their father, made war upon each other. Nasarudin, the youngest,
being defeated, sought refuge on Tawi Tawi, where he established
himself, and built a fort for his protection. The difficulties
were finally compromised, and they agreed to reign together over
Sulu. Nasarudin had two sons, called Amir and Bantilan, of whom the
former was named as successor to the two brothers, and on their deaths
ascended the throne. During his reign another sherif arrived from
Mecca, who succeeded in converting the remainder of the population to
Islamism. Bantilan and his brother Amir finally quarrelled, and the
latter was driven from Sulu to seek refuge in the island of Basilan,
where he became sultan.

On the arrival of the Spani