In December, 1848, Jolo was visited by Caj)t. Henry Keppel, in com-
mand of the MaeandeVy and his description of the town contained in the
following extracts taken from his ^' Visit to the Indian Archipelago"
will be of unusual interest:^
The town is built partly on land and partly on the sea. That part which is
on the land, and which might almost be called the citadel, was at the time of
our visit, strongly stockaded and flanked with batteries mounting heavy guns
* * *. That portion of the town which is not within the stockades is built
in regular Malay fashion, on piles. The houses run in rows, or streets; and
outside of them is a platform about 6 feet wide to walk upon. This is supported
underneath by a light scaffolding of bamboo. Tliese rows of birdcage-looking
buildings extend into the sea for half a mile over a shoal which is nearly dry
at low water. The population is numeroiL**, composed principally of fishermen
and Chinese traders. The said platform runs the whole length of the rows:
and its planks were so carelessly thrown across that it seemed wonderful how
the children could escape, if they always did escape, falling through the yawning
spaces which invited them to a watery, or a muddy grave; they were crawling
about these rickety stages in vast numbers; if the tide was out when they fell,
they would be received into 3 feet deep of soft mud, supposing always that they
did not break their little backs across the gunwales of the canoes beneath, which
were made fast to the scaffolding. * » ♦
What we saw of the country [in the neighborhood of Jolo] was highly
cultivated, consisting, with intervals of jungle, of pasture grounds and gardens,
very flourishing and pretty, with abundance of cattle. * * •
The day after we had commenced [watering] was a market day. The
mountaineers came down in parties of from six to twelve, mounted on well-
formed little horses, or oxen, according to their rank and means; on these they
sat with graceful ease, spear in hand — they were all well armed besides, with
shield and kris; in some instances also we observed the heavy two-handed
Ilanun sword [kampilan]. They had a wild and independent bearing; and when seen in groups, some standing, some squatting, the women all chattering,
under the wide spreading tree, they much increased the interest of the already
picturesque scene. They seemed indifferent as to the sale of their stock, which
was conducted chiefly by the women, who freely accompanied them, and were
by no means ill favored. The townspeople, who met and traded with these
mountaineers, were dressed in gayer colors, but not so well armed. • • •
Though the market on this occasion was well attended, the trade was slack;
but I doubt not that, in tlie palmy days of active piracy, a considerable amount
of business was transacted under this old banyan tree. • • ♦
December 30 was the day appointed for Sir James Brooke's interview with
the Sultan of Sulu. We landed in full costume at 10 o'clock. Having walked
over the sea suburbs, and arrived at the beach, we found a guard of honor
and attendants waiting to conduct Sir James to the Sultan's presence; they
were a motley group, but made themselves useful in clearing the way.
Passing within the outer stockade, we arrived, after a few minute's walk, at
the royal residence. It was walled in and fortified: a large space was inclosed
by double rows of heavj' piles driven into the earth, about 5 feet apart, and the
space was filled up with large stones and earth, making a very solid wall of
about 15 feet in height, having embrasures, or rather portholes, in convenient
places for cannon, out of wliich we noticed the rusty muzzles of some very heavy
guns protruding. A great part of the town was stockaded in a similar way;
and the country houses of the datus and mountain chiefs of any importance were
also walled in and had guns mounted.
Passing through a massive gateway, pretty well flanked with guns and loop-
holes, we entered a large court, in which some 2,000 persons were assembled,
armed and in their best apparel, but observing no sort of order; it was a wild
and novel sight. Malays are always armed. The kris to them is what the
sword was to an English gentleman in the feudal times. Every person who,
by virtue of his rank or on any other pretext, could gain admittance was in
attendance on this occasion; for our Rajah had become a justly celebrated man
in the great Eastern Archipelago, and was an object of curiosity.
We were conducted through the crowd to a corner of the courtyard, where
a building inferior to a small English barn, was pointed out as the Sultan's
palace. We entered it by a flight of broad wooden steps (for the palace was
raised on piles), through a narrow passage thronged with guards • • ♦ and
we found ourselves in the royal presence.
The audience chamber was not very large; a table, covered with green cloth,
ran across the center of it; above the table, and around the upper end of the
room sat a very brilliant semicircle of personages, the Sultan occupying a raised
seat in the middle. The cortege consisted of his grand vizier, the members of
the royal family, and the great datus and officers of state. Behind these stood
the guards and attendants, dressed in silks, the colors being according to the
fancy of their respective masters.
The Sultan gave us a gracious reception, shaking hands with each officer as he
was presented. This ceremony over, chairs were placed for Sir James and his
suite; while those of our party, who could not get seats, formed a semicircle
on the other side of the table. The scene was striking and gay.
The Sultan is a young-looking man, but with a dull and vacant expression,
produced by the too free use of opium: his lips were red with the mixture of
betel nut and cere leaf,* which he chewed.
He was dressed in rich silks, red and green the predominant colors. A large
jewel sparkled in his turban, and he wore jewels also profusely on his person.
The hilt of his kris, the great distinguishing ornament of all Malays, was
beautifully decorated with gold wire, curiously twisted in. Immediately behind
the Sultan, in closest attendance on his person, stood the cupbearer, a fine young
man dressed in green silk, who held in his hand a purple finger gUiss, which
was constantly held to his royal master^s mouth, to receive the filthy-looking
mixture which is in such favor with these people — composed of the juice of the
betel leaf, with the areca nut and gambler. The other personages composing
the circle were dressed with equal gaudiness, in bright silks; in the selection,
however, of their colors they displayed considerable taste. Many of the guards
were dressed in very ancient chain armor, consisting of skull caps and tunics,
covering the arms and reaching from the throat to the knee.
Those armed with sword, spear, and kris did not look amiss; but two sentries,
placed to guard the entrance to this ancient hall of audience, each shouldering
a very shabby- looking old Tower musket, of which they looked very proud, had
an absurd effect.
After a reasonable time passed by each party in admiration of the other,
the conversation was opened by Sir James Brooke, who, as Her Majesty's com-
missioner in these regions, submitted to the Sultan certain propositions on
matters of business.
To these His Majesty expressed his willingness to accede; and he graciously
reminded Sir James that the royal family of Sulu were under considerable
obligations to the English; inasmuch as his great-grandfather. Sultan Amir,*
having been once upon a time imprisoned by the Spaniards in the fortress of
Manila, was delivered from durance vile and reinstated on the throne of his an-
cestors by Alexander Dalrymple A. D. 1763. This was now the more liberal
on the part of His Majesty, because his royal ancestor had not at the time
allowed the service to be altogether unrequited; for he ceded to the English
Government a fins island adjoining Sulu (of which, by the bye, no use appears
to have been made), together with the north end of Borneo and the south end
of Palawan, with the intervening islands.
At length we took leave of his Majesty, retiring in much the same order as
that in which we had entered. Although no actual treaty was concluded with
the Sultan, Sir James paved the way for opening up commerce and for cul-
tivating a better understanding with the natives.
In the afternoon we visited one Datu Daniel, a powerful chief, very friendly,
and well disposed toward the English. His stronghold was at a short distance
in the country, at the foot of one of the mountain slopes, fortified in much the
same way as the Sultan's, but on a smaller scale; his stockades were, howev^,
quite as strong, and his guns in better order. His inclosed court, being likewise
a farmyard with a good supply of live stock, looked as if he was better prepared
than his royal master to stand a long siege; his wives looked happy, his children
merry, and, on the whole, his domestic life appeared tolerably comfortable.
• * ♦
Considering that Sulu was the great commercial center of these seas, we were
surprised at not seeing more large praus; there were none afloat, and very few
hauled up; the number, however, of building sheds and blacksmith's forges
showed that they have the means of starting into activity at short notice.
Who could have thoiiglit that, after such devastation and havoc as the
Spaniards wrou«^]it on Balangingi, another chief woukl have the courage
to settle on such a hateful spot again ! Yet we learn that in spite of
the contrary advice of the Sultan and his council, Datu Tainpang, as
early as December, 1848, stationed himself at Pa'at, Balangingi Island,
and constructed a fort with the intention of defying the Spanish forces
and fighting them again. An isolated case like this can not be explained
except on the groimd of foolhardiness, for Tampang was soon after that
dislodged by the governor of Zamboanga. But it appears that it was
necessary again for the 8j)aniards to send another squadron under
Manuel Quesada, consisting of two steam gunboats and other sloops and
vessels, to clean up Balangingi once more and to strike at the Moros
of Basilan and Pilas. Nor was this sufficient, for we learn that before
the end of the same month of December, 3,000 Sulus and Samals
attacked the Spanish forces on Basilan, probably at Isabela, and were
repulsed. In 1849 the Spaniards retaliated and reduced to ashes the
settlements of Bwal, Samalang, and Gumbalang. Undaunted, the Mo-
ros of Tonkil, together with others, in 1850 raided the Islands of Samar
and Kamigin and carried* awa.y more than 75 natives.
