Page 329
An. 1686
Of their Houses and Buildings.
House. Some of the poorer People that keep Ducks or Hens, have a fence made round the posts of their Houses, with a door to go in and out ; and this under-room serves for no other use. Some use this place for the common draught of their Houses ; but building mostly close by the River in all parts of the Indies, they make the River receive all the filth of their Houses ; and at the time of the Land- floods, all is washed very clean.
The Sultans House is much bigger than any of the rest. It stands on about 180 great Posts or Trees, a great deal higher than the common Building, with great broad stairs made to go up. In the first room he hath about 20 Iron Guns, all Saker and Minion, placed on Field-Carriages. The General, and other great Men have some Guns also in their Houses. About 20 paces from the Sultan's House there is a small low House, built purposely for the Reception of Ambassadors, or Merchant Stran- gers. This also stands on Posts, but the floor is not raised above 3 or 4 foot above the ground, and is neatly matted purposely for the Sultan and his Council to sit on ; for they use no Chairs, but sit cross-legg'd like Taylors on the floor.
The common Food at Mindanao is Rice, or Sago, and a small Fish or two. The better sort eat Buffa- lo, or Fowls ill drest, and abundance of Rice with it. They use no Spoons to eat their Rice, but every Man takes a handful out of the Platter, and by wetting his Hand in Water, that it may not stick to his Hand, squeezes it into a lump, as hard as possibly he can make it, and then crams it into his mouth. They all strive to make these lumps as big as their mouths can receive them ; and seem to vie with each other, and glory in taking in the biggest lump ; so that sometimes they almost choak them- selves. They always wash after meals, or if they touch any thing that is unclean ; for which reason they