When any of them went on shore they were welcomed
and invited to the houses, and were courted to form

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288 BUCCANEERS OF AMERICA.
particular attachments. Among many nations of the
East a custom has been found to prevail, according to
which a stranger is expected to choose some individual
native to be his friend or comrade ; and a connection
so formed, and confirmed with presents, is regarded, if
not as sacred, with such high respect, that it is held
most dishonourable to break it. The visitor is at all
times afterwards welcome to his comrade's house.
The tayoship, with the ceremony of exchanging names,
among the South Sea islanders is a bond of fellowship
of the same nature. The people of Mindanao enlarged
and refined upon this custom, and allowed to the
stranger a pagally or platonic friend of the other sex.
The wives of the richest men may be chosen, and she is
permitted to converse with her pagally in public. " In
a short time," pay Dampier, " several of our men, such
as had good clothes and store of gold, had a comrade
or two, and as many pagallies." Some of the crew
hired, and some purchased houses, in which they lived
with their comrades and pagallies, and with a train of
servants, as long as their means held out. " Many of
our squires," continues Dampier, "were in no long
time eased of the trouble of counting their money. This
created a division of the crew into two parties, that is to
say, of those who had money and those who had none.
