The Portland daily press., 1899-12-16

The Pic Is sultan oeletrats his Christ
for his benefit, at the public expense. In
his capital Of Jolo. This mosque Is the
most magnificent building In the city
and all the Sulus regard 1t with special
vsneration. A number Of highly I'm
portant functionariss, membe Of the
cabinet or Of the royal family, have
charge Of this mosque. and they wear
their elaborate turbans in peculiar man :
mar. the ends hanging downward. to de-
note that fact, instead of being twisted
over the ear. like the generality of the
sultan's subjects. A noted French tr av-
eller, NJ. de Geriolles, who has Just re-
turned from the Sulu or Jolo arch pelago,
and to whom We are indebted for these
particu lars, ssys that the SULTAN Is one
OF the few among these Islanders who
have made tae pilgrimage to Mecca
W hen Sulu has made his pilgrimage he
Is at liberty to wear the turban. and
not otherwise.
The religion Of this sultan Of ours Is
OF. however. strictly orthodox Mahome-
tanism. His Ramadan does not seem to
correspond altogether with the Ramadan
Of Egypt, and his heavens and his hells
likewise reveal variations from the
Koran. In the first of the sultsn's
heavens, the souls Of the biessed indulge
In solitary rspose. Aahoinet would not
recognize that place. The second heaven
contains everything good to eat, but the
eating is done In the third heaven. The
heavens 60 in round OF endles, physi-
cal enjoy ments. The bells ara all unplsas-
ant. In the first there Is nothing but
noise. The second Is filled with beasts
They bite the sinner. The third is devot-
ed to the punishment Of the tongue-an
organ requiring. In the sultan's eye,
hell to itself. Ugly people and ugly
hfth the wicked are jabbed with spears;
In the sixth they are always thirsty, and
In the last they burn.
When the great day--the first Of Rama
dan-arrives, the sultan observes 1t with
fasting and prayer. He refrains not only
from his razor. The highest religious
funotionary IS styled the psnditas, but
there are numerous subordinate panditas.
all Of whom exercise great authority
throughout the archipelago. This archi-
pelago. by the way, is OF far greater ex-
tent and Importance than seems generally
under stood in our country. Officially IL
includes the vast island of Mindanao on
the north, and extending south TO Tawi- |
Tawi. The capital Of Mindanao, Zamo- |
banga, Is consequently one of the Sulu |
sultAn's provincial towns, at least nomi- |
nally. The empire of Sulu, according to |
the panditas, Is very ancient, extending |
back to che eighteenth century. The old |
metropolis OF Tianggi. from which the |
sultan capital sprang, was q sort Of
Mecca In its day, the resort Of all the |
holy. the great Aahometan feast was
here yearly celebrated with inhnits pomp |
and prayer. The government was In the |
hands Of an oligHrohy Of feudal lords. who |
were supposed to adhere strictly to the |
Koran. They evidently failed to do so,
because the Mahometanism of the Sulus |
Is today q sad tumble, ont of which the |
panditaa alone can make very much.
Some other Misunderstanding regard
ing the sultan are worth while clearing
up. The number Of his wives 10 not an
limited, as has been said, for he en- have
no more than four at time, but there 10
no limit 70 divorce. But perhaps the sui
IAN will initiate the khedivs OF Egypt,
who has but one wife, although he could
have four II he insistsd upon IT, The
Iultanats Of Jolo, or Sulu, II hereditary,
women being excluded. but In shs at.
'enoe Of direct male heir the eldest
laughter may ally herself with any male
connected With the royal family, who