Father Urios, however, writing about the Vilanes of Sarangani and Balut, gives a more favourable description of them. He says they are docile and industrious, and more active and intelligent than the Moros Sanguiles, who live on these same islands.
He thought them easy to convert, for they have no religious system of their own; but they believe in God, and in the immortality of the soul.
Although living so near the Moros, they have not adopted any of their religious ideas.
The Sarangani Vilanes dress like the Bagobos, and handle the lance and the bow, and are good shots in hunting game.
Subanos (17).
The word Subanos means dwellers by the rivers, from suba—a river.
This numerous tribe inhabits the western peninsula of Mindanao from Misamis to Zamboanga, except the coasts which are mostly occupied by Visayas or Moros.
They are of a darker colour and inferior in physique to the Mandayas and Montéses.
Like other races in Mindanao the Subanos are organised under dattos or baganis in a feudal system. It is said that he who has killed one enemy may wear a red head-cloth, whilst other tribes only concede this distinction to a warrior who has killed five.