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The language of all the Pintados and Bicayas is one and the same, by which they understand one another when talking, or when writing with the letters and characters of their own which they possess. These resemble those of the Arabs. The common manner of writing among the natives is on leaves of trees, and on bamboo bark.
When the news of the taking of Manila and of the Spanish settlement there reached Panay, Adelantado Legazpi set in order the affairs of Sebu and other islands which he had subdued, entrusted their natives to the most reliable soldiers, and having taken the most necessary precautions for the government of those provinces, which are commonly called Bicayas de los Pintados, because the natives of them have all their bodies marked with fire, went to Manila with the remainder of his men.
Throughout the islands the bamboo is abundant; it has huge and misshapen joints, and lower part is a very thick and solid tree. The language of Luzon and those islands in its vicinity differs widely from that of the Bicayas. The language of the island of Luzon is not uniform, for the Cagayans have one language and the Ylocos another.
Upon them ships are wont to be driven by the powerful currents, even though they try to escape them. South of this district lie the islands of Bicayas, or, as they are also called, Pintados. They are many in number, thickly populated with natives.
The fourth city is that called Santisimo Nombre de Jesus; it is located in the island of Sebu, in the province of Bicayas or Pintados. It was the first Spanish settlement and was founded by the adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the first governor. It is a fine seaport, whose water is very clear and deep, and capable of holding many vessels.
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