the last glimpse of their native earth fades from sight,
perhaps for months, or even years; hence the name
Bu’at Timantangis, or the “ Hill of Tears.” Bu’at
Dahau is, however, but little less in altitude; and it is
doubtless at its apex that the last crater in the island
existed, although of course it has long been extinct; yet
the course of the debris thrown out can he seen down its
sides, which are scarred or furrowed by volcanic action in
a very marked manner. Sugh, the ancient capital,—or
Banawa as the place is now called—is in the hands of
the Spaniards, and pretty regular communication is kept
up from thence to Manilla and the Philippine group.
One of the Chinese traders who came with us visited the
place and brought back several jars of excellent biscuits
and a few boxes of fine Manilla cigars. There are two
market places in Meimbong, and there are three markets
during the week; and as very few places afford a better
epitome of the thrift of a people or the produce of a
country than a market, I will briefly allude to what I saw
of these held here.
We went to bathe early one morning, and saw the
market-people coming in from all directions and bringing
produce of the most varied character. Most of them—
both men and women — were mounted on ponies or
buffaloes; some indeed ride their cows to market as being
preferable to walking, their produce being slung across
the saddle before or behind. Every man carried a spear,
and a couple of hours later the space beneath the clumps
of bamboo just to the left of the market gate, was
crowded with people, the women trading, and the men
standing talking in groups, all the business of the day
being done amid a forest of spears. The country people
from the hills were very much interested in us as we
moved about amongst them and their goods. Sweet
potatoes, mangoes, bananas, yams and corn cobs, were
offered for sale in neatly woven baskets made of cocoa-
nut leaves. The leaves of piper betel made up into little
packets, and lime beautifully fine and white (made by
burning coral limestone and shells) were offered to betel-
chewers ; nor was a good supply of the betel nuts themselves
wanting. We especially noticed a very large
fruited variety of Areca catechu here, which I had never
before seen, the individual fruits being as large as a
hen’s egg, and of a clear bright yellow colour. The
typical form so common in Singapore and Labuan, has
fruits the size of a pigeon’s egg only, and of a clear
orange-red colour.
Tobacco leaves of native growth and manufacture were
exposed for sale in bundles, and some of it is made up
into halls as large as a man’s head, and several pounds in
weight. Although tobacco can be easily grown here, it
is but little valued, owing to faulty preparation; and the
inferior Chinese tobacco is preferred by the Sulus to
their own produce, and is a regular kind of currency in
which almost all small payments may be made. Thus,
the hire of a pony for a day is about two bundles; a
day’s wage for a man about the same. The wholesale
price in Singapore is about sixpence a bundle, or even
less. At the time of our visit rice was very scarce and
dear in Sulu; indeed as much as ten dollars per picul
was paid, while horses and cattle were relatively very
cheap. Thus good buffaloes could be bought for eight
or ten dollars each; cattle at six to fifteen dollars a head,
and ponies at ten to twenty dollars ; indeed many of the
people were well nigh starving owing to the last war and
the dry season combined; and in many cases they were
glad to sell their cattle for rice, or the means of obtaining
it. Among the few articles of native manufacture offered