The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-28
Some Of the Curious Traits Of the
Little People Of the Hills.
BLACK AS NEGROES, CURLY HAIR
They Wear Very Fine Clothes and Are
Cowardly and Trcacherous-Can
Climb Like Monkeys and
Run Like Race Horses.


or Aetas. as they are locally called. who
arc now found i'm tho mountain regions
throughout the archipelago. The high
lands OF North LuzOn, writes a London
! correspondent OF the New York Evening
Post, are also peoplcd by number o.
races forming Independent tribes, the
more important OF these being the Cad
dcnos, Itavis and Irr0tes. subsequent set
tiers. who were I'm their turn dlspOssess-
cd and driven TO the highlands By later
immirrants OF Malay origin. the Tagals
and Ilocans. These lowland tribes Of
Iuzon and the related Bisayans OF the
southern islands form the only section
Of the Philippine population conquered.
dOmcsticafcd and converted TO Chris
tianity by the Spaniards; and at the
present day. after more than three Gene
turtles Of Spanish domination. one-nftb
Of the native inhabitants Of LuzOn and
on--fOurth Of those Of the southern isle
ands are practically independent. while
in the large island Of Mindanao only
small portions here and there along the
coast are occupied by Spain. il is, I'm
deed. computed that IN Luz0n alone the
Country Of the inhdels" extends over
some four hundred and fifty square
miles Of territory.
The NegIitos are a dwarfish race. with
skins almost as dark as African negroes,
and curly matted hair. Their features
are Of a low and exceedingly unprepOs
scssing type and their clothing consists
merely Of q waistcloth for the men and
an exceedingly short and scanty petit
coat for the women. Report brands the
Negritos as a spiritless and cowardly
race never daring 10 face a white man
in fair fight but ever ready 10 discharge
ouiverful OF poisoned arrows at him
from behind cover The husbandry prac-
tced by them IS Of the most primitive
description, the chase furnishing their
chief food supply. Light-footed and
agile they climb the forest trees Ike
monkeys. Ourun the deer, and bring
down their quarry with such simple wea-
pOns as "a bamboo spear, palm-trcc bow
and bamboo arrows. The Nesritos are
said 10 have been for considerable
period the sole masters Of LuZOn, eXcr-
cising seienioral rights over the earlier
immigrants belonging to other races.
Their number has. however greatly de-
creased and is said TO be now rapidly
diminishing.
These diminutive people live in COM
muniues Of from fifty 10 sixty families.
Like the domesticatcd natives. they treat
the elders Of their tribe with great re-
spect and their dead with reverence.
What religion they have appears TO be
| kind OF cosmOlairy amy natural object
which chances TO impress their imagina-
/ ton becoming an object Of worship EN-
tremeiy low in the intellectual scale.
/ the Necritos seem TO be hardly capable
[ Of civilization; and when. in individual
cases 20 certain extent domcstic1fed
by European settlers i'm their vicinity.
! thov can never bee trusted Co perform
! the simplest task without supervision.
/ A longing for his old free mountain ille
| may also at any moment take possess
| sion Of Negr.tO and Dice suddenly dis
] appears. never again 60 return me
/ repeated attempts made 10y The Roman
! Catholic missionaries 10 Chris uanize
| these tribes as the first step towards
/ subduing and d0mcsuCating them, nave
been invariably unsuccessful. the ccssl-
! ton of the food supplies which tcm-
| Dorarilv attracted q few Co The misslon-
stations always being the signal for
their return To- their own people and
/ their ancestral cult
RACING FOR A BRIDE.
The ancient and widespread custom
| Of bride-purchase appears 90 Doe common
to all the races and tribes OF the Philip
pines, and. among the Negritos. siau-
| lated capture also forms part or me
| marriage ceremony. When inc prchl.l-
narles have been settled between the
I
! The wedding guests are assembled, inc
/ bride runs of into the woods and i5
! pursued and brought back by -he youth.
/ A second time she escapes, and is asa IN
! canturcd. Her father now seiZei the
! bridegroom hv tho arm and haus niIl
! uD the bamnoo ladder into The hut the
/ mother following with the bride Here
| the first part of the ceremony SIS per-
| formed by tnC ratcrlami'ias. VINO SOUS p
| the youth and maiden alternately WIN
/ water from "a c1cOauut she'll on again
! emerging from the hut, the couple En"r'
/ down side by side before their parents,
| and the father, pressing their heads to-
| gether declares them to be man ana
/ wife. \ feast is, of course. he'd. ai1cr
which the newly-wedded pair disappear
| 90 spend their honeymoon OF i've Gays
! I'm the seclusi0n OF the mountain forests.
The Gaddancs and Itavis. who are
I found in the northwest provinces OF Luz
! ION. arc hardly less barbarous than inc
! Negritos. and very little effort appears
. TO have been made by the spanlards
! either 10 convert or 20 subduo lhelh .
! The Caddsnes are a fine dark-shnned
race. with long straight hair falling over
| their shoulders. fierce and aggressive lh
| disoosltion and nomadic in habit. The
| vouths OF this tribe. when desH0us or
! marrying vie with each other in pre-
scnting To the father Of the maiden OF
! their choice the skulls of his enemies,
the most valiant attaining the prize.
| These hcad-hunts take place chiefly dur
ing the season of the biCss0mlng or the
/ "dre tree"-onc OF the many magnificent
! towering forest trees of the island. inc
| blossoms Of which are of a brilliant
flame color. The weapons OF the Cad
| danes. though primitive, are somewhat
| formidable. A fully armed warrior car
rics long lance with tridented tips. ar
rows lifted with two rows OF teeth made
! OF flint OF sea shells. and a hdtcnet d
| uccullar shape. His shield, which IS mar
| row and rectangular IN shape mas al
| either end two handles or urosecuchs'
between which he catches hylns enemy
| bv the neck and hurls him 10 the
A LARGER RACE OF MEN
| The Teorrote tribesmen are spread over
| a considerable portion Of the northern
! hale Of LuZOn. They are ta!l ana
| muscular race. largc-limbed and broad
! shouldered. but somewhat ciumsily made
with nai noses. wide nostrils. thick Aps.
birh checkbcnes and cOpper-colored
| skins. Some OF them are slightly beard
! al. and they wear their thick hair cut
short across the forehead and long De-
hind. where Il Is decorated with "a cur
| IONS cylindrical ornament from the exc
! tremity Of which hangs KIND OF ias-
sered fringe Their full dress consists
Of a waistcloth. short sleeveless jacket
! and cane made Of palm leaves ClViliZa-
tlon Possesses no greater attractions Tor
| them than for the Philippine hiilmen
| a. .ft..f- dwellings are queer