Note 38 — Letters from Father Mateo Gisbert to the Reverend Fathers and Brothers of Veruela

These are the Negritos. Aetas is the oldest known name for that people. It is probably derived from the Tagálog word itim, “black.” In many places the Negrito seems to have disappeared by absorption into the conquering Malay race. There are about 23,000 of them still in the islands. See Census of Philippines, i, pp. 468, 478, 532, 533.