The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-01

NJ gigantic possessions apart from
the mother country. Consider
able Is known Of cphs. some HIT
'ie about Puerto Rico. where "a rev Insur-
rses'on has just began. aaa much less
abaat the Philippine islands. which In the
public mind are chiefly associaSes with
Manila rope and hemp and Manila
cigars
Bat the Spansards cau these Islands set
In a foreign Sea The Pearl OF the Orient
and the designation u truthful enc.
They are Inhabited by naturally peace
ful and gentle race. whe have rolled that
others nigh, grew rich For nearly three
centuries they have been noniinaGy Spar
ssh. but that element IL. strictly SPEAKING
confined TO the military ard Official
classes. Strange 70 relate. there are 80
many islands In she Philippines THAI the
exact number Is unknown These are nine
Very large oaes-f.uxon. Panay Cebu.
Iseyte. Bohoi. Negroes. Samar Mindanao
ard Msndero-with more pian 30 smaller
ones. the latter being ;ssst'e mare than
hare rocks raised 10 tta surface by vol
canic action. They have an entire AREA
Of over ieo.O.s square miles and "a pepula-
ton. of about s.eAoa And here again is
found the old story~Spansh officials have
ruled with a rod OF iron. and az last the
worm has turned.
Manila. the capital Of the Philippine
Islands and the chief city OF I.uxon. con-
tsstsA> u POPULATION Oh VINO axe prfr-
cipaliy Spanish ereoics. Chinese half
breeds and the original natives The Ray
OF Manila, the largest and finest in the
world. could offer anchorage 10 The uEited
fleets OF Europe, But the first glimpse Of
the city Is disappointing. Flat as 4 pan
CAKE" the town stretches along on both
sides OF the river Pasig and the shores
Of the magnificent harbor. heavy pro-
teeiive tariff imposed by the ,sonauerors
and not relaxed until 1854. whs', more lib
eralides were introduced into the customs
service, has left commerce. especially
with Spain. in languishing condition.
twenty-five years ago Manila. sur
rounded by walls and ramparis with its
low tiled roofs and scattered towers. pre-
sented the appearance OF an ancient Euro
rean fortress. In 1854. however. a devas-
tating earthquake oeeuIged. and la u few
minutes the city was converted into a nIls
of ruins. In consequence of this calamity
most OF the modern dwellings are OF
hgha and unasssiming character, being
built of planks. bamboo and palm leaves.
The city formerly had a population OF
3N,oo. but between 1SSo and. ISM IL lost
nearly one-half by plague ana pestience.
me country increases la beauty toward
the interior. and At the base of the Iucsln-
tains the scenery becomes ssrikiugly
grand. Much OF the surface ia still fresh
and undisturbed grotl1l. full Of undevel-
oped riches. Some o. the smaller islands
are exquisite and covered witt. vertirre
down TO the edge OF tise ,,liesi OF seas.
The natives are lTALen OF the Malay
race. small and prinespa,- lark brown in
color. They have scr. o re character
istics of the American iusian. among
which are the high chez no~ ess and coarse
hair. These. however, sFe not as a rule
prominent In the women. many OF whom
are possessed of great comcliness and in-
telligence. Some of them are quite fair
and of a European type, doubtless owing
10 the large admixture OF SPANS. blood
The features OF the men are generally
coarse and in tho main ugly. with the ex-
ception OF the eyes, which are dark. soft
and at times expressive They have
abundant black hair Their hands and
feet are small and beautifully formed. as
are the figures Of the women. and they
can use theirs toes almost like fingers. As
a race they are as faithful and devoted
as dogs when we'll treated, but morose
and revengefni when III used. They ara
tractabie and dociie Ia service and can
initiate anything, but are entirely devoid
OF originality.
The native bellies hava bright. express
i've faces. soft black eyes, full of anima-
ton, and mouths that would be beautiful
but for a suggestion of sensnanty. The
men are passionateiy addicted to cock
fighting. A native dandy is an object of
interest. with his conspicuousiy striped
trousers. patent leather shoes on naked
feet, starcheds pieated shirt, chimney-pot
silk hat. cana In hand-and coatless.
What are called Eurasians in other parts
of the East are there termed Mestlzos. or
Mestizas. They are the offspring NJ white
fathers and native mothers. the designa-
ton Chinese Mestizo being seif-fndicatfvc.
But the visitor would be immediately Inn
pressed with the intellectual superiority
OF the female native to the male.
Scotch enterprise holds nearly all the
export commerce. but the Chinese and
Chinese half-castes have practical mo-
nopoly OF the retail trade.
All the general, commercial govern
mental and historic interest seems TO CEN
ter In Luzon. though Mindanao. the ex-
IRENE southern island Of the archipelago.
is nearly az large. The Chinese and fe-
male natives have largely intermarried.