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To note the articles produced for commerce by two or three pueblos will give a fair illustration of the importance which interpueblo commerce carried on entirely by barter has assumed among the Igorot. of the Bontoc culture group, though the comerciante rarely remains from home more than one night at a time.
There was the rich comerciante, Don Jose Rincon, with his fat wife and four fat sleepy-looking daughters there, too, the wife and family of the alcalde there the Echevarrias, with their brother the "beau" in full Paris costume, with dress coat and crush hat the only one to be seen in the saloon.
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.
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.
Commerce The Bontoc Igorot has a keen instinct for a bargain, but his importance as a comerciante has been small, since his wants are few and the state of feud is such that he can not go far from home. His bargain instinct is shown constantly. The American stranger is charged from two to ten times the regular price for things he wishes to buy.
Let us observe who occupy them. At a glance it is apparent they are in possession of the "familias principales," the aristocracy of the settlement. Yes there is the rich "comerciante," Don Jose Rincon, his fat wife, and four fat sleepy-looking daughters.
All were admitted to the "Salon de baile" who chose to pay for it; and alongside the rico in fine broad-cloth you might see the ranchero in his leathern jacket and velveteen calzoneros; while the daughter of the rich comerciante danced in the same set with the "aldeana," whose time was taken up in kneading tortillas or weaving rebosos!
VECINA. Jesús, señora, no hay de qué ... entre vecinas y amigas hoy por ti, mañana por mí ... ¡y nosotras que vamos a ser tan amigas!... como que vivimos en el mismo piso ... porque aquí en esta casa, como en todas, con el vecino de al lado es con quien se trata ... y nadie quiere bajarse ... ni subir escaleras ... muy bien hecho ... cada oveja con su pareja ... la marquesa con el canónigo en el piso principal ... en el segundo, el abogado con el comerciante ... en el tercero, el agente de negocios con la viuda del coronel ... así en los demás pisos ... por eso también nadie trata con la encajera ... verdad es que no hay más guardilla que la suya ... y luego ya le dije a usted que es muy necia y muy vana.... Pero voyme corriendo, que dejé la sartén a la lumbre, no sea que se me queme la salchicha ... porque ha de saber usted que mi marido almuerza todos los días salchicha.
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