The Indianapolis journal., 1898-05-06
LIFE IN THE PHILIPPINES
NATIVES OUTNUMBER ALL FOREIGN
ERS ONE HUNDRED TO ONE.
Ruled in a Nominal Way by Spaniards
cal Customs and Sports.
New York Herald.

tion of them with a faint understanding OF
Catholic Christianity. In very truth, the
Spaniards have never had a masterful grip
over anything more than the towns and
villages which have sprung up at their bid
ding and just so much additional land as
was necessary for their troops to stand
upon. Their rule is a mere exotic. 1t has
only continued because the natives many
tribes of whom have never been conquered,
have not possessed sufficient power of or
ganiZation to plan a successful revolt. The
tribes in the northern parts of the island of
Luzon have always been independent, while
in Mindanao and Suu the Spanish authority
has never reached further than days
march from the garrisons.
Nothing could be more infeicitous than
the name which has sometimes been ap-
piled to Luzon, "the Cuba of the East"
Cubans, whether loyal or insurgent, are alb
solutely a Latinized race Havana is Span
ish city. But Luzon is an Asiatic island aud
Manila, its capital is a merely fortuitous
assemblage of Asiatic people brought to-
gether through the enterprise of a small
fraction of a European contingent. wherein
the Spaniards predominant in numbers and
the Anglo-Saxon in influence.
In the summer months, during the greater
the Europeans frequently tumble over with
heat apoplexy Even the Spaniards do their
business in the early hours, Willing away
the heat of the day in sleep. Late in the
afternoon Manila begins to awaken. The
Escolta, or principal street, is crowded with
loungers of all ranks and colors each with
a segarito stuck penlike behind the ear.
Caramattas a species of two-wheeled hood
ed cabrioletS peculiar to the natives crowd
the roadway, together with the buggies and
open carriages of the foreign element. The
Spanish carriages have certain picturesque
but barbaric gorgeOuSneSS, the harness be-
ing thickly laden with silver ornaments.
while the coachman wears curious hat OF
tortoiseshell. bound and filleted with silver.
AT sunset the various tobacco stores close,
and their thousands of employees pour out
into the streets. They form motley, yet
effective feature among the wayfarers. with
their cotton suits. big pink checks. or of the
color of lemon, lilac, chocolate, yellow or
green-combinations which harmonic
under the mellow light of the afternoon.
MALAY GIRLS AND WOMEN.
The Malay girls are usually very pretty
with languishing eyes shaded by long lashes
and supple figures, whose graceful lines are
revealed by their thin clothing. In fine
weather their bare feet are thrust into light
gold embroidered slippers. In wet weather
they raise themselves on high clogs, which
necessitates d very becoming swinging of
the launches. There is not bonnet to be
seen. Women of the better class affect lace
and flowers, those of the lower wear their
own hair flowing down their backs, in a
long blue-black wave
All classes. without exception, wear over
the stiff starched kerchiefs. which decor
oIsly cover the bosom, crucifiX and a relic
OF OF so, some sort IN a Dag. JeWelry is pro, pro
bracelets. earrings and chains Many of
the males are similarly caparisoned. The
reason is not far to seek. Thieves are many
and houses are insecure. 1T is better to car
ry your property about with you than have
it a. the mercy of the robber.
Dinner is at 1880. After that meal the
crowds tend to accumulate in the Luneta,
a long. grassy space between the ancient
city and the sea. Here against back
ground of venerable moss-grown wall are
stationed a multitude of vehicles filled with
bejeweled and beflowered ladies. illumined
by rows of petroleum lamps, while on the
flow up and down, listening to a military
band-men in brilliant uniforms. or in white
trousers and jackets and bright waist
sashes and wide sombreroes The peasants
mix freely with the upper classes, brighten
ing the scene with their white kerchiefs
and chess-board cottons. Children run
laughing in and out among the groups.
Everybody smokes. Cigarettes at fifteen
for cent are in chief favor with the ma
tives. Cigars at $50 hundred are in favor
with the foreigners All the street cars are
peripatetic smoking saloons. Even the
women light up as soon as their fare is
paid.
Manila street car has other peculiarities
1t is usually drawn by a single pony man
aged by two drivers. One beats the pony
and the other holds the reins and blows
tin horn. On the rear platform stands a
pompous conductor. who collects a copper
all around every time the car passes sec
tion post. These section posts are somewhat
less than mile apart The conductor is
particularly careful to look after the due
balance of ne car, fore and aft. He will
not allow more to stand OH one platform
than on, the other If there are eight in
front and six in the rear or vice versa. some
body has to stumble through the car from
the heavier end to the lighter This precau-
ton is necessary to prevent derailments
Other precautions still more necessary
omitted. Thus, woman carrying little
smallpox patient is as welcome as any one
else.
The handful of Englishmen resident in Ma
Mia are mostly bachelors, eager upon MAX
ing their pile and returning to pleasanter
surroundings. These take up their quarters
in large house at Sampalog. which is club
and boarding house combined. or in "chum-
meries" established in adjacent buildings
The few former benedicts of British birth
who have married there, with the intention
of settling down have been forced to make
their selection from the Spanish population
Native born English women would find ex-
istence in Manila d dreadful ordeal
MIXED-BLOODED PEOPLE.
None of the Philippine islands offers any
inducements to the temporary sojourner
save in natural beauty of scenery. The gov
ernment is mediaeval and foreigners are
discouraged as much possible. Owing to
the tedious custom house regulations the
obligation of every person to procure and
carry on his person a document of identity,
the requirement of passport to enter and
another to leave the islands, the absence
of railways and hotels in the interior and
the personal insecurity and difficulty of
travelling the Philippines have not been fa-
vorite resorts of tourists and globe trotters.
Probably not fifteen thousand Spaniards, or
people of pure Spanish blood, nave even a
passing residence throughout it's whole ex-
tent. Indeed. of the eight millions that in
habit the Philippine islands. all the foreign
nese. do not altogether make up a hum
dredth part.
Two races of aboriginal inhabitants are
the chief occupants of the islands. The least
important is a race of little negroes, with
wool-heads and sooty skins, whom the
Spaniards call Negritos. The other and
more considerable are brown complex
icned people. with long lank hair. who are
closely akin to the Malays. They are subdi-
Vided into many varieties. all with the same
general character. but with tribal differ
cnces. Thus, the Itocans occupy the north
ern division of the archipelago, the Tagals
the center and the Visaians the south. OF
the largest and sturdiest in physical build
but of lower mental average and of less
general adaptability than the others. The
second, a smaller statured darker complex
ioned. sinewy race. is distinguished above
all others for energy of character. intelli-
the gentlest and handsomest. Derived from
Or inRrafted in these three main branches