The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-08-25

Ing blood from their arms and breasts
and mingling it with wine or water
and drinking 1t as a pledge of mutual
fidelity. The bond, however, solemn.
ly made, was not faithfully kept; fol
the natives soon discovered the avaric
ious policy of the Spaniards and &C
cused them of giving good words, but
performing bad deeds. The feet sail.
ed from one island to another, but did
not find peaceful methods successful
Losing faith in peaceful tactics the
Spanlards soon found q pretext for ag.
gression, and the foundation OF the
first Spanish settlement IN the Philip.
pines was made In the smou!derine
ashes of the capital OF Zebu. In 1851
the capital was removed to Manila
because of the superior harborage oil
this place. Here it grew until of late
years it has attained population oi
over 300. COO, with all the facilities and
luxuries OF great city.
The aboriginals of the Philippine
archipelago are dark, almost black, but
they are neither Papuan, Chinese, nor
negroes. Their total number at this
time probably does not exceed 25, 900,
for they have disappeared rapidly under
the oppression of their conquerors. In
size they are more dimlnutive than
even their Corean neighbors, averaging
in height considerably less than five
feet, and their limbs are as small as
those OF children ten years OF age. The
nose is fiat as the negro's, lips thick,
hair black and frizzled and their feet
large, and what Is particularly remarka-
BILE is the fact that they have prehensile
toes, by which provision they are en-
abled to grasp an object with almost
as much dexterity by means of their
toes as with their hands. They wear
little clothing, tattoo themselves, have
no permanent abode, and subsist chief
ly on honey, game, fish, wild fruits,
palm cabbage and arum root. Wars
with neighboring Malays drove the
people to take refuge In the least ac-
cessibIe parts of the islands. where
they are yet to be found. Externally
they are al! Roman Catholics, but
nevertheless they retain many OF their
ancient superstitions, but are careful
to practice their forms OF religious
ceremony in secret. One OF their
strangest ceremonies, not completely
understood, is the offering OF fruit to
the spirit of the sea. This IS practlced
by few of the tribes occupying some
of the smaller islands where missionary
influence has been but slightly felt.
This strange sacrifice is made at night
at The time of full moon, when a native
priest leads company OF .deYotees to
some still portion OF the beach, where
he constructs q small bamboo raft, up
on which are placed variety of fruits
of the season, and two or three young
chickens. When completed the raft is
pushed into the water by the priest,
who with prayers of propitiatory
character, solemnly makes his offering
to the spirit OF the sea. The far interior
tribes also makes similar offerings to
the spirits of the lakes, but no white
person has been able to obtain salts
factory explanation of either the cere-
mony or of the native conception of
the deity whom they worship or seek
to propitiate.
The natives are especially fond Of
music and amusements, cock-fghting
and theatricals being fayorite forms.
Some of the tribes are Industrious
agricultulists, construct irrigation ca
nails with great skill, and also exec! as
metal workers Their morals are in
striking contrast with those which dis
tinguish the licentiou5 Malays. They
are monogomists, allow no divorce and
severely punish infidelity. In agricul-
ture they show ingenuity, industry and
persistence, for their farms are models
OF careful cultivation. While work
seems to be pleasure with them,
music is passion, which they combine
even in the field, SO that it is not ur-
usual to see a brass band dlscoursing
before q horde of laborers gathering
the rice plant.
The Chinese, in spite OF massacres
and administrative restrictions, com
nose u considerable element in the
Philippines, not only being large part
of the population, but IN their hands
are the principal banking Interests, OF
the islands. Most of the business in
Manila is carried on by Chinese mer-
chants. These bring up the products
from the lower provinces and deal with
the English and American houses.
There are only a few Americans In
Manila, and these command but an in
significant part OF the trade. There Is
large colony of Germans and Swiss