Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-08-04
PHILIPPINE AMAZONS
UTTERLY WITHOUT FEAR AND POS.
SESSED OF THE FRENZY OF DARING.
Romantic Struggle to Free Themselves
From Spanish Oppression-On Their
Smooth, Round Arms They Bear the
Insurgents v Brand.

lhsuTSenIs' branus
The women of the Philippine ISL
ands, like those of Cuba, are taking
an active part in the revolution
against the Spaniards. Indeed, it is
largely on account of the women that
the revolution exists, the indignities
offered them by the Spanish being the
last drop which filled the cup of in
story of cruelty and oppression which
has been repeated in each and every
one of the Spanish colonies since the
days of Christopher Columbus.
The population of the Philippines
is mixed one. First, there are sew
eral native tribes, chief among which
are the Negritos, or African people,
as the Spanish call them. Those,
downtrodden for centuries, have re-
treated to the wilderness, and play
small part in the revolt, except by
their readiness to give aid and COM
fort to the insurgents. There are
many Chinese, a number of japanese,
and between 10000 and 10000 Euro
peans-Dutch chiefly, English next,
with n sprinkling of all other nation
allties. The principal element in the
population is, however,, the Malay, a
a race Of peculiar interest to the eth
nologist Brave to recklessness, vim
dictive and revengeful, the Malay is
not unlike our own American Indian
at his best. He is hard to attach, but
when once won he is faithful unto
death Passionately fond of his wife
Il, L. ,ln1..o,
whom he loves.
Travellers describe the women as
handsome, vigorous and intelligent,
with large black eyes, clear olive
compilations, perfect teeth and satiny
black hair, OF which they take excel
lent care. Daintily neat in their
persons, the daily bath is an institu-
ton. They revel in delicate per-
fumes, extracted from the flowers of
the islands, and their sense of smell is
rs acute as that of sleuthhound.
They allow the thumbnail to grow very
long, which assists in playing on the
guitar, an accomplishment in which
they excel.
When the Spanish discovered the
islands they found them in the pos
session of Malays who had conquered
the Negritos, driving them back into
the wilderness, where they still live.
Many Chinese dwelt among them, and
there was steady trade between
China and the Philippines in sugar,
tobacco and hemp. The Spanish took
possession, as was their way, and for
800 years have oppressed and NAL
treated the unlucky mestizos, as they
called them. But the centuries have
brought with them large admixture
of European blood, principally Span
ish, into the Malay strain, increasing
their pride and revengefulness. More
over these mestizos have been indus
trious. They have worked hard and
prospered, spite of heavy taxation.
They have sent their sons and
daughters to Europe and educated
them, and still they have gone on for
years patiently enduring Spain's
heavy yoke. The oppression in Cuba
has been as nothing to that in the
Philippines. Everything is taxed to
the utmost, and the slightest excuse
has sufliced for confiscating the entire
property of any man not under the
protection Of foreign government.
The native subject of Spain has abso-
lutely no rights under the law, and
no matter what outrages he may suf
fer no mestizo can sue Spaniard or
obtain legal redress. In Manila the
poorer natives are employed as serv-
ants, and to punish them for slight
offenses they are often tortured, some
times to death. Worst of all, if a
worthless Spaniard looks with covet-
Gus eyes on the daughter of mes
tizo the woman is at his mercy, and
the father is powerless to protect her
and prevent distasteful marriage.
1t was this last outrage which pro-
voked the revolt, and the women are
said to have melted the men to this
step. Many of them are in the rebel
ranks fighting side by side with their
husbands and fathers, and it is said
that in recent attack Innis, the
stronghold of the rebels, where two
Spanish colonels were among the
killed, one of them fell by the hand of
woman-not by rifle shot, but in
q hand -to-hand conflict, in which the
Amazon used the native weapon, the
polo.
These women have been described
as utterly without fear-possessed,
! indeed, OF the frenzy of daring told
of by travellers, as shown in the Ma
lay custom of running amok."
Reports all agree that the Amazon
leaders in the Philippine army are
rarely killed. their yery recklessness
I serving to protect them by striking
terror into the hearts of the Spaniards,
who regard them as possessed by some
. uncanny sprite. On the other hand,
: their daring inspires the insurgents
with confidence and they fight like
| demons.
! Nine. Rial, who is prominent
, among the rebel leaders, is believed by
, the insurgents to bear charmed life
5 She herself, according to all accounts,
+ appears to be utterly devoid of fear,
t not only risking her life readily in