described to us by the historians. The hilts of the _talibones_ now
are not of gold or ivory, nor are their scabbards of horn, nor are
they admirably wrought.--_Rizal_.

_Balarao_, dagger, is a Vissayan word.--_Stanley_.

[67] The only other people who now practice head-hunting are the
Mentenegrins.--_Stanley_.

[68] A Tagál word meaning oar.--_Stanley_.

[69] A common device among barbarous or semi-civilized peoples,
and even among boatmen in general. These songs often contain many
interesting and important bits of history, as well as of legendary
lore.

[70] _Karang_, signifying awnings.--_Rizal_ and _Stanley_.

[71] The Filipinos, like the inhabitants of the Marianas--who are no
less skilful and dexterous in navigation--far from progressing, have
retrograded; since, although boats are now built in the islands,
we might assert that they are all after European models. The
boats that held one hundred rowers to a side and thirty soldiers
have disappeared. The country that once, with primitive methods,
built ships of about 2,000 toneladas, today [1890] has to go to
foreign ports, as Hong-Kong, to give the gold wrenched from the poor,
in exchange for unserviceable cruisers. The rivers are blocked up,
and navigation in the interior of the islands is perishing, thanks to
the obstacles created by a timid and mistrusting system of government;
and there scarcely remains in the memory anything but the name of all