The Name Of Their Island Was
Zulvan, Of No Great Compass; Yet Considerable For Its Productions.
They Had In Their Barks Various Kinds Of Spices, As Cinnamon, Cloves,
Nutmegs, Ginger, And Mace, With Several Ornaments Made Of Gold, Which
They Carried Up And Down To Sell As Merchandise.
Although without
apparel, these people were dressed, or ornamented rather, in a more
costly manner than Europeans; for they
Had gold earrings in each ear,
and various jewels fastened by means of gold to their arms; besides
which, their daggers, knives, and lances were richly ornamented with the
same metal.[8] Their only cloathing consisted of a kind of apron, of a
species of cloth made very ingeniously from the rind of a tree. The most
considerable men among them were distinguished from the common people by
a piece of silk ornamented with needle-work, wrapped round their heads.
These islanders were gross, broad; and well set on their limbs, of an
olive complexion, having their bodies constantly rubbed over with
cocoa-nut oil.
[Footnote 8: It is highly probable that the valuable spiceries, gold,
and jewels, of the text, are mere fables, invented by Pigafetta, to
enhance the value of his voyage, as such productions are now unknown to
the Ladrone islands. - E.]
Departing from this place on the 21st March, 1521, and steering between
west and south-west, they passed among the islands named Cenalo,
Huinanghan, Hibussan, and Abarian.[9] The 28th, they came to the isle
of Buthuan, where they were kindly received by the king and prince,
who gave them considerable quantities of gold and spices; in return for
which, Magellan presented the king with two cloth vests, giving knives,
mirrors, and glass beads to the courtiers.
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