1 Dinteg, the same as the Spanish "derecho," means both "law" and "straight." Personal names1 dado) chi-fol-dyo (Sp., repollo) 1Ibalois, like the old Ilocanos, have the custom of changing their names at certain events in their life, as the death of a parent or a sickness, for others which they consider to augur better for the future. Their aversion to pronouncing their names when they are asked for them has already been mentioned. THE IBALOI IGOROT SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO ACCOUNT OF A SPANISH EXPEDITION TO BENGUET IN [Translated from Informe Sobre el Estado de las Islas Filipinas en 1842 (by S. Mas), Madrid, 1842: Diary of Don G. Galvey, in command of the forces for the suppression of contraband trade.] This was the first expedition on which I penetrated into the interior. On my preceding ones I had not gone beyond the first mountain chain, as the large fields of tobacco planted clandestinely, which I had to destroy, detained me many days, and when my provisions were exhausted I had to return to the towns. I had heard some Igorot say that beyond the great mountain called "Tonglo," which overlooks Santo Tomás and Agoó and is one of the noteworthy mountains of Luzon, there was a very large town situated in a broad and fertile valley the inhabitants of which were very rich and brave people and made war upon the pagans of the foothills. But no one of the Igorot who were my friends had the courage to guide me or even knew the road. They knew, it is true, the direction and the point where the town lay, but were not acquainted with the precise trail to be taken in the midst of so many ups and downs and intricate windings. At last I induced my first Igorot friend, Pingue, to guide me, promising myself to find the road, if I were to lose it, with the help of my compass. I assembled in Agoó two officers, three sergeants, six corporals, and fifty troops, with 200 polistas to carry provisions and baggage, and in the afternoon of January 4 set out toward the east. Following the bed of the river of Agoó till 6 o'clock I reached a barrio of this town called "Tubao.” Here I passed the night. Fifth day. I started at 5 o'clock in the morning to march toward the southeast, and entered the bed of the River Aringay. This we followed for one hour, until we reached the foot of the mountain, when we 1The character of this expedition, which was only one of many similar ones undertaken by the intrepid Galvey, will be best understood by the following remark made by Mas in his Informe, chapter "Población," page 11: "These idolaters [the Igorot] cultivate in some regions immense fields of tobacco, which they introduce into the provinces. The consequence is the ruin of the tobacco revenue, the necessity of maintaining guards and troops to check this lawlessness, the extortions which these very officials commit in the towns, and, in short, so many expenses and troubles that it has been necessary more than once to send out special commissioners, and that this has come to be a question of arduous solution. In other regions they molest the peaceful Christian towns and render the roads so dangerous that it is not possible to pass over some of them without an escort." 2 Forced carriers.-[TRANSLATOR.] This was the began to climb. This first ascent is very tiresome, and as the first mountains are thickly grown over, being covered with dense undergrowth, we marched with great difficulty. At 9 we arrived at a small village called "Pilauang," situated on a prominence from which the coast is visible. I was received by the headman, called Milo, but I found nobody else in the village, as all the inhabitants had fled, taking with them all their possessions. I treated Milo to the best, and he has since been very useful and loyal to me. At this place I had the rations served out. At 12 we pursued our march toward the north-northeast, wending our way up hill through a "cogonal," where, with the sun right overhead and reflected by the cogon grass, we suffered an indescribable heat. At 3 we entered a wood which we followed till 5, when we halted at a small village of eight houses called "Luceng." Its inhabitants had escaped, but I was received by an Igorot who brought me a basketful of camotes and other tubers as a present. headman, named Pipiuan. We passed the night here. Sixth day. We started at dawn after many difficulties. Pipiuan to go in front, promising to set him free in the first village to which he should lead me. We marched toward the northeast. At 6 o'clock we saw upon a height a village which Pipiuan told me was Munglan; we went on and reached it at 8. We found it deserted. We continued our march across fields of sweet potatoes, and going down hill passed a well in which we found a bow and arrow, the ground being sprinkled with blood. My guides told me that this was a very bad sign, since it signified that the Igorot wanted to fight us. I reassured them, and, walking on for an hour and a half, we arrived at a small plain called "Tabao," where I halted to give time to eat. My intention was to continue the march in the afternoon, but Pingui advised me to pass the night here because on the road ahead of us we would meet with many difficulties, in the midst of which it would not be well to be surprised by the night. I therefore resolved to remain, and posted sentinels around the camp to guard against a surprise. I obliged Seventh day.I started at daylight. After crossing a small valley we began descending through very dense cogon. We advanced very slowly, as we found the trail blocked up with trees laid across it, and a number of other obstructions. At 9 o'clock we heard wild shouts and perceived a crowd of armed Igorot on the opposite range. At the same time it became impossible to advance. The path was beset with small, very sharp-pointed pieces of bamboo, and some of palma brava driven into the ground, and with deep pitfalls covered with grass and furnished with bamboo spears in the center. There was also another kind of trap, called "balitil" by the pagans, which is made by placing two drawn bows with arrows ready to let fly, concealed in the high cogon grass, one 1 A tract of tall, sharp grass, often as a high as a man on horseback.-[TRANSLATOR.] |