328 ABORIGINES 



flattened fruit, and diminutive size. The Rosmarinm, 

 " Romero," or Rosemary, is carefully cultivated in pots, 

 and much esteemed by the natives as a stomatic. 



Near the village of Tugbugan I had an opportunity of 

 seeing two of the aborigines of Mindanao " los Indies," as 

 the Spaniards call them, to distinguish them from " los 

 Negros " or Papuans, and " los Moros," or Malays. They 

 are also named Manabos by some, although so numerous 

 are the tribes, that it is difficult to determine them with any 

 precision, for they appear to be almost as numerous as those 

 of Borneo. Those I saw were stated by the villagers to live 

 in the mountains, to acknowledge no authority, to go 

 nearly naked, and to live chiefly on the Sago and Indian 

 Corn. Then* arms, which I likewise inspected, consisted 

 of large painted shields, the sumpitan, spear, and parang 

 or chopping-knife, which all bore a striking resemblance 

 to those used by the Dyaks. The men were of fine 

 proportions, and somewhat noble bearing, of a light black 

 colour ; the nose straight and well developed, the facial 

 angle and lips like those of the negro, and the hair crisp, 

 and disposed in distinct masses over the head. Then- 

 eyes were large and black, and their faces smooth and 

 shining, without any vestige of a beard. The people of 

 Samboanga and the neighbouring villages affect to hold 

 these natives in the utmost terror and disdain. Like the 

 Arafuras of New Guinea and the Aru Islands, the Dyaks 

 of Borneo, the Monaboes inhabiting the interior of 

 Malaya, and the Rajangs and Battas occupying the 

 mountaing of Sumatra, these aborigines of Mindanao, 

 according to the information of my guide, and certain 

 village gossips, who seemed well acquainted with them, 



