For
many years the successive sultans of Sulu exercised authority over the
fisheries and—in addition to exacting certain percentages and presents
from the fishermen—claimed as their perquisites all pearls exceeding a
designated weight. The fisheries were prosecuted by nude divers, of
whom there were a large number. A Chinese company had been
particularly fortunate in its relations with the Sulus, and had an
extensive equipment in the fishery, consisting of a number of small
vessels, each carrying a crew of seven men, who used diving-suits. In
addition to these, some of the native Moros owned boats from which
diving-suits were employed.
Following
the Spanish-American War and the transfer of the Philippine Islands to
America, several vessels proceeded to engage in the fisheries without
previously consulting the representatives of the Sultan of Sulu. This
called forth from that official an appeal to the American authorities
for protection in his claims. He gave an account of the pearl fishery
in this interesting document, which we quote at length— through the
courtesy of the American Bureau of Insular Affairs—because of the
light it throws, not only on the industry, but also on the
characteristics of these people with whom the American government is
now dealing.
STATEMENT MADE BY THE SULTAN OF SULU RELATIVE TO THE PEARL FISHERIES (Forwarded by the Governor of Moro Province.)
[Translation.]
(Seal of the Sultan.)
No date.
I
beg to inform my father, the civil governor, Major Scott, as you want
to know about the mother-of-pearl shell, why it is the right of all
Sulu people, above all my own right, this is the reason :
The
forefathers of the Sulu people used to take the mother-of-pearl shell
from the downs because the mother-of-pearl shell belonged to the downs,
and they took them to eat the oyster with other food ; of the shell
they made plates and saucers to put the food on, and the pearls they
used to make a hole through and put them on a string as necklaces for
their children. This was at a time when no other nation had come to
Sulu to buy the mother-of-pearl shell.
Later, a big boat, called the Sampang, wandered
from China to Sulu ; there were on board many people, all Chinese ; it
was loaded with merchandise. The people came ashore and saw the
mother-of-pearl shell which the Sulu people were carrying. The captain
of the boat said : "Have you many more of these things?" and the people
answered, "Plenty; this is what we take from the downs to eat with
other food." The Captain said, "Gather me plenty. I will buy them from
you. The people went and gathered them and bartered them for plates and
saucers. When all the shells from the downs were finished they
