Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-06-05
NATIVE FILIPIN0 S
NEW FACTS ABOUT THE WAR
LIKE ISLANDERS.
CANNOT TRUST NEGRITOS
Romantic Episodes Connected With
Marriage-A Honeymoon in the
Mountains Country Ravaged For
Years by Musselman War Junks-
Numerous Tribes and Their Ways.

West Of the great river in Luzon,
Philippine islands, and in the country
through which runs the Manila-Dagu-
pan railway, are the Buquils, section
of the aboriginal Negritos or Aetas,
who are to be met with in the mount
aims OF nearly every one of the larger
islands in the archipelago. They are
dark, some of them being as black as
African negroes. Their general ap-
pearance resembles that of the Alfoor
Papuan of New Guinea They have
curly, matted hair, like Astrakhan fur.
The men cover only their loins and the
women dress from the waist to the
knees. They are a spiritless and COW
ardly race They would not deliber-
ately face white men in nearly equal
numbers with Warlike intentions, al
though they would perhaps spend a
quiverful Of arrows from behind tree
at retreating foe.
These blacks carry bamboo lances,
palm-Wood bows and poisoned arrows
when out on an expedition. They are
wonderfully light-footed and run with
great speed after the deer and climb
trees like monkeys. Groups of fifty or
sixty live in a community. Of eX-
tremely low intellectual endowment,
they offer little encouragement to those
who would desire to train them.
Even when more or less domesticated,
the Negrito cannot be trusted to do
anything which requires an effort of
judgment. An author gives the fol-
lowing description Of wedding which
he witnessed in Bataan province:
'The young bride, who might have
been about thirteen years of age, was
being pursued by her future spouse as
she pretended to run away, and it
need hardly be said that he succeeded
in bringing her in by feigned force.
She struggled and again got away, and
a second time was caught. Then an
old man with gray hair came forward
and dragged the young man up BAN
boo ladder. An old woman grasped
the bride and both followed the BRIDE
groom. The aged sire then gave them
ducking with cocoanut shell full of
water and they all descended. The
happy pair knelt down, and the elder
having placed their heads together,
they were man and wife. We en-
deavored to find out which hut was al
lotted to the newly married couple, but
we were given to understand that un-
til the sun had reappeared five times
they would spend their honeymoon in
the mountains -
In this territory lying directly north
of the bay of Manila the more numer-
Gus tribes are called Zambales and
Pampangas beyond these an invading
column would next pass through the
country of the Igorrotes and Igorrote-
Chinese.
The Igorrotes are in general a fine
race of people, physically considered.
They wear their hair long; at the back
it hangs down to the shoulders, while
it is cut shorter in front and is al
lowed to nearly cover the forehead like
a long fringe. Some of them, settled
in the districts Of Lepanto and Ell
Abra, have little hair on the chin and
upper lip. Their skin is of dark
copper tinge. They have fiat noses,
thick lips, high cheek bones and their
broad shoulders and limbs seem to de-
note great strength. Like all the
races of the Philippines, they are in
dolent to the greatest degree. Their
huts are built beehive fashion, and
they creep into them like quadrupeds.
Fields of sweet potatoes and sugar
cane are under cultivation by them.
They cannot be forced or persuaded to
embrace the western system of civili-
Zation. Murders are common, and if
member of one hut or family is
killed the family avenges itself on one
of the murderer's kinsmen.
The effect of these unsuccessful CT
forts has been to increase the feelings
of distrust and hatred which they en-
terrain for all representatives of west
ern civilization. They are passionate
ly attached to their savage freedom,
and regard Christianity with contempt
or aversion, as a system not adapted
to their tastes and requirements. Mr.
Foreman says of them: 81 was told
that a priest who had endeavored 10
teach them the precepts of Christianity
and had explained to them the marvel
lous life of Saint Augustine, was dis
mayed to hear an Igorrote' exclaim
that no colored man ever became a
white mans saint"
There are certain characteristic
traits, customs, features and weapons
in which this native tribe strikingly
resembles the American Indians. Eth
nology might we'll concern itself with
the consideration of Pacific discovery
Of America, and perhaps find that some
of our East Indian hostiles are blood
relations to the poor foes of the Pill
grims and Puritans.
The Itavis inhabit the district ada
cent to the Igorrotes' territory. Their
skin is lighter than that of their neigh
bOrs, and their hair is shorter. The
Tinguianes, next beyond, are pagans,
though nominally they were under the
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