The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-25

the islands yearly crop of sugar. all Of
which is sent to Iloilo for shipment. In
the lowlands are found almost all the
important towns and villages, as well as
most OF the roads. This geographical dis
tribution of low. productive lands on the
coast, and mountain Businesses in the in
terror, was the comfort of the early BAN
dts and marauders, and had much to do
with making their profession possible and
profitable on Negros island. There
were always. under Spanish rule. ban
dts in the mountains, who
lived by raiding the valleys;
and when we possessed Negros they were
part of our heritage from our predecessors.
They still exist to-day. but since last July
they have encountered the Sixth Infantry
and they are not nearly as numerous as
formerly and consequently the profession
has lost much of its popularity and may
be considered to be upon its last legs.
1t would be unwise to state in print
just how many of these marauders have
been killed by the Sixth, for the number
is large, and there would surely be people
home in ignorance of the fact that dras-
tic and severe measures alone can remedy
this evil and who consequently might raise
an outcry against the killings.
A part Of our Inheritance from Spain
is the robber chief known as Papa, or
Pope Issio. He is the leader of the band
operating in the s,uthern portion of the
island, who are called Babaylanes. In the
light of information gathered by Ameri-
can officers on Negros to-day the Babay
lanes were formerly a religious sect,
composed of natives of the island who
preferred their own religion, with it's cur
iuos observances and wild feasts, recurring
once every seven years, to the tenets of
the Church of Rome, which Spain tried to
force upon them. But the natives object
ed to the holy efforts of the priests and
took to the hills for religious free
dom. This was in the old days,
anu their prophet, Babaylan, went
with them, and being kept in the
mountains by religious persecution. rob-
berry in the lowlands as means of live
lihood soon developed among them and
proved profitable, hence the name of Ba-
baylanes and hence their present occupation
of robbery. What their religion is to-da!
seems hopeless TO fathom. 1t bears
traces of Mohammedanism and other
traces of Catholicism. but is apparently
largeiy composed of shallow superstition,
and a belief in the charlatanism of their
present leader, Papa Issio, who is de-
scribed as cunning, shrewd and ignorant
man.
AS soon as the Sixth were settled upon
the island they began an active campaign
against the bandits. The wet season was
beginning, but the rains were ignored. The
bandits never thought the Americans could
penetrate their hills and meet them
upon their own grounds. as the Spaniards
had never attempted such a thing. But
the Sixth did it. There were forced
marches through country that was consid-
cred impenetrable. Over mountains and
through swamps our soldiers forced their
way to meet the enemy at break of day.
In fancied security and never expecting
an attack, the enemy were killed, demor-
allied and scattered.
A handful of American troops have taken
positions that forty trained men could have
held against an army corps. They have
fought up the race e mountains and in
swamps where the dank grass grows ten
feet high and men stagger and drop from
want of air and the heat. Hardships which
the officers say cannot be adequately
described in words, were endured with
courage and determination. 1t was hard
work and it was we'll done. The men
operated in small bodies, for the Sixth was
scattered in some thirty detachments
throughout Negros, while two companies
of the regiment are at Cebu, in the next
island