Page 337
An.1686
The Mindanaoan General, Wars, &c.
him. He licenceth strangers to import or export any Commodity, and 'tis by his permission that the Natives themselves are suffered to trade: Nay the very Fishermen must take a permit from him: so that there is no man can come into the River or go out but by his leave. He is 2 or 3 years younger than the Sultan, and a little man like him. He has 8 Women, by some of whom he hath Issue. He hath only one Son, about 12 or 14 years old, who was Circumcised while we were there. His eldest Son died a little before we came hither, for whom he was still in great heaviness. If he had lived a little longer he should have mar- ried the young Princess; but whether this second Son must have her I know not, for I did never hear any discourse about it. Raja Laut is a very sharp man; he speaks and writes Spanish, which he learned in his youth. He has by often conversing with Strangers, got a great insight into the Cu- stoms of other Nations, and by Spanish Books has some knowledge of Europe. He is General of the Mindanaoans. and is accounted an expert soldier, and a very stout man; and the Women in their dances, sings many Songs in his praise.
The Sultan of Mindanao sometimes makes War with his Neighbours the Mountaineers or Alfoors. Their Weapons are Swords, Lances and some hand Creffets. The Creffet is a small thing like a Baggonet, which they always wear in War or Peace, at work or play, from the greatest of them to the poorest, and meanest persons. They do ne- ver meet each other so as to have a pitcht Battle, but they build small Works or Forts of Timber, wherein they plant little Guns, and lye in fight of each other 2 or 3 months, skirmishing every day in small Parties, and sometimes surprizing a Breft- work; and whatever side is like to be worsted, if they have no probability to escape by flight, they sell