The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-15
ghe aa1ieita Daily eagle Sunday g}lorlno eober IS 1899

As for the spear market, everything went
to pieces. 1t was the widest day on the
Moro change that the spear market had
witnessed in the memory Of the oldest
inhabitant Prices simply went to the
rocf and the garrison of Jolo shook its
head and said: "Everything's gone to
pieces. ont go near the market for
week +"
Sometimes the Moros are invited to the
receptions that are given by the officers
to visitors or to the officers of the war
ships in the harbor. The Moros bring
their native instruments, which are chief
Iy collections of old iron kettles and TOM
toms played by women, and to the &C.
compartment Of the monotonous waiiings
of the native band the Moro warriors give
sword and spear dances. In The spear
dance, two warriors give an imitation of
their prowess on the field of battle. They
carry big wooden shields on their arms
and each endeavors to touch with mis-
spear the shield of the other. The war
riers caper about, wave their spears over
their heads, and give yells that would
make a Sioux Indian jealous Their
cpears dart back and forth, and sudden
" one of them will strike the others
shield The audience shrieks with delight
and the kittles and tomtoms are banged
! and hammered until the warriors are in
frenzy of excitement. They not m
frequently forget entirely that they are
only giving an exhibition and are ex.
tremely likely to drive their spears
| through one anothr's arms or legs If the
referee does not step in and declare a
! truce Even then it is usually Necessary
| for the friends of each warrior to rush in
and seize him from behind and carry him
away. probably telling him in the Moro
tongue how he could have killed the other
man with Just two more jabs.
The natives are not irresponsible to the
social attentions shown them by the
Americans. The datos residing near Jolo
frequently give lawn parties on their es-
tates, where they have bull fights, horse
races, and other pleasing advertisements.
The bull fights are different from the
Spanish variety. The Moro fight is not
between a bull and matadors, but be-
tween two bulls. Dato Calbi, whom Cen
eral Bates had taken down to Maybun on
the cruiser Charleston, repaid the COM
p1iment while I was on the island by in
viting all the Americans out to party
at his house, at which there would be
bull fights, rooster fights, and horse rae
ing. Calbi lives two miles from Jolo |
near the water, and his guests went out
in the Charleston's launch and in the
army tug from Jolo The boats could not
get close to the shore on account of the
coral reefs, and the visitors went as near
as they could in small boats and then
jumped overheard and waded. There was |
walk of half a mile through jungles and |
across muddy creeks and then the open
glade was reached where Calbi had ar
ranged to entertain his friends
--Calbi is one Of the most important of
al the datos in .sult. 10 please his peo-
pie, !Calbi has had, small bambo amphi- |
sthea.ters ablilt around the glade on his |
estate and gives bull fights and horse
races a1Inist every week
e5 Cafbi himself, IN red tights and blue |
Jacket, greeted his, visitors and then an
bounced the beginning of the games Two |
cat1bu bulls; were brought out by their |
owners. who held them by means Of long |
ropes fastened around the horns. The |
animals were brought close together and |
then their angry passions were aroused |
by the master of ceremonies and his as
sistant. who endeavored to start the fight |
by twisting the tails of the bulls Of |
course, each bull got the idea that 1t was |
the other bull, not a Moro that was
twisting his caudel appendage. and began !
to lower his head, paw the ground and |
below his rage. while the Moros whooped |
and yelled.
ho hull re oh,
other, and as they parted one had a long
crimson strtek down his side: The bulls
met again and locked horns and stood a /
moment. Then5a particularly hard yank
at their tails made them leap to-one side.
and one rushed straight into the yelling t
mob and made for the grand stand where |
the American visitors were seated The |
Moros- yelled and-ran in every direction, /
and The Americans hastily elimed I'D to
the top seat In the amphitheater or /
crawled under 1t. The bull charged past
pursued by his enemy, and both disap- |
peared, crashing through the jungle and |
followed by their owners.
Two more bulls were brought out, but |
absolutely declined to get mad or even |
feel bad. no matter how much their tails |
were twisted. They were led off in dis
gust and two more were brought on. One |
of these gouged an eye out Of the other |
bull and gored him in the side besides |
trying to toss Dato Caibrs horse and |
charging the Moro women, who were |
gathered in an amphitheater reserved for
their use.
There were half a dozen more events |
as they would be called in sporting cir |
cies and then the datos and their chiefs |
had what they termed a horse race, but |
which was merely an exhibition of riding |
and the various gaits of their horses
The Moros ride like Arabs with the big |
toe in the stirrup and their knees almost /
st the height Of the horses neck, sitting !
well back and riding with arms akimbo |
and yelling like Indians Their saddles |
would arouse the scorn of any self-resp-
Getting Indian or cowboy in the States |
They are wooden affairs, as wode and |
high in front as behind and not only /
have thick cushions for the riders to sit |
on, but also slanting boards at the rear.
to which soft pillows covered with red |
or green silk and embroidered with flow
ers are fastened. The Moro Tolls back on |
his cushins as If ne were in rocking
chair at the club.
The proceedings were interu0ted for 2 |
while by an inpromptu bull fight not on
the program. The bull that had been gor-
ell in the eye broke away from the tree
where he had been tied. and 70 secure re-
venge, started free for all fight with
three bulls hitched close by. The spec
tacle threw the Moros into commissions Of