PALAWAN. 
129 
swirl of the waters past it, ancl a large pond has been formed by this action; the opposite 
side has become shallow and silted up by disuse. When the first flood comes down with 
a rush, it breaks through at the weakest point (marked x), which is the worn-away bank 
directly in front, and once more the river runs straight out to sea. The old course along 
the sand-bar is now strengthened by the vegetable growth, numerous trunks of trees, and 
other drift washed up by the sea, and, being no longer used, is gradually blocked up by 
vegetable debris and reclaimed by the forest. These operations are continued as long as the 
coral banks make the sea sufficiently shallow. Series of shallow depressions may now be 
counted hundreds of yards inland; those still further away from the sea have long since been 
blocked by alluvial deposits washed down from the mountains, and now support a tropical 
forest growth. Large ponds of salt water may occasionally be seen divided from the sea by 
a few yards of sandy beach: these have been formed by the rivers, and are probably the 
result of a longer period elapsing before the river burst through the sand-bank; thus the 
pond is greatly enlarged. 
Coral rock may be found below the subsoil some distance inland at the depth of a 
few inches. The highest mountain in Palawan is near the southern extremity of the 
island, and is known as Kalamutan by the Sulus; the altitude is given in the charts as 
6500 feet; a sketch of this mountain I have given, showing its undoubted volcanic 
formation. The sea-coast is bordered by a fringe of forest, which has been left by the 
Sulus to break the force of the wind; behind this fringe are clearings for rice-cultivation 
or lalang-grass covered plains ; beyond are the mountains, mostly covered with forest at the 
summits, but cleared by the Dusuns where the slopes are easy. 
The southern end of Palawan is inhabited by two races—the Sulus and the Dusuns— 
a s\rbclass of the Sulu (the Orang Sungei) and of the Dusuu (a wandering forest race which 
is unnamed, equivalent to the Jakuns of the Malay States or the Peluans of Borneo). 
First let us discuss the Sulus. This race of people inhabit the coast, and are mostly 
emigrants from the Sulu Islands, from whence they have flocked to the south-western part 
of Palawan, being one of the few places left where they can live—as I shall presently show 
—without exertion, and where murderers and thieves can brave the sun’s light. At the 
time of my visit (1887) the Spaniards had no forts or “ Controlleurs ” for some sixty miles east 
of Taguso, and Sidanow on the opposite coast wa's their,most western point, so that beyond 
these limits the Sulu dwelt undisturbed by law and order. The Sulu is well built and wiry, 
though short; his complexion is much lighter than other races in the Archipelago. His 
character is treacherous, making one always doubtful of his intentions, whether friendly or 
otherwise; but he is, as a rule, polite, and a pleasant fellow to meet. Several Sulus in 
Palawan did their best to assist me, one man especially doing a great deal for me; but 
these are the better class of Sulu, often the sons of the old nobility. The most objectionable 
class of Sulu are the slaves and retainers of these men : they are often the offspring of the 
Orang Sungei, and are of a swarthy complexion, some being, like the Bajows, nearly black. 
These men are nothing more or less than a swaggering lot of cut-throats, Avhose hands are on 
their “ barongs ”, the greater part of the day; they are rank thieves, and are quite willing to 
back up their thefts with murder. The Sulu costume is decidedly original: their garments 
are generally made of good yellowish-coloured cloth, and often of gaudy silks or satins. 
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