Washington sentinel., 1898-07-23

condition.
ALI persons OF Indian blood who
are Spanish subjects are compelled
to pay an annual tribute OF few
dollars, graduated according 20
age and sex. They are also com
PEELED to live tor a portion of the
year at least in the incorporated
towns, in which are churches,
priests and Government officials.
These. with other forms of com
pulsorY and unpaid service to ths
Government and Church, are said
by the Spanish to be aids in civil
izatiOn; the tribute making 1t nec-
essary that the Indian, naturally
indolent and improvident, earn or
save something besides what he
eats and wears, and the compul-
sory residence in the towns bring.
ing him under the influence of the
Church and schools and other civ.
ilizing agencies. These exactionS
oi the Spanish Government are
enforced by the officials of the
towns by Aogging and imprlson-
ment IN the stocks. The Indians
find this system hard to bear, and
their resentment is shown in the
present and former rebellions.
Their feeling toward the imposi-
tion Of tribute is shown by their
saying that the monkeys could talk
il they would, but they keep silent,
so as not to have to pay tribute.
Numbers Of the civilized Indians,
when in debt and unable or unwill
ing to pay tribute longer, escape
to the mountains and forests, where
they either join the savages directly
cr form little communities OF their
own. The Spanish call these by
the expressive term OF rFMoN-
taa0S--men who have mounted
again into the saddle OF savagery.
The aggregate OF these ren0HkadoS
in the islands must be considera.
bic, While at the town Of Arevalo,
IN 1887, one OF these men who had
not entered his native town for
three years, except as he had stolen
in at night, paid his back tribute
and other dues from the money he
earned as a hunter for our party,
and again became a citizen. A
system which is driving many back
to savage life can have little at
traction for the independent Indi-
ans, and while in many cases they
allow their children to be baptized,
they generally prefer their liberty
to the advantages of a civilized life.
Like the civilized Indians, the
savages are brown in color, with
coarse, straight, black hair and
little beard. They seem to be
somewhat smaller and slighter OF
figure than their Christian neigh
bors. Their languages show close
kiuship to those of the civilized
tribes adjacent aud also as close to those
of the savages of Formosa. Few of the |
tribes possess lands fit for cultivation Of |
lowland Iices, and fewer still have the
necessary skill and imp lements and
plough beasts (tuhaloes) for cullivating
such lands. Their recourse is the conn
mon one OF savages nearly the world
round-they cut off small portions OF the
forest during the dry season, and, after
burning this oyer, they plant at the
beginning OF the rainy season, upland
rice, maize, sweet potatoes, &c, among
the blackened logs and stumps. The
supply of oOd thus gained is usually
insufficient, and alter it is eaten up they
lead miserable existence, securing the
woods for game and wild iruitand gong
to the sea beach whenever they can
reach il for shell fish and other food.
Their method of Icultvaton compels
continual change of place. Their little
patches OF cleared forest can only be
cultivated in their rude way for one or
two years, when they are abandoned and
new pieces of forest chosen. In hunting
l have repeatedly found heaps of shells
and bones and bits OF eaTthenware.
proofs Of former occupation. IN the
y,nr5et Of oppara1tlty ,,fro,r, Eorase TLo;-
houses are usually built after the plan of
those OF the civilized Indians-a basket
like structure of bamboo and palm
leaves raised upon posts above the
ground, but they are not so well
built and are occupied but a few wears.
They are not built into compact villages,
but few scattered houses are formed
without streets, but near enough TO be
within call. Necessarily, what can be
said Of such a multitude OF detached
tribes in regard to their clothing, arms,
religion, &C.. must be OF the most gen
eral character. Their clothing usually
consists solely Of the tapara rabo, or breech
clOut, all else generally being in the
nature of ornament, and consisting of
beads about the head and neck and
arms, and anklets or leglets Of boar's
brist!es, and frequently with bright
colored pearl shells hanging upon the
back or breast. The Spanish authorities
do not allow the savages to enter the
towns in their ordinary state Of naked
ness. They frequently blacken the
teeth. and IN some cases file them to a
point. Some tribes wear a stiff round
hat similar to the salacot OF the civilized
Indiana. other trihee tyear a st,vI,ar, rr ry,