THE rillLirPIXE ISLANDS 89 



The Sulu Islands. 



From Zamboanga south-westward to Borneo the Suhi 

 Islands form, as it were, a series of stepping-stones. 

 They number over 200, but are for the most part of very 

 small size, the only exceptions being Basilan, Sulu, and 

 Tawi-tawi. They are remarkable for their beauty, and, 

 until lately, for affording shelter to the praus of the most 

 bloodthirsty pirates of the Eastern seas. Politically, they 

 fall under the jurisdiction of the administrator of the 

 Mindanao district, and form two provinces, Basilan and 

 Jolo (as the Spaniards term Sulu) each of which is looked 

 after by a military governor. Until lately the " Castil- 

 lans " had enough to do to hold their own within the 

 walls of their settlements, and did not venture to exercise 

 any real authority over the fanatical and turbulent Sulus, 

 except by means of occasional punitive expeditions. Nor 

 had the Sultan of Sulu much more power over his law- 

 less subjects. Each rendered obedience to his own 

 panglima or small raja, who was often at war with his 

 neighbour a mile or two distant, and hardly on better 

 terms with his nominal sovereign. When Dr. Guillemard 

 visited Sulu in 1883 and 1884, four or more of these 

 small potentates were more or less at war with each 

 other. Lately, however, with the establishment of fresh 

 posts in the archipelago, the check to piracy, and the 

 civilising influence of trade, the " Castillans " have been 

 gradually gaining the upper hand. They have settle- 

 ments at Basilan, Jolo, Siassi, and Lapac, Tataan in Tawi- 

 tawi Island, and Bongao off its western extremity, and 

 two or three gunboats are always stationed in the group. 

 The establishment of the British North Borneo Company 

 has also done much towards purging these seas of piracy. 



