Few if any of the Sulus can write or read, though many talk Spanish.  Their accounts are all kept by the slaves.  Those who can read and write are, in consequence, highly prized.  All the accounts of the Datu of Soung are kept in Dutch, by a young Malay from Tarnate, who writes a good hand, and speaks English, and whom we found exceedingly useful to us.  He is the slave of the Datu, who employs him for this purpose only.  He told us he was captured in a brig by the pirates of Basilan, and sold here as a slave, where he is likely to remain for life, although he says the Datu has promised to give him his freedom after ten years.

Horses, cows, and buffaloes are the beasts of burden, and a Sulu may usually be seen riding either one or the other, armed cap-a-pie, with kris, spear, and target, or shield.

They use saddles cut out of solid wood, and many ride with their stirrups so short that they bring the knees very high, and the riders look more like well-grown monkeys than mounted men.  The cows and buffaloes are guided by a piece of thong, through the cartilage of the nose.  By law, no swine are allowed to be kept on the island, and if they are bought, they are immediately killed.  The Chinese are obliged to raise and kill their pigs very secretly, when they desire that species of food; for, notwithstanding the law and the prejudices of the inhabitants, the former continue to keep swine.

[Natives.] The inhabitants of Sulu are a tall, thin, and effeminate-looking race:  I do not recollect to have seen one corpulent person among them.  Their faces are peculiar for length, particularly in the lower jaw and chin, with high cheek-bones, sunken, lack-lustre eyes, and narrow foreheads.  Their heads are thinly covered with hair, which appears to be kept closely cropped.  I was told that they pluck out their beards, and dye their teeth black with antimony, and some file them.

Their eyebrows appear to be shaven, forming a very regular and high arch, which they esteem a great beauty.

The dress of the common people is very like that of the Chinese, with loose and full sleeves, without buttons.  The materials of which it is made are grass-cloths, silks, satins, or white cotton, from China.  I should judge from the appearance of their persons, that they ought to be termed, so far as ablutions go, a cleanly people.  There is no outward respect or obeisance shown by the slave to his master, nor is the presence of the Datu, or even of the Sultan himself, held in any awe.  All appear upon an equality, and there does not seem to be any controlling power; yet it may be at once perceived that they are suspicious and jealous of strangers.

The Sulus, although they are ready to do any thing for the sake of plunder, even to the taking of life, yet are not disposed to hoard their ill-gotten wealth, and, with all their faults, cannot be termed avaricious.