206 The Gardens of the Sun. [ch. x. 



for sale, I noticed embroidered kerchiefs and sarongs, 

 also rope of good quality. Fish, eggs, cocoa-nuts, jack- 

 fruit, and cucumbers, were exceedingly plentiful. 



It is not uncommon to see some few of the Sulus from 

 the hills wearing tunics of chain armour, having brass 

 plates on the breast and down the back, all the rest being 

 fine chain-work. At the time of our visit Mr. Cowie 

 bought one of these tunics for about two pounds, which 

 he paid in rice. The Sulus themselves say that these 

 were formerly made in the island, but I think this is 

 extremely doubtful; and it is far more probable that 

 this armour formerly belonged to their old enemies the 

 Spaniards, from whom they have obtained it during the 

 numerous wars between them. The most singular thing 

 is that the comparatively few Sulus who possess these 

 tunics should continue to wear them, as they most 

 assuredly do. 



There are a good few Chinese settlers here in Meim- 

 bong who have stalls on which to expose their goods in 

 the markets. They supply needles, thread, betel-nut 

 knives, cheap calico and print goods, handkerchiefs, and 

 occasionally blades of the choppers generally used in 

 Sulu, and other common cutlery, looking-glasses, boxes, 

 &c. The currency here is now the Chinese brass "cash," 

 the rate of exchange at the time of my visit being 900 

 to the dollar. Payments of small amounts however, say 

 up to twenty dollars, can always be made in white or 

 " grey shirting." The packets of Chinese tobacco before 

 alluded to, serve for small change. 



