1845.] BALLIGNINI PIRATES. 269 



Ballignini, or Bangene of the charts, which may be con- 

 sidered a branch of the Illanons. Their island affords 

 them, at present, as much security as La Laguna does at 

 Mindanao. It is not approachable within distance of 

 attack, by reason of the reefs which environ it, and there 

 is not anchorage near the edge of the reef. It is a 

 Lagoon Island, and the entrance is so narrow that it is 

 staked precisely similar to the ways alluded to at Illanon, 

 only admitting one vessel at a time, and that by preserv- 

 ing her keel exactly in the centre; consequently, the 

 Spanish faluas cannot enter, and if they did, they would 

 be met by batteries within, mounting above one hundred 

 guns, all laid with great precision to this very point of 

 entrance. There are seasons (probably May or June) 

 when they quit the Lagoon to join their allies on their 

 extended cruizes, when only the females, old men and 

 cripples, are left to defend their property ; and I was 

 informed that two faluas entered the Lagoon on one of 

 these occasions, by surprise, but hesitated to follow up 

 the advantage, by retiring, without any act of hostility 

 on either side. 



These Balligninis are considered to be under the jurisdic- 

 tion of Mindanao ; they have numerous haunts throughout 

 the islets of the Sooloo Archipelago, and particularly at 

 Malozo, and other harbours, upon the Island of Basi- 

 lan, from which they attack the Spanish possessions near 

 Samboangan. We noticed several prowling off that 

 island when on our passage to Sooloo, The connexion 

 is carried on complete to the eastern side of Borneo, and 

 may reckon upon Tambisan, Maludu Bay, Tampassook, 

 Borneo Proper, and the off lying islands of Banguey and 



