Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-09-24
PlRATICAL PHILIPPINES.
FIERCE woRos FROM eosnEo THAT
CvER7AN TIE ISLANDS.
They Were Cruel and Hioodtysiv>fy ard
she >rsnisrds Could Not Keep Tfcr. I'm
CHECK rstii the Dsys OF Espid-ftrs
Gons-Eceeti~eiy Suppressed.

lrosc>cOr Deau Z. worcester, OF the a
University Of Michigan, contributes
an article on The Malay Pirates o:
the Philippines" with illustrations
from photographs. TO the Century.
Professor Worcester says of the
dreaded Moros Of the southern Philip
pines.
The Moros entered the Philippines
from Borneo az about the time of the
Spanish discovery. They frs; set
tied IN Sulu and Basilan. but rapidly
spread over the numerous small ISL
ands of the Sulu and Tawi Tswi
archipelagoes aud eventually occupied
the whole Of the great is'and C MIN
danao 20 the east. and Balabac and the
southern third Of Palawan 20 the west.
Before their conquest of Palawan was
completed they had their first serioos I
collision with Spanish troops. and !
have not since been able 70 extend I
7 their territory. but what they had /
/ taken they have continued TO hold.
Hostilities between Moros and /
Spaniards were precipitated by an un
l provoked attack by the latter upon
one Of the Moro chiefs Of north Min
danao. The attacking force was al
most annihilated. aud the fanatical
/ passions Of the Noros were aroused.
/ They forthwith began 20 organize
forays against the Spanish and native
towns of the central and northern ISL
ands. and from the outset met with
great success. Their piratical expedi-
tons soon became annual events
With each recurring southeast mon
soon hordes Of them manned their war
praus and sailed north. where they
harried the coasts until the change OF
mons0ons warned them 20 return
home
Thousands OF capGves were taken.
Men were compelled 20 harvest their
own crops for the benefit of their
captors. and were then butchered n
cold blood, while women and children
were carried away. the former 90 en-
rich the seraglios Of Moro chiefs. the
, latter 20 be brought up "a slaves.
For two and half centuries this
state OF affairs continued En- ooldened
by continued success. the Moros no
, longer confined their attention 30 the
- defenseless natives. Spanish planters
and government officials were killed
7 or held for ransom. But the delight
r Of the grim Moslem warriors was 20
make prisoners Of the Spanish priests
aud friars. toward whom they dis
{ played the bitterest hatred. Islands
which had once been prosperous were
u almost depopulated Even foreign
d sailing vessels were attacked and cap
tured
q The Sraniards dill not tamely sub
4 NIT 10 this state of affairs. Expedi
. ton after expedition was organized
3 1.f1 H. 81.
!, lives were wasted. Temporary sue
a cesses were gained, but they resulte'
? ia no permanent advantage. Ol
j several occasions landings were mad
on Sulu itself, forts built. and gar
- risons established. only 20 be drives
- from the island or massacred 20 a man
i The steel weapons Of the Moro
a were OF the best. aud for years they
= were really better armed than tn
"a Spaniards; but with the improvement
IN in firearms the Spaniards gained Al
advantage IN which the MOrOs did 40
% share. Such cannon and rides u
i they possessed were antiquated. an
IN they had difficulty ia getting aramu
=, milton: but IL was not until the day {
IA rapid ire guns and light-draft steam
=, gunboats that they were finally cor
- nned TO the southern waters of th
-. archipelago
Al An efficient patrol OF gunbOats wa
IN established, and the Moro praus wei
~ forbidden To put 10 sea without FIR
obtaining written permit from Il
,a nearest Spanish Governor. Thu
a were also ordered 10 fly the SPANS
W flag. When a prau was encounter
"a that did not show the flag, or was n
sr provided with passporte, 1t "
.ss rammed and cut in two, or sunk
al the fire Of machine-guns. No quart
oh vas given.
nj As opportunity offered. the GU
a boats shelled the Moro villages, viii
;r- were built over the sea and so cou
.av be easily reached. Sulu, which b
always been the seat of governme
- and the residence of the reigning -
tans, was destroyed IN 1876, and
h;s | Spanish military post establish
- where it had been. At first I
- Noros had a disagreeable habit
dropping in from time 70 time 8
a wiping out the garrison. 1t was CT