The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-30
SAW THE SULTAN OF sULU.
A Nebraska Woman Tells of Her
visit to JOIo and Maybum.

From the HnlldQSipuld TUES
Lincoln, Neb., Nov 26.-Niss' Mamie
Hartley recently returned to Lincoln
from a trip to the Philippines. She was
a member of the party that accompanied
Gen. Bates commission to the Sulu Islands
and is probably the first person to return
to the United States who Witnessed the
signing of the agreement with the Sultan.
Regarding the visit to the Sulu villages
of Jolo and Maybum, where the treaty was
signed. Miss Hartley has written the fol-
lowing:
1--WE had scarcely dropped anchor, half
a mile out from Jolo, before We were sur
rounded by swarms of native cascos, pad
died by the small, dark people Of the
island, bringing pineapples bananas and
a few barongs,' which the shrewd natives
have found are very much sought after
by the Americans. From the ship Jolo
looks like any of the other Philippine
villages, but on nearer approach We find
a substantial stone pier, and beyond
well-laid-out city with wide, clean streets
and well-built houses.
"Our party was received joyously by
the American officers stationed there
who had not seen a white woman for
months, and the excitement was great
among both the Americans and the ma
tives when the news spread that there
island.
THE officers took US about, each deter
mined 10 entertain us at his bungalow and
show us what he knew of Jolo. AS we
were passing through a grove of cocoanut
palms, where the monkeys Chartered above
our heads the long, tangled ferns were
pushed aside by a native man on horse
back Closely following him came girl,
the only beautiful one we saw on the Sulu
Islands. She rode a horse man-fashion.
Some of our officers stopped the man and
began 10 bargain for the horse. The native
said SIS for the horse and wife. Our officer
did not want the wife, and the man would
NOT sell the horse alone, so the baIgaln was
OF.
1.-THE next day at Jolo, we met Gen.
Bates, who was to leave in the morning
for Maybum to negotiate the peace treaty
with the Sultan of Sulu. He invited us to
go down with him as his guests on the
Charleston. Dato Harun is typ cal MORO,
small, well-bult, intelligent and crafty.
Our officers, of course tried to over-awe
him. tried to show what great people the
Americans were, but he marched about
as if he had spent his life on battleships.
They showed him the rapid-fire gun and
he asked il it could shoot across the is
land. When told that it could, he suggested
that we Try 1t, for said Dato Harun, my
enemy lives on the other side At lunch
con he was taken into the captains cabin.
The table was deliberately set. The captain
had ordered a great array of forks and
spoons and all things that might confuse
Dato who had never before seen them
used.
"The Dato was dignity personifled he
said not a word, but watched the officers
from under his eyelids and used each dish
and fork in the proper way. Later we
found the jackes amusing themselves by
showing the Dato's men an electric light
on drop cord. Whenever a Christian
| blew on it it burned brightly, but the
| breath of a Mahometan caused 1t to go
out. They were much worried until one
of the officers said oh, fair play" Then
the tackles brought out another light
which burned for Mahometans, but went
out with a snap when a Christian blew
upon it.
ION arriving at Maybum we were taken
| by a native escort to the house of the Sui
tana, mother of the Sultan. The Sultana
is an old woman and very ugly, as all of
! the women are after they pass the age
of II. She climbed upon her throne and
swung her feet. Her maids could not
reach her through the crowded room.
| Above the throne was a square hole which
served as a window. Soon we heard a
| scrambling outside, and first one maid and
| then the other crawled through, dropped
down and squatted on the throne beyond
the Sultana. They were as ugly as their
mistress.
ION her right hand the Sultana wore an
American soldiers white cotton left-hand
! glove. On our way to the Sutans palace
we spoke of her glove, and our interpreter
! told us she had put 1t on so as not to touch
the hand of a Christian dog.
1.-THE way to the palace was long and
exceedingly rough. On arriving we climb
| ed to an upper room and were received
| by the Sultan On our way back 10 the
\ beach we saw among the crowd two girls
who had plastered their faces with some
| white powder to be all the same Ameri-
| cano.
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