530 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS [voL. 48 
with them cloth, ornaments, etc., and in times of scarcity, rice at a 
price more or less dear. The Moros are more than usurers and op- 
pressors in their trading transactions with the unfortunate Tag- 
banuas who are easily deceived. In order to realize a lucrative 
trade and to be assured of fabulous gains, the Moros begin to 
invite the friendship of the headmen and local chiefs of the ranche- 
rias, feigning sympathy and intimacy, bestowing upon them the 
title of sandugo, or brother in blood. In the majority of cases 
they will presently give to them a certain number of pieces of 
cloth, bolos to work the soil, cooking utensils, dishes, etc., in order 
that each chief may distribute them among his people, very seldom 
speaking aught of the price. When all these things have been dis- 
tributed, they will demand for their payment wax, almaciga, bejucos 
and palay if it is the time of harvest. These things are demanded 
in large quantities and at an insignificant price. Besides this they 
will cheat the miserable Tagbanuas in their weights and measures 
which are generally very large. Even today if we desire proofs, 
we shall find in the southern part of the island weights which 
the Moros and Tagbanuas use in their transactions. They are 
so large that a pico of almaciga or wax on their scales would 
give them 250 pounds instead of 1373 pounds, which is the 
legal pico; and their gantas are so large that a cavan measured 
according to our standard would contain 31 or more gantas. This 
inequality of weights and measures on the same island to the detri- 
ment of the unfortunate Tagbanuas, merits especial attention and 
requires effective remedy on the part of the persons called by the 
law to regulate them. I lament that this is the case not only in the 
south, but it occurs in almost all of the towns and barrios of the 
island where the corruption of weights and measures in general is 
found in a greater or less degree. In this part, the weights are not 
so much marred as the measures, which are usually made of cana 
espina known as alupan or gantangan (ganta) and of the in- 
terior husk of the cocoanut known as pulacan (chupa) instead 
of making them of wood according to a fixed standard. The 
size of the pulacan varies. Some are large and of various denomi- 
nations; such as the apatan equal to four chupas, lima-an, aneman, 
pitoan, and waloan, the last equal to our chupa which was a diminu- 
tive measure equivalent to an eighth part of a ganta. 
As I have said before, the Moro will give to the local headman a 
certain number of articles for which he demands bejuco, almaciga, 
wax, palay, etc. If the debtor, a headman, is not able to pay the 
