The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-09

Copyright, 1899. by Robert w. Wilcoxl
The Philippine archipelago is the
most remarkable collection of islands
in the world. In that archipelago are
no less than !, 400 different islands, and
among those 1,400 islands are to be
found no less than so distinct tribes.
That far travelled American or Euro
pean tourist who visits the Philippines
always, of course, goes to Manila, per
haps makes trip or two into the IN
terror of Luzon and if of especial rowing
propensities goes on to the towns OF
Iloilo and Cebu. This practically is the
extent of Philippine travelling. In other
words, it is the custom to visit two or
three islands out of 400 and then turn
westward with the idea that the oppor-
tunities of the Philippines have been
from the standpoint of the sightseer
exhausted.
Even those naturalSts and ethnolo-
giSts who have visited the archipelago
for scientific purposes have confined
their researches chiefly to the few larger
and better known islands, not caring to
risk their scalps among unknown bar
barians. The result has been that while
we have come into possession of a mass
of material about Luzon, Panay and
Mindanao almost nothing is known of
the smaller and more remote islands
over which the expanding tail feathers
of the American eagle will soon extend.
1t is commonly understood that Spain
had accomplished an absolute and COM
plete conquest of the Philippines, while
in reality she has held actual sway over
only one-SeVenth of the archipelago. In
many instances Spanish domination ex-
tended only along the SeacoaSt fringe of
an island, into whose mountainous in
terror the none too vigorous Spanish
soldier had nc rash desire to penetrate
Merchant ships and mail steamers con-
nected with many of the smaller is
b. lands, but rare indeed We're the adven-'
turous spirits who attempted an inves-
LEGATION of the character of the little
known hinterland natives about whom
marvellous tales were told.
Among those half mythical Filipinos
there are, for instance, the Davatawi,
the mast numerous and at the same
time perhaps the most curious of such
of the Philippine races as Still wallow
III lllt SlOuSIl VI DdIDdllSlll. IHeE OcCu-
Ply Basilan and the northern islands of
the Sulu group, besides the lttoral sec
ton of southern Mindanao, and are es-
timated to number almost 500, 600. From
a physical standpoint the race is one of
the finest to be found in the east,
though it must be confessed that it is
made up of natives who are barbarians
of the lowest moral type. In stature
the men are seldom under six feet in
height. but slight and athletic in build
They are extremely active and cour-
ageous and are able to endure the great
est hardship and fatigue. In fact they
are not unlike our own American red
man. being characterized by skin that
is extremely dark, small eyes and pro-
trudlng cheek bones. Like the Indian
too. they are improvident and reckless
of the morrow, with the very natural
result that a disastrous famine carries
off some thousands of them every few
years. The only settled villages and
towns of the Davatawi are those along
the seacoaSt, for it must be remembered
that ali these islanders are inveterate
pirates.
The Sulu islanders in general are
equally energetic in the pursuit of the
gentle art of piracy. They are excellent
seamen and handle their small print
tive sailing craft with a dexterity that
is wonderful to behold. The pirates of
the Sulus have terrorized the entire
Malay archipelago for many years and
are by no means yet wiped out The
DaVatawi go about in most formidable
looking war proaS and range the Phil
ippine waters from Panay to Borneo.
On their rollicking punitive expeditions
they carry on in much the same man
ner as did those light hearted Danish
and Saxon pirates who were wont to
visit the shores of Britain almost 20
centuries ago. They ruthlessly burn
villages. slaughter unoffending victims.
capture as many slaves as convenient
and carry off what plumber falls into
their hands. Even the fierce tribes of
Borneo are not safe against these pc
riodc predatory excursions which usu-
ally take place twice a year, during the
spring and fall monsoons Indeed. be-
tween the Davatawi and the fierce
tribes of eastern Borneo there seems to
exist some perpetual feud. The contin-
ued warfare has resulted in a great pre-
ponderance of females in these different
.belligerent tribes and hence the necessi.
ty for polygamy.
The costume OF these piratical war
riors is often a ridiculous cape of small
iron disks hanging forward from the
shoulders and leaving the back uncov-
cred. The head is also often ineased ir
a huge and ugly mask, generally rep
resenting some animal head in outline
They are fond of personal adornment
and tattooing is carried on extensively
Some of the more influential members
of a tribe are often covered from head
to foot with grotesQue and highly col
ored tattooings, while enormous orna-
ments of iron are worn on different
parts of the body.
the members of this tribe are the
true Ishmaelites of the east. Theil
hand is against everybody, and every
body's hand is against them. Moors, OF
Moros the Spaniards called them, be-
cause they were seen to be Mussulmar
in faith. The experience of Spain seems