52 PEOPLES OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Hill people. All of these differed in speech; invariably 
they also differed more or less in customs. Most of the 
distinctions of custom are striking rather than deep- 
seated; but the divergence between the Christian, 
Mohammedan, and pagan tribes is profound. This 
classification, therefore, offers the best approach for a | 
review of the peoples of the Philippines. (Map 6.) 
The Tagalog of central Luzon are the best-known and 
most advanced nation among the Christians; in fact, 
of all the peoples of the islands. Numbering somewhat 
short of two millions, they are only the second largest 
nationality. But the location of the capital city, 
Manila, in their territory, and their general proximity 
to this center of government and civilization, have 
thrown in their way many advantages which have 
reached the other nationalities in more diluted form. 
Not only is education among the mass of people prob- 
ably most advanced among the Tagalog, but they 
possess the most abundant native literature, and their 
language is accepted as the most elaborate and polished. 
The largest nationality are the Bisaya of the Bisayan 
or central islands. ‘They were the people first dis- 
covered in the Philippines, Magellan landing and 
meeting his death among them in 1521. The first 
Spanish attempts at subjugation were also directed 
against them. They number four millions or more than 
two-fifths of the total population. The Spaniards of the 
early period knew them as Pintados or “painted 
people,’ owing to their fondness for tattooing the body. 
Their numbers have grown very rapidly and they 
are showing an increasing inclination to spread out from 
their native islands to the coasts of Mindanao and 
Palawan. While slightly less advanced in civilization, 
on the whole, than the Tagalog, their superior numbers 
put them in a position which leaves the probable ulti- 
