CHAPTER III. 



THE SULU ISLANDS (continued). 



We leave for Parang — The Panglima Dammang — Parang and its surroundings — 

 Tulian Island — Jolo, the Spanish settlement — Life in the town — Marine fire- 

 works — The watering-place — A narrow escape — Pig-hunting — Our life in Sulu — 

 Climate — Unhealthiness of Jolo — The Spaniards and the Sulus — Juramentados 

 — Return to Meimbun — Sulu praus — Carving — Photographing the Sultan — 

 Meimbun market — Ancient chain armour — New species of birds — Revisit Parang 

 — Pearl divers — Lukut Lapas — Captain Schiick — Products of the estate — Jungle 

 fowl — Tobacco cultivation. 



OiN the day following that of the visit of the Sultan and his wives 

 the Marcliesa anchored off Parang. The village, consisting of thirty 

 or forty houses in line, is built on piles in the sea, each house being 

 connected with the shore by a separate bridge of palm-stems. 

 Although this method is in use among most Malay peoples in 

 rivers or estuaries, it is seldom that the houses are entirely exposed 

 to the sea as they are here and in New Guinea. Their shape and 

 mode of construction in the latter country are, however, quite 

 different. Here they are mere huts with rather high-pitched 

 gables, the walls made of roughly-constructed attccps or mats of 

 palm-leaves. 



The Marcliesa was probably the first European ship that had 

 visited the village, for the Spaniards afterwards told us that they 

 had never been there. The people do not bear a very good name 

 even among the Sulus themselves, and the Panglima was a person- 

 age with whom few would have dared to trifle. He came on board 

 with his chief men and attendants very soon after our arrival, as 



