Commerce passes quite commonly within the Bontoc culture area from one pueblo to the next, and even to the second and third pueblos if they are friends; but the general direction is along the main river (the Chico), southwest and northeast, since here the people cling.  This being the case, those living to the south and north of this line have much less commerce than those along the river route.  For instance, practically no people now pass through Ambawan, southeast of Bontoc.  It is the last pueblo in the area along the old Spanish calzada between the culture areas of Bontoc and Quiangan to the south.  No people live farther southward along the route for nearly a day, and the first pueblos met are enemies of Ambawan, fearful and feared.  The only commerce between the two culture areas over this route passes when a detachment of native Constabulary soldiers makes the journey.  Naturally the area traversed by a comerciante is limited by the existing feuds.  The trader will not go among enemies without escort.

Besides the general trade route up and down the river, there is one between Bontoc and Barlig to the east via Kanyu and Tulubin.  At Barlig the trail splits, one branch running farther eastward through Lias and Balangao and the other going southward through the Cambulo area —­ a large valley of people said to be similar in culture to those of Quiangan.

Another route from Bontoc leaves the main trail at Titipan and joins the pueblos of Tunnolang, Fidelisan, and Agawa in a general southwest direction.  From Agawa the trail crosses the mountains, keeping its general southwest course.  It turns westward at the Rio Balasian, which it follows to Ankiling on the Rio del Abra.  The route is then along the main road to Candon on the coast via Salcedo.

Mayinit, the salt-producing pueblo, has her outlet on the main trail via Bontoc, but she also passes eastward to the main trail at Sakasakan, going through Baliwang, the battle-ax pueblo.  She has no outlet to the north.

Trade languages and traders

Since the commerce is to-day nearly all interpueblo, the common language of the Igorot is used almost exclusively in trade.  While the Spaniards were occupying the country, Chinamen —­ the “Chino” of the Islands —­ passed up from the coast as far as Bontoc, and even farther; the Ilokano also came.  They brought much of the iron now in the country, and also came with brass wire, cloth, cotton, gangsas, and salt.  These two classes of traders took out, in the main, the money and carabaos of the Igorot, and the Spaniard’s coffee, cocoa, and money.  To-day no comerciante from the coast dares venture farther inland than Sagada.  Of the tradesmen the Chinese did not apparently affect the trade language at all, since the Chino commonly employs the Ilokano language.  The Spanish gave the words of salutation, as “Buenos dias” (good day) and “a Dios” (adieu); he also gave some of the names of coins.  The peso, the silver dollar, is commonly called “peho.”  However, the medio peso is known as “thalepi,” from the Ilokano “salepi.”  The peseta is called “peseta;” and the media peseta is known as “dies ay seis” (ten and six), or, simply, “seis” —­ it is from the Spanish, meaning sixteen quartos.