The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-21

yards thick, q large plaza shaded by big
trees. and beyond on all sides the native
houses. Everybody seemed to think 1t his
duty to dance, and men, women, old men
and children, mothers with babies and pa
pas with kids shouted, Jumped around.
danced, 1oggied' each other and rumpussed
about until they were blue in the face,
dripping with heat and covered with dust.
AS the circus proceeded. the crowds I'm
creased; the old church was packed with
worshipers who brought candles, and, re-
ceiving blessing, spent an hour or so on
the stone pavemeits in positions OF contrite
humility. Around the walls of the church
were placed realistic paintings Of the chro-
mo order. representing the River Styx, and.
as the natives looked at portraits OF devils
driving nails into the heads Of the torment
ed. Of sulphurous flames that licked the
cheeks Of the wicked Of this world. or SER
penis that twined themselves into square
knots around the chests OF dozen unfor-
Inmates, and Of countless horned demons
who plucked out the heart-strings Of the
condemned, they counted their beads with
renewed vigor and mumbled long prayers
Countless little booths stood like mush-
rooms round about outside, and cheap Jew
elry found ready sale. The dancing and
shouting increased as the sun sank In the
west, until the ground fairly shook, and the
dust arose in vast clouds. Around the edge
Of the church. under the porticos, slept Sec
tons Of the multitude, who were preparing
themselves to take part In the proceedings
when the others were tired out"
The methods Of Spanish officials is illus
rtated by the experience of Capt. Tyler
Of the American ship Esmeralda. He had
a cargo Of sheep, and one of them died be-
fore the cargo could be unloaded. One law
requires that a person or animal dying
must be buried before shutdown Of that day,
under penalty for neglect Of $50. Another
law imposes fine OF $lo0 for each article
OF a cargo, however small, turned out short
or in excess OF the amount called for by
the ships manifest. II Capt. Tyler buried
the sheep he would be fined 500 for short
turnout; II he did not bury 1t he would be
fined $50 for violating the health regula-
tions-that was his dilemma. He chose to
regard the rules Of health, and his obedi-
ence cost him 500. Another skipper brought
a cargo Of paving stones from Hong Kong
for the Manila street department His yes
sci turned out seven stones too many, and
the fine imposed was $500.
The typhoons are the terrible windstorms
Of the Pacific. They are the real cyclones,
the motion being circular and the center
Of disturbance often being 100 miles or more
in diameter. They do not advance swiftly,
Ike the tornado. often not more than a
dozen miles an hour, but the force of the
wind is something understandable. One ty-
rhoon that Mr.. Stevens experienced
wrecked 1000 homes and played havoc with
the shipping In the bay.
The llghtness with which the natives of
the back country hold the sacredness of life
is illustrated by case that came to Mr..
Stevens attention. A woman wished to be
rid of her husband and offered two men $12
If they would kill him. Yhey committed
the murder, but the widow would only give
Up Sc. Whereupon the wronged murderers
went to a Spanish Official and laid COM
plant against the woman for breach Of con-
tract.
About 100000 bales, or 200 100. 600 pounds
constitutes the whole Of the annual har-
vest Of hemp-the worlds supply. The
hemp trees grow in the hill country and
the hemp is stripped from the bark by a
ply rude knife pressed down upon a block
of wood. One man can clean about twenty
five pounds of hemp day., -
The natives of Mindanoa island have new
er been subjugated, save near the coast.
For years." says Mr.. Stevens, Spain has
sent men and gunboats down toMindanoa
to wipe out the savages and bring the Is
land under complete subjugation, but with
out f,,1 \
been drafted into native regiments to go
south on this fatal errand. The prisons of
Manila have been emptied and the CON
victs, armed with bolos, or meat-choppers,
have followed their more righteous breth-
rem to the front. Well-trained native troops
have gone; Spanish troops have gone; offic-
ers have tried It, but to no end. The
towns alonl gthe coast are Spain's, but the
interior towns still swarm with savages
who are their to dispute her advance and
are daily tramping over the graves of
many of her soldiers"
The costumes worn by the native women
are far from simple, he says, and are made
up Of brilliant skirt with long train,
that is swished around and tucked into
the belt In front; the short white waist that,
at times divorced from the skirt below has
huge flaring sleeves of pima fiber, which
shows the arms; and the costly pima hand
kerchiefs which, folded ION. the diagonal,
encircles the neck. They wear. no hats,
often go without stockings and Invariably
walk as If they were carrying a pail of
water on their heads. They generally
chew betel nuts, which color the mouth an
ugly red, smoke cigars and put so much
cocoanut oil on their straight black hair
that 1t Is not pleasant to get to the lee
ward of them in an open tram-car. 10Th
erwise.' adds Mr.. Stevens. they are gen
orally the mothers of many children and
often play well on the harp"
Writing under the date of September.
1895, Mr.. Stevens predicted a revolt of the
natives. THE whisperings of restless
ness among the natives continue" he says.
land 1t Is hard to see why indeed they do
not rise up against their prosecutors, the
tax gatherer and the guardia civil. Ten
per cent of their average earnings nave
to go to pay their poll taxes land If they
cannot produce the receipted bills from
their very pockets on any avenue or street
corner to the challenge of the voteriba.
they are hustled off to the Quartet, and you
are minus your dinner or your coachman
Once In the hands of the law they are then
drafted into the native regiments for ope-
rations against their old enemies, the Mo-
ros, In the fever-stricken districts of Min
danoa, and their wives or families are left
to swallow Spanish reglamientos.
They remember that Spaniards address