Sapes'(De Almada, 1984, pp. 13/5, 15/6, 16/1;Brooks, 1993, pp. 298, 304). The Nalus spoke a language from the Northern branch of the Atlantic language group and the Bagas, Cocolins and Sapes spoke languages from the Southern branch of the Atlantic language group. However, de Almada assumed that the Sapes and Manes 'understood each other' and the Manes '[spoke] the same language as the Sumbas speak' (De Almada, 1984, pp. 16/1, 16/6, 17/1; Brooks, 1993, p. 235). Linguistically, this was unlikely. Maybe the Sapes and Sumbas could communicate with one another. Though both of their languages belong to the Southern branch of the Atlantic language group, the relationship is too distant for the languages to be mutually intelligible. The Manes spoke a language from an entirely different language group, Mande. Though de Almada appears to be misinformed about the relationship among the Sapes, Sumbas and Manes, one cultural trait is clear, however: ‘[Sape] men and women [filed] their front teeth, above as well as below' (De Almada, 1984, pp. 16/6, 17/1). Before him, Hawkins reported Sapes or speakers of Atlantic languages for the Northern and Southern branches as far north as the Rio Grande engaging in the same body modification practice 'for a braverie, to set out themselves' as well as scarring the flesh on their arms, legs and bodies in patterns (Williamson, 1970, p. 17). By the 1590s, Sapes, Sumbas and Manes were engaged in warfare, political/social overlordship and cultural contact, but important cultural distinctions remained.