Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-05

the inland gates In Spanish days, and the
custom is continued under the American
rule, no Moro was allowed inside the walls
wearing his weapons. Exception occurred,
and continues. In the case of the vigllantes
or native police, in the town. Every Moro
man carries his weapon at all times. SO
do many of the women and children. The
weapons are swords or knives, variously
known according TO the shape as the kris,
the borong, the campilnn, the bangkong etc.
/ They correspond to the bolo OF the Filipino
and the maohete of the Cuban except that
their purpose is more generally warlike.
The spaniards obliged every Moro who de-
sired to enter the city to deposit his weapon
at this lanceria, ten rods or so outside the
gate. Upon going away the knife was re-
sumed. a dead line was indicated between
the gate and the lanceria and any Moro
crossing that while waving his knife was
shot without question or parley. The armed
Moro would not be allowed to pass the gate
today, but he probably would not be shot
at the dead line. But they do not seem
to try any experiments on 1t.
Great Trading spot.
This lanceria, or spear market, as II is
now termed has become a trading post for
curios and souvenirs. The American thirst
for the odd and the curious and the Ameri-
can readiness to spend money have appealed
to these people and the trade in krsis and
borongs has run into thousands OF dollars
already. 1t is beginning to establish an in
dustry notable percentage of those now
offered are newly brought from the quaint
little blacksmith shops in which they are
made to meet the new demand. / confess
TO being n well-developed kris fend myself.
l have thirty or more stacked in corner
nf fr,t all
OF mine are old ones, the weapon OF the
country that has been worn in the sash of
the native.
Trading for these things is an interesting
| process, though not novel one. 1t is an
Old process of bargaining. The novice gets
well roasted. The old hand lies low and
watches out for bargains Hebrew
clothes dealer will give one an experience
of Just the same character but there is
much less Of fun in that case than there
Is when the seller is a dirty betel chewing
Moro, dressed in the picturesque garb of
his country. The articles offered are the
KNIVES OF various shapes and patterns,
spears of various shapes native brides.
native hats and embroidered cloths. Even
at the prices asked, any Of them would be
cheap enough from an American standpoint.
but judcious Indifference to the article
desired, coupled with an offer OF about one
nalf OF the sellers price, will probably Sc
cure 1t after due time. Old coats of mail
are also an occasional offer. The price
varies from about SO to $40 American money,
| according to the condition and the decora-
ton of the coat. The knives range from SO
| to $40, American. The arrival of a steamer
which is not a frequent occurrence is the
signal for an increase and stiffening Of
prices. 1t announces fresh crop OF Amer
ypit ,nhA
John Chinnman.
The Chinese trader and workman of Jolo
| is Just what he is elsewhere patient, stolid
| and industrious. He will make me a suit
OF white cotton drill at SO, American, and
| pair of white canvas oxford shoes for an
american dollar. The cost Of living, OF
| clothing and probably OF the conveniences
| of life in Jolo will. perhaps, not for long
| time be as low. as they are today. The
| most immediate result of American occu-
patton in all the places of my experience
has been an enhancement of the cost of
! living. In the West Indies the native
| mind soon acquired an idea of "Americano
| mucho dinero." The Moro already believes
\ that an American IL he spends the last cent
in his pockets, need only to go to his house
| or on board his ship and get money to any
extent. John Chinaman always finds us an
| easy prey. Much of this Is due to the readi-
ness with which Americans pay their money
for things which are, from the American
| standpoint, amazingly cheap. Many things
| appear so low in price that one feels like
a contemplate screw IL he wrestles with
the seller to obtain them at what is really
| their value in the local market When one
| has used Manila canomatu for three hours
and the driver wants so or rs cents instead
| OF his legal As cents, 1t seems very petty
to withhold it and he usually gets it.
To the eastward of Joo are two coast
villages, built partly on shore and partly on
posts over the water. Their chief industry
appears to be fishing, fresh fish for the Jolo
market and dried fish for the general inland
market l should not be believed If it were
possible for me to describe some of the fish
which l saw brought in to the village of
Busbus Color drawings of them, If colors
could reproduce their rainbow and opalescent
tints. would be pronounced by most to be
| the fancy sketches of fertile imagination
The variety was great, and the coloring Of
| many was marvellous and often exquisitely
| beautiful. The boats used for fishing are
exceedingly graceful In structure, long,
very narrow, and often showing fantastic
carvings at bow and stern. Without the
| buoyant support of the projecting outrig-
gers, they could hardly be kept upright on
| Mill pOnu
| COffee Raising.
| Some three or four miles west OF the city
an experiment is being made in coffee rails
| ing on an extensive scale. or the quality of
| the berry am unable to speak. as none was
| to be had which was in condition for use.
| But saw some seventy acres of coffee trees
of most vigorous and healthy growth. They
| were not shaded as is the West India Gus
| tom, but were set out like an orange grove
Coffee usually requires third or fourth
| year for it's maturity. l was assured by its
owner that this grove was but from year
| and nine months TO two years and three
months old. On tree after tree the branches
| bowed to the ground with the weight of the
| berries along the stem. Many branches
broke down entirely. and many a tree had
fallen PROSTATE, broken and partly uprooted
| from its top weight. The father of the pres
ent proprietors, the Messrs. schuck, set
out much smaller grove some twelve or
thirteen years ago, but 1t became neglected
Many OF the trees were still there, and saw
them standing In the heart OF a dense trop-
| ical jungle, as trees of twenty feet In height