The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1899-04-14
PHILIPPINE BRIGANDS.
MOST DESPERATE FREEBooTERs TO
Be FOUND M THE WORLD.


Maecabebes Are the Most Lawiess of /
the Tribes InhabitinE the Islands.
According to the special correspond !
ent Of the Scientific American, the
brigands and pirates who infest the
islands Of the Philippines and the ada
cent waters havefrom time immemorial
been regarded as among the most des-
perate freebooters to be found in any
part Of the world. The inhabitants OF
these islands are composed OF many
different tribes and mixed races. The
races or tribes are somewhat different
on all the larger islands, and on every
one Of these there are tribes that
never knew the rule Of Spain. On
these islands there are no less than
seventeen pagan and half a dozen Mo
hammedan tribes. Luzon, Mindanao,
Cebu, Negros, Mindoro, and dozen
other islands all have their lawless
freebooters, the remnant Of some ma
tive tribe.
To get correct idea of the great
bands Of lawless natives who infest
these islands, 1t will be necessary
to 90 back to date much earlier than
the beginning of Spanish rule in these
islands. Prior to the coming Of Ma
gellan, these islands had already suf-
fered several foreign invasions. But
these were peaceful ones. Away back
in early ages, the Chinese or Ingrotes
sought these islands in great numbers
and their coming proved of much good
to the islands. They had Industrious
ways and soon imprinted these upon
these islands, Luzon in particular
Later, the Indian or Tagal invasion
occurred, and these, like the Chinese,
were soon absorbed in the population
of these islands. Thus were made up
the three early races in these islands,
to which all tribes can be traced.
These are the Negrote, Ingrote and
'Tagal. The Negrote was the aborig-
inal race, and in many of the races the
Negrote can yet be found. In nearly
all cases the pirates and brigands are
made mp of these fierce tribes. The
Tagal is, today, regarded as the real
native of the Philippines. This tribe
is the only one of the early races
which, at this day, can be considered
factor in the islands.
Until comparatively late day these
islands have been the centre Of piracy.
For more than three centuries Spain
has been fighting to get rid of the
pirates and subdue the native brigands,
but without success, for many whole
islands have practically always been
independent of Spanish rule, while
many tribes on the larger islands were
also independent. On Luzon, Min
} danao, Negroes, Fancy, Zebu, Leyte
Bohol, Samar, and Mindoro there are
( as many different tribes as there are
islands.
In the earlier years of Spanish rule
the Tagals and Visayas gave the con
l querors no end of trouble, and nj
} sooner had these tribes been subdueC
= than the Mores in the south began
o lawless operations. From that tim,
9 to this they have carried on their law
e lessness, and have never been sub
+ dued. The Chinese pirates in earle
h days also gave the Spanish mucl
J, trouble. They captured number @
n smaller towns along the coast, an
even made attempts to capture Manil
- during the sixteenth and seyenteent
u centuries.
y In the island of Sulu Mohamme
vt danism is particularly strong, and tn
IS sultans of the islands have from tim
1t to time given the Spanish rulers niue
1T trouble, but some years ago thei
" power was broken. During the 81,
g teenth century the Mohamnleda
t. tribes were particularly strong on til
st islands of Mindanao, Palawan, Tav
Tawi and Basilan. But the pirates
b. Mindanao have always been the mo
rt troublesome. The Mores still inhab
le the islands and live entirely indepen
I'll ent of any outside rule.
So The Mores are a peculiar trib
% which originally came from the su
III rounding islands and mixed with Il
native tribes of Mindanao. The Nor
he are the most warlike people of Il
If islands and are a powerful race. TIL
er regard all foreigners as their enemie
id This is probably due to the bad tres
he ment they have received at the han
ad of the Spaniards. Most of the Nor
are we'll organized and well equippe
lat The barong is terrible weapon, a
it with it an expert trIbesman can cut
nut man in half at q single blow.
,u- The peculiar native craft, so CO
Ter mon on the rivers and harbors of the
ter islands, are particularly adapted
the use of the pirates. They are lor
,ro narrow and sharp at both ends a
int natives are very skillful in handli
99ar them. They carry large sails a
-, have ouhiggers to prevent the b.