Page 515

An.1690

Meangian Tongue. P. Jeoly's Captivity.

about the Island; and that they had Canoas, and went a fishing frequently in them; and that they often visited the other two small Islands, whose Inhabitants speak the same Language as they did; which was so unlike the Malayan, which he had learnt while he was a Slave at Mindanao, that when his Mother and he were talking together in their Meangian Tongue, I could not understand one word they said. And indeed all the Indians who spake Malayan, who are the Trading and po- liter fort, lookt on these Meangians as a kind of Bar- barians: and upon any occasion of dislike, would call them Bobby, that is, Hogs; the greatest expref- sion of contempt that can be; especially from the mouth of Malayans, who are generally Mahometans; and yet the Malayans every where call a Woman Babbi, by a name not much different: and Mamma signifies a Man. Tho these two last words proper- ly denote Male and Female: and as Eyam signifies a Fowl, so Eyam Mamma is a Cock, and Eyam Babbi is a Hen. But this by the way.

He said also, that the Customs of those other Isles, and their manner of living, was like theirs, and that they were the only people with whom they had any converse: And that one time, as he with his Father, Mother, and Brother, with 2 or 3 men more, were going to one of these other Islands, they were driven by a strong wind on the Coast of Mindanao, where they were taken by the Fishermen of that Island, and carried ashore, and sold as Slaves; they being first stript of their Gold Ornaments. I did not see any of the Gold that they wore, but there were great holes in their Ears, by which it was manifest that they had worn some ornaments in them. Jeoly was sold to one Michael a Mindanayan, that spoke good Spanish, and commonly waited on Raja Laut, serving him as our Interpreter, where the Raja was at a loss in any word,