They plant coffee, cacao, and bananas, but having assured their subsistence, they love to wander off into the woods to seek for jungle-produce, such as wax, honey, almáciga, and the coarse cinnamon of the country, all of which finds a ready sale on the coast.
They are said to strictly perform all their engagements.
They cultivate abaca, and from the filament of this plant their women weave the tissues called dagmays, which they polish by rubbing them with shells till they take a lustre like silk. They dye these stuffs in a primitive manner, but with satisfactory results.
The men are tolerable smiths, and forge their weapons from old iron, which they obtain in barter. They make bits (for horses), and bracelets, and collars of brass. Amongst them gold is said to be dearer than in Paris, although the sands about Malalag, just south of their territory, yield gold.
Father Gisbert, S.J., Exhorting a Bagobo Datto and his Followers To abandon their Custom of making Human Sacrifices.
The Datto Manib, Principal Bagani of the Bagobos, with some Wives and Followers and two Missionaries.
The Jesuits have made many converts amongst them, and they were, till the Spanish-American war, under the spiritual care of the veteran missionary, Father Urios, and his assistants. In October, 1894, 400 Bagobos were baptized. I am unable to give the numbers of the Bagobos, even approximately, but, from the small territory they occupy, they cannot be numerous.
The illustration shows the celebrated Datto Manib, one of the principal baganis (head-murderers) of the Bagobos, of the Apo, accompanied by his lance-bearers, one of whom holds the quiap. Behind him are some of his wives and children, and other followers. But not even the hard heart of this blood-stained wretch could withstand the persuasion of the Jesuits, and in 1894 he was baptized, and commenced to build the town of Santillana for himself and followers.