The vivid picture presented by the history of Sulu thrills the reader
with scenes of horror, cruelty, and misdirected energies. On one page
we read of how a rich and mighty sovereign stretched his hand across
the border of his domain into the territory of his weak neighbor and
coveted his jewels and treasure, and, being refused, struck terror, desola-
tion, and destruction in the home of the latter. On another page w(» read
how, as if possessed by a mighty demon, that weak and petty king-neighbor
summoned the powers of the wind and sea to his aid, marched upon his
strong enemy in the night, assailed him while unaware, robbed his house,
and carried his people away to work for his homely sustenance. The
mighty sovereign wakens in the morning, and in his rage curses his
wretched neighbor and swears vengeance upon him and his wicked fellow
nomads of the sea, but the rich and mighty lord of the north has enemies
and rivals in the west and far south and does not dare leave his home
unguarded. Part of his available warriors he thought would be suf-
ficient, and their valor and patriotism were counted on as an additional
asset and a sure guaranty of victory. The sails of a gigantic ileet were
unfurled and chariots and steeds were i)rovide{l for the triumphal march
into the enemy's pearl land. But the mighty sea rolled and the furious
winds blew and the giant did not prove a match for the weak, for man
can not go against nature, and valor is a poor aid against overwhelming
odds. Yet some men's hearts are made of stone and one or two ex-
periences do not teach them enough ; so we see the same scene relocated
time and time again, until an oi)portune moment arrived and a new
chapter was opened in which we find the rich sovereign richer and
mightier. This time nature takes sides with might and turns the
scales against the weak and ]>ctty king of the south and leaves him
wrecked and stranded on his coral reefs.
The Sulu is a Malayan of prominent type, reared in his infancy by a
Brahman priest and brought up to maturity under the care of a Moham-
medan instructor. He rejectenl his idols as early as 1450 and had been
for more than a centur}- ])rior to the arrival of I^egaspi at Cebu, a faithful
and devoted worshipper of "Allahu Ta'ala," the Almighty and only God,
according to the teaching of the prophet Mohammed and the holy Quran.
He had laws, an established government, an organized state, an alphabet,
and a system of education. By trade he was a planter and fisher, and
both land and sea yielded him plenty. He turned the timber of his rich
forests into boats and utih'zed the currents of the sea and the movements
of the wind. Navigation came natural to him, and he sailed to distant
lands and traded his })earls for silks and spices. He had a wide range of
experience, and his knowledge of the world was by no means restricted
to one island or to one limited group of islands.
The dominion of the Sultan of Sulu was complete and his power
was well respected throughout the Archipelago. Between Mindanao and
Borneo 150,000 people — Yakans, Samals, and Sulus — lived and obeyed
one man. True, the Sulus had no standing anny or navy, but they
had innumerable boats, forts, and firearms, and every able-bod ieil man
was a sohlier and a sailor, always armed, and always ready for a call
to arms. His inmiediate neighbors were ])agans, or "infidels," who paid
him homage and tribute. He was the master of the land and the lord
of the southern seas. He was chivalrous in his manners and received
his friends with liberal hospitality; but he wasted no sympathy or
kindness on his enemy. The enemy of the state was also an enemy to
"Allahu Ta^ala," and no life wa*s deemed too dear to sacrifi(^e for the
cause of home and (iod. It was the idea of his home that started the
blood rushing tlirough his veins, and religion fittingly fanned the
flame and heated his blood to the boiling point. There is honor even
among thieves, and a nation made up of fierce pirates need not go begging
for dignity, gallantry, and self-pride. Let the Sulu be idolatrous or
a fire worshiper and he will "go juranirniddo'* on the strength of his
faith in wooden or fire gods })efore lie yields to a master or serves as
a slave. He will die before he surrenders. Such metal is what makes
the Sulus brave, independent, and unyielding.
