The English text appear a verbatim transalation from the Igorot language and maybe difficult to understand. The account was lifted from a book by Carl Wilhem Seidenadel, "The First Grammar of the Language Spoken by the Bontoc Igorot." The "Don Bilong" referred to in the account was Federico Isabelo Abaya, the hero of Candon, Ilocos Sur, who served under Col. Manuel Tinio of the Philippine Revolutionary Army. He became commander of the forces in southern Ilocos under Col. Juan Villamor, where he was later killed in a battle with the Americans in May 3, 1900.
The original Igorot text is reproduced in the tail-end section of this page. The English translation follows:
"The insurrecto Don Bilong comes to Bontoc and tells lies at bontoc, he says speaking you Igorot, go with me take ye your shields, your spears the gongs let us go to Malolos, go ye to dance then much (will be) your money. Then hear the people the young men run and go to the forest because all young men are unsteady (as to)their thoughts. They say speaking perhaps a lie this! I Fanged from Samoki do not like to go because my sister they imprison for my not coming along. Then I go with them because they bind my sister. Then to the men, takes Ngawid the men; then he is the chieftain of the Igorot. Then we start and come to Fangnin and then they take also some men of Fangnin near bontoc. The we take one pig and kill it for food of the men who go to Malolos. Then we start in the morning and come to Gayang. Then our food had been prepared and they had killed a buffalo as our meat. Then we eat at noon and we come to Cervantes. The we sit down and cook our meal we are five Bontocmen, eight men from Samoki; then those from Mayinit, tucuan, Malikong, Genugan, Sagada, Titipan, Tulubin, Kanou, Agawa, all the townsmen had gone to Malolos. Then we had eaten at Cervantes and we come to Ankaki prepared was all our food they had killed a cow for our meat. Assembled were at Cervantes all townsmen. Then it is morning we start and come to Concepcion. Then we start from Concepcion and come to Candon and there meets the music band us. Then we come to Cando and marches around the band with us at Candon. Then we stay in a large house five days and we eat five pigs because we were angry. We Igorot, Then we kill the pigs of Candon-people. Then we start and come to Takutjing. Then we enter the houses of people and take their coats; afraid are the Tak-people we are two hundred and fifty Igorot. Then we start very early and go to Namagpakan. Then had been cooked the rice, but no meat. Then we go and take (by force) one horse and bring it to our quarter. The we cut it and cook the horse. The we do not eat, because like flesh of men is the sight of the meat of horse. Then we start and go to Faknotan we arrive in night none had cooked our food. Then we all, we Igorot, go to take some pigs and dogs. The we keep cooking and we eat during the night. Then come the soldiers, who are insurrectos, and ask for food then they keep coming to our rear and they keep saying give (us) our food. Then we often give (them) the skins of pigs and a little rice. The we start then we go to a certain (one) town I do not know the name of the town were we arrived. The had been cooked rice and meat of buffalo. Then we sleep we start in the morning, we come to Santo Tomas. Then (is)not cooked our food. Then we go to seek pigs and goats then not any we find pigs, goats our finding. Then they bring rice. The we say to our master, why you say if we come into the town, then would be ready the food of the men; and here now there is nothing! Then answers Don Bilong our words and he says care for yourselves, and you keep catching pigs and (take) rice! Then I frighten a family of Filipinos. Then they say do not kill us let us cook your meal. The is cooked the rice and crabs. Then I begin eating and then comes my companion. Then, we eat together, as we are very hungry. Then we start then we go to Dagupan. (it is a) large town and then they do not provide for us we ask for our food and little is their giving. Then they keep saying we shall come to Malolos. Then we arrive at Malolos in the evening. Then distributes Aguinaldo the "20 cents". The we say why! One peseta only our food does not suffice then we say we shall run away. Then they say we shoot you. Then starts the train. Then we go and ride in the train. Then we come to Caloocan forestland only. We eat in the night then not sufficed our food. (while) we are eating, we men then we see the fire flying that comes from sea. Dazzles the fire us. Then it is time of geginning of crowing of cocks. The says Golash, our interpreter let us go around to Fanged behind Manila Then we start to go to Fanged and many (are) the solders Then we go "a little" to Fanged. Like this was the distance, as far yonder. We had gone to the front; we had spears, battleaxes and shields (with us), no rifles. The was shot one soldiers in the scrotum had shot (him) the Americans. The we fret we say why! A battle (is) the calling of that (man) why! A different dance is this. Then we say "are we sometimes afraid and again not (afraid)? Then transport back the company the men shot who (were) there. They take to the train. Then we go to railroad (embankment). Then hide the soldiers, and many (are) the projectiles coming from the sea which send the soldiers, Americans. Two were shot of the soldiers, Filipinos. Then comes again one company and is shot again one soldier we had dug into the ground, we Igorot, that we hide our bodies (ourselves) because no guns-ours "except only" our spears and battleaxes. Then comes again one company at noon and are shot again three soldiers, Filipinos. Then retreats the one company and "exchanged" again two companies. Then they take their bayonets they dig up the ground they bury all their cartridges (bullets) They they return to their commander they say: used up ("no more") our bullets. Then come two companies. There are dead six, there are five some are shot ino the hand there is one 'negrito' shot into his forehead. Then retreats the one company and "exchanged" three companies. Many (are) the dead amnong them much (is) the blood upon the ground. Then retreat the three companies. They remove the many dead they carry to the train. Then "exchanged" again two companies Then are shot four soldiers. They again return the two companies. Then turns dark the day and then they fire the cannon: fire (them) the soldiers, Americans. Then whistles the shell of cannon then often it hits the forest. Then get afraid the Igorot and immediately they run away. Then we run away and come to the train many are the dead men in the train whom kept carrying the soldiers was shot one man from Amtadao nobody was shot of the Bontocmen. We remain at the train they often then bring the dead who had been shot they fire the guns, the (it was) as if tumbled down the sky, like this (were): the shells of the cannon some like this: Then landed the soldiers, Americans, on the land then flee all the insurrectos they to the train. We keep running away and we see the shell of cannon that throws up the earth. Some shells of cannon kill a whole crowd that stood close together. Many the dead among the insurrectos; more the dead than in the fights of Igorot in the country of the Igorot. Then we flee and go to Malolos then says Golash, our interpreter let us go to Manila. Let us go to make "railroad" (moat?) Then refuse the men. Then says Golash why! Nobody is dead among us Igorot; why! Only the insurrectos many (are) the dead. Then they return: Sayan from Samoki, and further Moding from Bontoc, then Patte/king from Bontoc, to Manila. Then they go to the train and encounter the shells of cannon. Then they hit into their midst. Then they again go back to Malolos then they arrive with (among) us. Then they say to us they came, the Americans, to Caloocan and destroyed the buildings they burned all the churches and broken all the churchbells. Then we ask the "presidente" at Malolos; we say we ought to go to Bontoc then it is tomorrow again we ask and he refuses. He says why! None is dead of you and you say you will go? Then we say to Kosmi from Bontoc we should tell (him) to dance; so you had said (as to your saying) then we must, we men go; Then quarreled they, Makwish from Bontoc and Ngawid from Samoki, says Makwish from Bontoc to Ngawid you know that "battle" was their saying to you why did you tell (so) to the men? You have no reason! Suppose I had known that "battle" was their saying, I would have told first to the men if they wished to go to war then little only (failed) that we would have killed we Igorot for the saying of the presidente at Malolos that we would be shot, all Igorot. Then (it is) tomorrow, and must Kosmi of Bontoc ask. Then he says let us go then! Then he does not (permit). Then we run off we Igorot then we walk on the side of the street. Then we arrive at Santo Tomas then we immediately enter the forest. The our coming out is at Falaoang. The we seek our food because we are very hungry; then we buy food (cakes) we lived on. Made are the cakes from rice and sugar. Then we come to Fangal. Then says an Ilocano at Fangal why do you run away? Are you cowards, you as Igorot? Then we say answering you go, let's see you if then not quickly smash the cannon your head. The we come to Takutjing. They say also why do you run away? Then they say what did they do there Then we tell them the shells of the cannon are very big. Then we say suppose they would come here the Americans, then would quickly ruin the cannon your houses. Then our direction is the forest then our coming out is at Cervantes. Then our going (aim) is to Fuladong. Then we take chickens and cocks. The we come to Alab. Then we take a big pig we kill and eat it. We had paid five pesos to the pig-owner. Then we told to collect, to the Alabmen, rice. Then they collected. We did not pay th rice the people at Alab gave it "gratis" to us. Then we start to come to Bontoc. The we go directly to Afou, the settlement of Ilocanos at Bontoc in the afternoon (was) our arrival time at Bontoc. Then say the people of Bontoc and Samoki, they say "we are glad that you came are you alive all say the people how did you manage to go (there) we had assembled all the people they listen to our speaking Then we say to them too many (were) the shells of the Americans, too enormous the cannon. Then they say and the bullets of the rifles we say fearful, like rain the bullets of rifles. Then they say do they not come here Then we answer and say they will come here as they stop (at the limit) at Malolos. Then they again say when will they come Then we do not tell because we say let not escape the insurrectos Then we enter town Then say our relatives "we are glad" that you returned to our town. Then "passed" one month then they come suddenly the soldiers, Americans. Then they arrive early in the morning. Then "put down" the Americans many their horses at Kamanuang. Then go out all Bontoc people and feed their horses. (Then) pursued the soldiers, Americans, the insurrectos. They capture one lieutenant and three soldiers, then one who was shot. All other soldiers, Filipinos, then had fled to the mountains. Then they reached running Tulubin. Then tell the Bontocmen and the Samokimen the trail to the soldiers, Americans, to Tulubin, they go to Fayu and capture the wife of Aguinaldo and his younger sister one soldier, Filipino, they shot, the Americans, the soldiers, Americans, cut off the head of the insurrecto; they buried him in the ground at Campo Santo, the burial place Then they conducted the wife of Aguinaldo to Bontoc and his younger sister then also one American whom had fettered (imprisoned) Aguinaldo."
"Fanged"
The original Igorot text is reproduced in the tail-end section of this page. The English translation follows:
"The insurrecto Don Bilong comes to Bontoc and tells lies at bontoc, he says speaking you Igorot, go with me take ye your shields, your spears the gongs let us go to Malolos, go ye to dance then much (will be) your money. Then hear the people the young men run and go to the forest because all young men are unsteady (as to)their thoughts. They say speaking perhaps a lie this! I Fanged from Samoki do not like to go because my sister they imprison for my not coming along. Then I go with them because they bind my sister. Then to the men, takes Ngawid the men; then he is the chieftain of the Igorot. Then we start and come to Fangnin and then they take also some men of Fangnin near bontoc. The we take one pig and kill it for food of the men who go to Malolos. Then we start in the morning and come to Gayang. Then our food had been prepared and they had killed a buffalo as our meat. Then we eat at noon and we come to Cervantes. The we sit down and cook our meal we are five Bontocmen, eight men from Samoki; then those from Mayinit, tucuan, Malikong, Genugan, Sagada, Titipan, Tulubin, Kanou, Agawa, all the townsmen had gone to Malolos. Then we had eaten at Cervantes and we come to Ankaki prepared was all our food they had killed a cow for our meat. Assembled were at Cervantes all townsmen. Then it is morning we start and come to Concepcion. Then we start from Concepcion and come to Candon and there meets the music band us. Then we come to Cando and marches around the band with us at Candon. Then we stay in a large house five days and we eat five pigs because we were angry. We Igorot, Then we kill the pigs of Candon-people. Then we start and come to Takutjing. Then we enter the houses of people and take their coats; afraid are the Tak-people we are two hundred and fifty Igorot. Then we start very early and go to Namagpakan. Then had been cooked the rice, but no meat. Then we go and take (by force) one horse and bring it to our quarter. The we cut it and cook the horse. The we do not eat, because like flesh of men is the sight of the meat of horse. Then we start and go to Faknotan we arrive in night none had cooked our food. Then we all, we Igorot, go to take some pigs and dogs. The we keep cooking and we eat during the night. Then come the soldiers, who are insurrectos, and ask for food then they keep coming to our rear and they keep saying give (us) our food. Then we often give (them) the skins of pigs and a little rice. The we start then we go to a certain (one) town I do not know the name of the town were we arrived. The had been cooked rice and meat of buffalo. Then we sleep we start in the morning, we come to Santo Tomas. Then (is)not cooked our food. Then we go to seek pigs and goats then not any we find pigs, goats our finding. Then they bring rice. The we say to our master, why you say if we come into the town, then would be ready the food of the men; and here now there is nothing! Then answers Don Bilong our words and he says care for yourselves, and you keep catching pigs and (take) rice! Then I frighten a family of Filipinos. Then they say do not kill us let us cook your meal. The is cooked the rice and crabs. Then I begin eating and then comes my companion. Then, we eat together, as we are very hungry. Then we start then we go to Dagupan. (it is a) large town and then they do not provide for us we ask for our food and little is their giving. Then they keep saying we shall come to Malolos. Then we arrive at Malolos in the evening. Then distributes Aguinaldo the "20 cents". The we say why! One peseta only our food does not suffice then we say we shall run away. Then they say we shoot you. Then starts the train. Then we go and ride in the train. Then we come to Caloocan forestland only. We eat in the night then not sufficed our food. (while) we are eating, we men then we see the fire flying that comes from sea. Dazzles the fire us. Then it is time of geginning of crowing of cocks. The says Golash, our interpreter let us go around to Fanged behind Manila Then we start to go to Fanged and many (are) the solders Then we go "a little" to Fanged. Like this was the distance, as far yonder. We had gone to the front; we had spears, battleaxes and shields (with us), no rifles. The was shot one soldiers in the scrotum had shot (him) the Americans. The we fret we say why! A battle (is) the calling of that (man) why! A different dance is this. Then we say "are we sometimes afraid and again not (afraid)? Then transport back the company the men shot who (were) there. They take to the train. Then we go to railroad (embankment). Then hide the soldiers, and many (are) the projectiles coming from the sea which send the soldiers, Americans. Two were shot of the soldiers, Filipinos. Then comes again one company and is shot again one soldier we had dug into the ground, we Igorot, that we hide our bodies (ourselves) because no guns-ours "except only" our spears and battleaxes. Then comes again one company at noon and are shot again three soldiers, Filipinos. Then retreats the one company and "exchanged" again two companies. Then they take their bayonets they dig up the ground they bury all their cartridges (bullets) They they return to their commander they say: used up ("no more") our bullets. Then come two companies. There are dead six, there are five some are shot ino the hand there is one 'negrito' shot into his forehead. Then retreats the one company and "exchanged" three companies. Many (are) the dead amnong them much (is) the blood upon the ground. Then retreat the three companies. They remove the many dead they carry to the train. Then "exchanged" again two companies Then are shot four soldiers. They again return the two companies. Then turns dark the day and then they fire the cannon: fire (them) the soldiers, Americans. Then whistles the shell of cannon then often it hits the forest. Then get afraid the Igorot and immediately they run away. Then we run away and come to the train many are the dead men in the train whom kept carrying the soldiers was shot one man from Amtadao nobody was shot of the Bontocmen. We remain at the train they often then bring the dead who had been shot they fire the guns, the (it was) as if tumbled down the sky, like this (were): the shells of the cannon some like this: Then landed the soldiers, Americans, on the land then flee all the insurrectos they to the train. We keep running away and we see the shell of cannon that throws up the earth. Some shells of cannon kill a whole crowd that stood close together. Many the dead among the insurrectos; more the dead than in the fights of Igorot in the country of the Igorot. Then we flee and go to Malolos then says Golash, our interpreter let us go to Manila. Let us go to make "railroad" (moat?) Then refuse the men. Then says Golash why! Nobody is dead among us Igorot; why! Only the insurrectos many (are) the dead. Then they return: Sayan from Samoki, and further Moding from Bontoc, then Patte/king from Bontoc, to Manila. Then they go to the train and encounter the shells of cannon. Then they hit into their midst. Then they again go back to Malolos then they arrive with (among) us. Then they say to us they came, the Americans, to Caloocan and destroyed the buildings they burned all the churches and broken all the churchbells. Then we ask the "presidente" at Malolos; we say we ought to go to Bontoc then it is tomorrow again we ask and he refuses. He says why! None is dead of you and you say you will go? Then we say to Kosmi from Bontoc we should tell (him) to dance; so you had said (as to your saying) then we must, we men go; Then quarreled they, Makwish from Bontoc and Ngawid from Samoki, says Makwish from Bontoc to Ngawid you know that "battle" was their saying to you why did you tell (so) to the men? You have no reason! Suppose I had known that "battle" was their saying, I would have told first to the men if they wished to go to war then little only (failed) that we would have killed we Igorot for the saying of the presidente at Malolos that we would be shot, all Igorot. Then (it is) tomorrow, and must Kosmi of Bontoc ask. Then he says let us go then! Then he does not (permit). Then we run off we Igorot then we walk on the side of the street. Then we arrive at Santo Tomas then we immediately enter the forest. The our coming out is at Falaoang. The we seek our food because we are very hungry; then we buy food (cakes) we lived on. Made are the cakes from rice and sugar. Then we come to Fangal. Then says an Ilocano at Fangal why do you run away? Are you cowards, you as Igorot? Then we say answering you go, let's see you if then not quickly smash the cannon your head. The we come to Takutjing. They say also why do you run away? Then they say what did they do there Then we tell them the shells of the cannon are very big. Then we say suppose they would come here the Americans, then would quickly ruin the cannon your houses. Then our direction is the forest then our coming out is at Cervantes. Then our going (aim) is to Fuladong. Then we take chickens and cocks. The we come to Alab. Then we take a big pig we kill and eat it. We had paid five pesos to the pig-owner. Then we told to collect, to the Alabmen, rice. Then they collected. We did not pay th rice the people at Alab gave it "gratis" to us. Then we start to come to Bontoc. The we go directly to Afou, the settlement of Ilocanos at Bontoc in the afternoon (was) our arrival time at Bontoc. Then say the people of Bontoc and Samoki, they say "we are glad that you came are you alive all say the people how did you manage to go (there) we had assembled all the people they listen to our speaking Then we say to them too many (were) the shells of the Americans, too enormous the cannon. Then they say and the bullets of the rifles we say fearful, like rain the bullets of rifles. Then they say do they not come here Then we answer and say they will come here as they stop (at the limit) at Malolos. Then they again say when will they come Then we do not tell because we say let not escape the insurrectos Then we enter town Then say our relatives "we are glad" that you returned to our town. Then "passed" one month then they come suddenly the soldiers, Americans. Then they arrive early in the morning. Then "put down" the Americans many their horses at Kamanuang. Then go out all Bontoc people and feed their horses. (Then) pursued the soldiers, Americans, the insurrectos. They capture one lieutenant and three soldiers, then one who was shot. All other soldiers, Filipinos, then had fled to the mountains. Then they reached running Tulubin. Then tell the Bontocmen and the Samokimen the trail to the soldiers, Americans, to Tulubin, they go to Fayu and capture the wife of Aguinaldo and his younger sister one soldier, Filipino, they shot, the Americans, the soldiers, Americans, cut off the head of the insurrecto; they buried him in the ground at Campo Santo, the burial place Then they conducted the wife of Aguinaldo to Bontoc and his younger sister then also one American whom had fettered (imprisoned) Aguinaldo."
"Fanged"
What follows are excerpts of the original statements of Fanged with English translation. Please click on the image to enlarge.
Is this the one whom when the town folks saw the Igorot they laugh at them but when the american came this people who laugh at the Igorot run cowardly to hide leaving the Igorot to fight the american with their spear only
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