The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-03-09
Manila letter,

| VIII De interesting foadlnS.
am getting SO that | like this
country very we'll wo arc nicely
quartered now and have nice cots
to sleep on. The weather take it
all the year round isn't any hotter
than in Florida tho nights arc
much cooler. and q blanket is very
comfortable to sleep under. We
don't have much out post duty to
do now. The natives around here
seem to be very well satisfied that
the U. S. Is going to hold tho is
lands. Aguanaldo still has MS
army in the country around Ma
Mia we don't expect any more
trouble with him tut We do expect
trouble with another tribe that
fought on the Spanish sido against
AguanaldO and us too during the
war with Spain; they call them
the Mcabcbe tribe the McaNrhu's
were always loyal to Spain aud it
is thought that it is tho Spaniards
urging them on to us.
There is about tWtuty-lvc differ
ent tribes on the islands and each
tribe speaks a different language
from the other. Tho Mcahchc's $
arc never satisfied unless they are
at war and were always at war
with some Of tho othor tribes.
Tie Tagobo's arc tho most civil.
ized Of them all they speak mostly
Spanish and are rs much mixed
with Spanish blood as tho southern
negro is with whito. The most Of
the natives in and ar rund Manila
are Iagabo's Aguannldo's tribe.
The natives arc learning English
fast, they arc very quick to learn:
and they arc all natural born r,usi-
clans almost almost all Of Them
can play some kind Of an lnstu-
mcnt, thoy play altogether
by ear. Not many Of them can
road music, they havo learned
great many American tunes and
play them we'll. Aguanaldo has
ono Of the best bands | ever heard
play, there is one hundred pieces
in it.
The natives around here make
their living principally hy ped
ding vegetables, fruits, cigars,
cigarettes and soft drinks on the
streets, every ono male or female
old or young can be scon ON the
streets with basket on their
head yelling out the uamo G.: the
article they have for sale. Thc
woman carry everything on their
hoad. | noticed IL native women
carrying Il native soldier that was
walking post Il glass Of water she
only had about one hundred yards
to go with it aud she sat if on TOP
Of her head to carry i, tMo mem
carry everything balanced on a
stick across their shoulder | no.
ticed native carrying . sack Of
rice in one of his Baskets and I've
pat rocks III the other ONE until it
was balanced to suit him tncn
went his way. Tho way :hcy buitd
their houses would make N-ou laugh.
they sink the post il the ground
mortice the slecpcrs to them nLou;
four foot above the ground, the
floor is then put on it Is made Of
split bamboo, tho bamboo poles
arc split into inch strips, t.od on
with rotten strings this leaves lit.
tic cracks every inch th"t lets all
the dirt fall right through, the
frame work and raficrs are made
of bamboo poles morticed together
and tied, they never usn H nail,
tho roof and sides are mado Of
palm leaves the leaves aro iarprd
over strip Of bamboo and tied
with rotton strings these they put
OH In layorsl leaving holes for doors
and windows the window shutters
are made Of the samc material, and
tied to the upper sill SO they can
bo shaved ont and proppcd ur
with sticks, the house at DIS
tanee looks like a fodder stack.
their funituro consist Of table.
chairs, and large bed stead large
enough to hold the whole family,
all made Of bamboo, and an earth
en- bonl that they build fire III
for cooking purposes, Tho na-
tives all smoke cigarettes and ci-
gars male and female, old and
young, thore is largo cigarette
factory here that employs about
six thousand natives mostly women
and several cigar factories that
employ q good MANY. they are fine
cigar makers, The natives tell rs
that they hayo moro liberty and
mako more money now than they
eyer did before, the Spaniards
taxed them to death, men and
women aliko had to pay a pole tax
ovory quarter, They taxed them TO
get married, and for ever child
that was born, to keep COW,
hog, dog, or anything and every
time they killed y beef they had t.