The Eddy current., 1898-10-01
RACEsIN PHILIPPINES
THE OLDEST ARE TRIBES or
sAVAoEs.
Dvarfs Kaown as Negritos Descendants
of Ancient Inhabitants -The Most
Civiiised Are the Tagais. ~ which
Aguinaido ~ the Leader.

Now that the Philippine Islands are
In the hands OF Unclo Sam, Il occurs
10 the average American that we have
taken into our fol-. AZ least tempn
rarlly, one OF the races of the earth
regarding which but little Is known.
and that little showing that Il IL
people ~ Ignorant as our nation ~ ad-
vanced Ia civilization. For. while Ma
Mia has a population composed OF
whites largely. there ~ n vast extent
OF surrounding land almost unoxplorod.
The few travellers. however. who have
penetrated the country give most in
teresting doaWiptions OF the natives
peopling the distant mountains aud
plains
The strangoat and most unique of the
Philippine races 81 the collection Of
tribes called Nogri,os. which Is the
Spanish for negro. that word mcaning
black thus denoting the tint of the
persons 10 whom reference is made
When Magellan discovered the islands.
In March. 1921. these people composed
a large part of the population In what
was called by him the island Of st.
Lazarus hut al present they have
dwindled tlll there are hut $4,000 lef,
these mainly residing IN three prov
inces and hiding themselves away from
contact with the whites.
In their Wild mountain homes these
Negriios. or Agltas as they are also
called. live pretty much the life they
did hundreds Of years ago RcscntinR
the approach Of the Spanlard. they
have kept up a continual warfare. 10
which strife Is due their gradual de-
cline, and .the retention ~ their bar
barous ideas and customs.
In appearance these people are so
small as to be properly dcnomlnated
a. dwarfs, for they are as petite as the
tribe of Bosiemans OF Africa. stand
Ing only a little over four feet high.
Vhoy are brown as TO complexion. with
rather good features. broad. nat noses
woolly hair. worn In mop around
lhe head. while their eyes have q yell
low tint Though some travellers say
they have good figures. there are 9TH
ere who assert that the Nogrltos' form
Is bowed into ungalnly curves.
Tho dress Of the Ncgrllos Il not
Parislan In style. but Is admirably
adapted to a warm climate. consisting
mainly Of sort Of fringe OF plated
bark worn around the waist. while
the brown skin Is tattooed as we nnd
amongst all savage nations. Their
manner Of smoking il to place the
| UaI saI Of N..H q
teeth. \ peculiarlty OF the race Is
their wonderful dexterlty with their
toes. being able with these members
IN perform mahy acts commonly left
10 the hands.
Being Wild people. there ls no at
tempt made at agriculture. but they
live on game. FISH, which they are ox-
pert IN spearlng from their light ca.
noes; honey IN the forests, wild fruits,
whf7i grow abundanty In the tropics;
roots cabbage and palms. The dog Is
their only domestic animal In the
chase they are adopts In the use ~ the
bow and arrow. girls being quite as
proficient as the boys IN this accom-.
pllshment, Their method OF hunting
r. 10 poison the tips Of the arrows with
a peculiar substance. which induces 4
terrible thirst In the animal or person
wounded. and on drinking, death takes
place. The hunter then cuts immedi-
atoly away the poisoned part. 80 that
the rest OF the meat will not be ln-
fectod.
Al efforts 10 ciylllze the Ncgrltos
have SO FAR proven futile and thoro la
good story told bn a former Blshou
Of Manila, who had taken In charge
and educated for the priesthood a
. young man OF the tribe. Growing re8t.
less under restraint. the man throw
aside his clerical garb. returned 10 Nj.
tribe IN the mountains and out Herod.
ed Herod IN his savage ways Haylnr
no horses they wander about on foot
camping In the forests whore gam,
abounds, and when they have made q
good killing. remaining on that spot
tlll tho meat Is exhausted. Each tribe
J numbers about sixty people and Il
! headed by chief. Who Is usually m,
oldest man In the party. With nc
|, house TO care for they simply gather
: about the FIRE, around which they n,
~ night In a circle. with the head to
ward the flames
Il Is said that their speech Is strange
. IS like that of chlrplng birds. but ina
fact Gay be- due 10 the foreigners lgno
rance Of their tongue. unllko mos
bnrharoua races. each man has but on
wife. and their manners are remark
ably chnste. when a young man goe
oourtlng his girl. the custom Is for he
. 10 literally take TO the woods" at sun
rise and remain there till sunset. shl
hiding from hls sight n he Is akllle,
enough 10 capture the coy maiden
she becomes by this his wife. o
, course. Il depends on the girls owl
Taste whether or not she shall b.
found.
Great reverence Is paid by these peo
, pie 90 their dead, and Il d their Gus
, tom each year 10 lay on the grave o