The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-22

FEMALE GLADIAT0RS FIGHTING BEFORE
SULTAN OF sBLU
conference with the sultan of Sulu him
self, says the New York Herald, and he
informed the monarch that the United
States had acquired the sovereignty of
the Philippines from Spain, but that this
country did not desire to subjugate the
people of Sulu nor to interfere with their
customs or religion. On the contrary, the
greatest desire Of the American govern
ment was to help the people of the is
lands to develop their country. The sui
tan replied that he earnestly desired
peace and was anxious to continue the
existing treaties. The sultan received our
commissioner in state, surrounded by a
b~odyguard of fierce looking Moslem mo
ros.
We have had many creeds represented
in the United States, but by our recent
acquisition of the Philippines we have
fallen heir to quite a large aggregation of
Moslem subjects, and the Moslem relig-
ion never has blended well with the
Christian, hence it is not to be wondered
should friction actually occur.
He is called the STAINLESS One" and
is chief of both church and state. He
lives in considerable style in a large
wooden palace in Maybun, his capital.
The s~ultan's palace is always lined with
an abundant display of luxurious plants
and shrubs, which dazzle the eye and
intoxicate the senses. He is a very much
married man. The MosIem law allows
him four wives whose legality is unques-
toned, and who, like Caesars wife, are
above reproach, but he is also allowed an
unlimited amount of understudies. Con-
sequently the sultan's harem is full Of
lesser better halves who are ever on the
alert to win a smile from their liege lord.
How came it that the prophet extend
ed his sphere of influence over Sulu? 1t
Is an interesting story, for in Sulu once
Mohammedans and Christians fought
that fierce battle Of the creeds that del
uged half of Europe with blood.
And this is the way that the followers
Of the prophet came to inhabit the beau
tiful island of Sulu. At the time of the
Spanish conquest of the Philippines two
Borneo chiefs who were brothers quar-
relied over their possessions, and one of
them, Paquin Tindig, fed to the island of
Sulu with his partisans and easily re-
duced the natives to his rule. Tindig be-
came famous as a warrior, so that for
generations afterward the sultans of SUI
lu boosted of their descent from him.
After the Spaniards had overcome the
Butuan chief on the north coast Of Min
danao, Tindig acknowledged the suze-
rainty Of the Spanish king in exchange
for undisturbed possession of the realm
he had just founded.
Great as was Tindig, however, he was
overcome by his cousin, Adasaolan. who
had escaped from Borneo with him and
had taken possession of the n~eighboring
island Of Basilan. Adasaolan married a
Mohammedan princess, a daughter of the
king of Mindanao and himself became a
follower Of the prophet.
Adasaolan, fred with his new faith,
undertook to convert his cousin with the
sword, and attacked that worthy in Sulu,
was at first repulsed, but finally suc-i
ceeded in killing Tindig, who was cut
down when victory was practically his.
Adasaolan did not, however, gain his
cousins territory, and Tindig was sue
ceeded by Rajah Bongso. Adasaolan com
tented himself with Introducing the Mo-,
Lhammedan religion in Sulu and since then
the island has become the Mecca of the
Philippines.
Piracy became a very popular means
Of livelihood among the Sulus, and an al
lance between the ~potentates Of Sulu
and Mindanao subsequently gave the in
dustry a great stimulus. It began to be
prosecuted with great vigor over the
whole Philippine archipelago.
Spanish attempts to crush the pirates
led to an implacable feud, which wrought
woe to the Spaniards for many genera
tions.