i9 , 2 Scheerer: Texts from Balbaldsang-Ginaang 179 
The towns of the upper Saltan river have drawn much from the three 
tribes which have contributed to their population, but the Tinguian mate- 
rial culture is the most pronounced. The typical costumes, method of 
hair-dressing and the arm-beads of the women, in vogue in Abra, are 
all found here. Agriculture is extensive, and the terraced fields compare 
favorably with those of Bontok. All kinds of domestic animals known to 
the natives of the coast are possessed by these people. The best iron- 
work of northern Luzon comes from this section, and their head-axes and 
spears have a wide distribution over the whole Tinguian and Kalinga 
territory.' 
Beyer says of them: 
In physical type they are more or less like the true Kalingas, but 
their culture and speech is a blended mixture of Apayao, Kalinga, Ting- 
gian, and Bontok. Out of this mixture there have been a number of 
curious and unique cultural developments. 1 
I may add to this that the different members of this group 
who were spoken to by me called themselves, as already stated, 
Kalingkd, giving therewith evidence of their being conscious of 
belonging all to one and the same tribe. Since olden times they 
maintain trade relations with the Tinggian in the west, whom 
they call Itnog and whom they consider their friends; going as 
far as Banged (Span. Bangued), they take down to them rice 
(Bal. pdkoi unhulled rice, phmdyu hulled rice) and tobacco (Bal. 
taphidko) in change for salt (Bal. asm), pigs (Bal. Pfuyok 6 * 8 ), 
woven stuffs (Bal. lopot), beads (Bal. ullayau) , metal pipes 
(Bal. siwako pipe), etc.; since the advent of the American 
regime they also trade with the people of Tuao and Fiat in 
Cagayan to whom they bring likewise rice in return for salt, 
iron (Bal. Phyayang) , etc. Their main trade route lies along 
the Saltan River (Sal. SaKtan) whose banks, hemmed in by 
steep rocks forming narrow and winding gorges, have given it, 
in local parlance, the name MaKokpfub, the cliff -bound. The sig- 
nificance of this river as a landmark is evidenced by the fact 
that the terms chaya and lakud, denoting two cardinal points, 
have for the river-dwellers primarily the meaning of “up river” 
and “down river,” respectively, and only according to the orien- 
tation of the river those of “west” and “east,” respectively. 
BALBALASANG 
Balbalasang (locally Phyaiphyayasang, from phyayasang 
maiden) is officially stated to count at present approximately 
6 Op. cit. 342. 
1 Op. cit. 50. 
8 O quite open, as generally in these dialects. 
