The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-15
Or Jolo and Its People.
Soldiers Estimate of tie Mo-
hommedsn Subjects Of
Uncle Sam.
0.very or Death tie Penalty Of
7,ansgressing Some Of tie
La1ps-Janafics Who
kW Christians.

-oIO. r. T.. Aug. s-Aithough the
American troops have occupied
the little walled city OF Joio for
two months. nothing of special
NJ Significance has occurred during
our stay here, and nothing inter
S.res with the routine duties q camp life.
Ta,rt n We have accomplished nothing else.
e have a: least added something to the
d.nlomatic experiences Of our countrywe
have received 8 genuine sultan
Perhaps however. before speaking OF the
,u,ifan II may be In order 20 set down
ter facts In regard to his people This
distinguished person--to speak from local
stsodpoint-has absolute authority over
Il, the natives on the island, and with the
ase.maucs Of numerous chiefs enforces his
code OF laws 80 thoroughly that al Amer
icau 10 made 10 wonder. He has q people
vhoes men do not know the taste OF in
toxicating liquor. and whose women are
absolutely yirtuous- And yet. TO all ap-
nearances they have the simplicity Of
sii,dren, and the ignorance. almost, OF thu
bsasts OF the field. What commentary
upon the civilization OF ether lands.
This condition IL brought about. doubt
less, by unbendng laws. Especially rigid
ere those in their bearing upon the rela-
ttouship between men and women. II
man 20 much places his hand upon the
person Of any woman other than his moth
or wife or sister he 10 put to death II
any woman n found to be wanting In VIZ
tue she too. pays the forfeit Of her life.
But this condition In made less stringent by
the nex!billty Of the marriage laws. A
man goes to the parents or guardian Of the
woman OF his choice and asks for her. II
tbs request is granted, he takes the woman
Away with him. and the mere act OF their
going away together establishes between
them the marriage tie. Ii the yoke they
have taken upon them at any time becomes
isksome-to the mamie may take the
woman back to her parents or guardian.
ana BY renouncing his claim upon her the
knot that bound them is united. This law
would seem TO operate more In favor Of the
man than the woman, for II the latter be
dissatisfied with her bargain. there is pro-
vtded no place TO which she may take her
unsatisfactory lord and be rid Of him
II there are any children. the Law gives
to the mother the boys and the father the
daughters. Because. an old native
explains the daughters may find safety
with the father. and the boys may better
protect the mother
II q man fails to pay the debt which he
may owe his neigbbor. he forfeits to the
latter his person. and his wife and chill
dren II he has any. and all may be sold
~ slaves. However. those who become
slaves retain many of the rights with
4 man who owns a female slave put his
hand upon her~-in the literal meaning OF
the worsi-he II put to death as surely as
II she were a person of high condition.
Within the recent history or the islands
man OF great influence among the people
owned. as slaves. married man and vile.
He took liberties with the woman, and the
man, seeing the act. instantly killed him.
The sultan, 1, might be added. declared
Ma Al nf hat IN ms lad
In their religion. perhaps, these people
differ ncet widely from any Of the other
peoples with whom the American troops
have come In contact. The Aohammeian
faith Ia doubtless a suitable one to assocf-
ate with the lands of the Arabian Nights
Turkey and Arabia and others where the
people love fantastic poetry. But when
grated upon a people who are too stupid
for dreams and who accept their faith as
seriously as Cotton Mather did. IT becomes
3 benightIns influence 10 the people them
selves and n menace 10 those OF other
faiths who vtsi, the islands. Upon pass
ing observation u world seem that the
people have no r.iigion at all. fer one may
travel over half the island without seeing
public place az worship and the profu-
sion Of ros.ries. scapulas and charms
which characterized the people OF the
northern islands is wanting hera Yet We
lost but little in coming in contact with
the fact that there is a religion here OF
very erewsome tyne
Shortly after our arrival word was sen,
by a chief in ighbortng village 10 the
Americans that ore or mora fanatics were
thought 10 he within the city walls and We
were warned TO he en- the lookout for them
ffey were what the Spaniarfs have term.
ed turamentados term which may he
rendered In English as run muck" ard
the practice which characterized them was
shs facing 81 certain death In order to kill
ea@ or mere Christians.
No doth, our ssntrics were more than
astisiiy alert for day or -. but nothing
occurred. I have found In Spanish vol
amr which treats II the island % ioIo tina
relieving description OF ;hsss fanatics, VII"
are doubtless not an myth. The authority
states that HE turamentado IL generally
cree who has contracted debts and whose
'amily has been sold into slavery. l trans
iaie paragraph literally;
He can sometimes huy the liberty cf his
family al the price - his owa nfc for he
largest number Z Christians whom he can
nay II the debtor accepts hts proposition
ne acemes from ;ha: time tasa,ne ntado.
knowing perfectly well sSat II he manages
g introduce himself in the mld%; az \
spanish population all hone az escape Is al
VI end neafA ia therefore sIrn for Jura-
men'stas. though q - never the ease shat
sSs fel'eHts his rHSr promise after n Yields
20 'sc inHeeuc- q certain rites performed
ey ssHeri priests Acne IN The deserted
hFss;. TIE mooa atiiug Der RAYS - the
aSaF1 asi fantastic scene. they commence
taelF tNefcs~es which consist ~ fasting
iVS',ins their prayers over The graves ~
..Nsa 5Aran1e0taao~ and =p.Aksng II he
.s'ss ana happiness that - 20 he theirs IN
' "fstrn Y y aarsf,aTt F--< ore qaa8~