The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-06-23

diVan,
The Sultan was not in state attire,
at least there was no suggestion of the
imperial yellow in his cose-htting
white trousers and vest, slippers en-
broidered with seed-pearls and scarlet
fez. The two attendant mobiles We're
much more gayly clad. Both wore
tight jackets Of blue silk, decked with
gold buttons and trousers of salmon
red, ornamented with buttons of gold
or gilt from the knee downward.
His Highness, who appeared to be
about fifty years of age, had rather
pleasant expression, with a twinkle in
his eye that reminded me of Arab
Pasha. A chair was brought, also ver-
mouth and chocolate. With a cup of
the last in my hand, I explained the
purpose of my visit, which was to
crave the Sultan's assistance in ex-
ploring Marangas Mountain. Smiling,
he promised as many coolies as / need
ed, and I took my leave,
The ex-Sultan of Sulu is all-powerful
in Palawan. The Spaniards have no
real authority, and never interfere with
the natives, except when Europeans or
Cinnamon are concerned. Some idea of
the situation may be gathered from the
following incident, which happened
during my stay in Marriages. The
Sultan's son, boy of ten, desiring to
visit Lieutenant Garcia, came with a
crowd of retainers at his heels, all
armed to the teeth with guns, postols,
spears and the seldom absent kris.
Every man pressed into the stockade.
Had the Spaniards tried to keep them
out, there would have been fight. The
danger was great, but all passed quiet
ly, although a few weeks before Sulu
who had stolen by the sentries ran
amuck at the lieutenant, who would
have lost his life within his own stock
ade had not half dozen soldiers come
to the rescue. At that time there was
fighting almost daily in the Sulu ISL
ands and in Mindanao.
AS soon as the coolies promised by
the Sultan arrived I set out for Mar
angas Mountain, no great distance. The
heat was tremendous as we pressed
forward, first through tall 'alang-
alang'' grass, and then up the bed of a
mountain stream, strewn with boWld-
ers big and little, many sharp as
| knives. Striking into the jungle, after
travelling some hours by the river, we
found track, and following it, pres
emily arrived at native hut-a mere
roof I'm four poles, open at the sides,
| back and front to all the winds that
blew. The owner, a very old man,
naked except for breechcloth, made
off at once; but on Minico ordering him
| to stop, the poor fellow came to halt,
| shivering with fear. However, at the
| sight of little tobacco and cloth his
| weather. beaten face wrinked into a
| smile, and I soon persuaded him to
guide us up the mountain. He led us
| to a village whose inhabitants fled
| shrieking; but again a little tobacco
/ acted like a charm; we made friends
and obtained shelter for the night, in
vited guests.
Everywhere the people seemed
wretchedly poor, and the habitations
were the worst novels I had seen in the
Far East But these aborigines have
no settled places of abode They
| sometimes throw hut together, Guilt
/ vate tiny plot of ground for year,
! then move on. The majority are al
| ways wandering about. AS for the
Sulus, they appear to do no work at all;
when they are not robbing the inland
natives they pass the time in laments
| for tn bad old days when they, the
| Orang Laut, ruled the seas far and
near. The old piratical spirit survives.
| They have never been subdued, and, in
my opinion, they never will be-by
Spain.
The aborigines of Palawan must be
very near the bottom Of the human
! scale. / have watched them sleeping
around fire at night in as much Sc
curity as they ever know. Their tiny
| limbs were never still. quivering and
stretching, and at the least sound in
the jungle they were on their feet, wide
awake, ready to flee. A mysterious
people, uncanny scarcely human, yet
in comparison with their Sulu masters
honest and trustworthy.
Desiring to ascend a mountain near
Bulugay, I hired Sulu boat and crew
There was trouble Immediately. The
turbulent Sulus refused to put to sea
with the men from Manila, and I was
obliged to meet them half way by send
ing one of my servants home. Minec
I contrived to retain. Perhaps his in
way, soon had caused to be thankful
that I stood firm. Practically I was
now at the mercy of Sulus. pirates and
sons of pirates to a man. Before en-.
gaging them ! had been warned thai
two of their number had undergone
eight years imprisonment for the muir.
der of a European; and judging by
the looks of the remaining five, it was
not difficult to imagine that it would
given them the keenest pleasure to cut
my throat. Stalwart fellows they were
and not unpicturesque in their tight
blue pants, sleeved waistcoat decket
with many buttons, gay sarong Ga bag
shaped SASH, and fez or turban. Each
bore in his sarong kris and pistol
while daredevil glitter in the eyes OF
every one of them was evidence enough
that they would use those weapons or
the slightest provocation.
Starting at o'clock in the morning
we reached Bulugay at 8, and at once
set out for the Panglimas (war chief s.
village. In reply to an inquiry with re
gard to coolies, the Panglima, bis
fellow, told me that there were plenty
of men to be had, but all were very
wicked. 1 could quite believe him, bu
I must admit that the natives here die
not look nearly so savage as the Kay
ans in Sarawak, or the Muruts of Nortl
| BorneO