The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-10-24
FROM MANILA.
Mapuers and Customs of the People
~. in Onr New Possessions.

~ in Our New Possessions.
Manila, P. l., Aug. 24.-My Dear Jim: Youl
very highly appreciated letter was received 6
few days ago. 1t did me lot OF good TO learn
that am not entirely forgotten BY some
my old friends at home.
cannot saw now when l will take vaca
Lion. not before return to the United States
Wfeueyer that may be will 60 home, where
! In addition l9~the other home-fo!ks, my vile
now lives. She however Is speaking oftak-
ing trip to Detroit, Mich, TO visit her broth
er and uncle, but will return suppose before
's guess % You would lIke-sor me to tell you
something about this couLtry ana lts ousi'
ness. % -
The Americans have stepped In and taken
great big city and a great big country; 10
capturing the above they captured PeoPie az
much mixed In race as our lndlans-tIAttllee
West. These people are thoroughly out s3a OF &c, g
buildings. cohveyances and rations differ
from ours almost as much as their language
They never have glass window or shlngle
roof, They live always on the second moor II
they can afford two.story house: l have
never seen house with more than two
stories, On the ground floor the stable and
carriage are usually found and servants quar-.
ters. By far the largest number OF buildings
are made of bamboo, covered with Kind o1
palm leaf called Nipa. The bamboo is merely
cane as ours except that 1t grows TO be as
large as YOUR thigh. .
The floor of great many houses consists ol
lathes made from splitting up the bamboo
They remind one very mucn Of q white oak
split. The nipS makes an excellent rool put
does not last very long-not more than few
years. When on the roof 1t reminds one very
much OF corn shucks were they prepared as
tied by their big end with string.
There is never q nail In one Of these roofs
The rafters and lathes are all tied and pinned
Nails come high out here.
Some sugar and much hemp and rloe are
raised. Aside from these but few plants are
rulti Yated. Cocoanuts and bananas grow
Wild. These people never plant n, an irish A. po. hp
PRINCIPAL M eat is fish. but they raise consid'
cradle number Of hogs. Very few COWS are
seen sat many caraboos which Is water
buffAoAAThey are domesticated and love the
natbVe bM do not like q white man. They
prlncip ast Of burden. ! !, :
They aAEHot worked in pairs but yoked up
singlE tos4 cart. which is both heavy and
%antssnsf When that time arrives if you
do notSsS.SAem go to II, they will take every
thing hbogSd TO them and when they come
| TO where II ia they go in and wallow as hogs
head sticks out. Their meat is coarse and no,
good TO eat The horses are very small
though hardy and never used for drawing
anything heavier than vehicle with man
| or two in It. Beef is worth % cents pound
here. AS consequence very little is eaten
These people live principally on rice and fish
and eat with their fingers. They squat down
when they eat and rarely use q chair. There
are great many MeStlZos Wnicn corresponds
TO our mulatto.
This city is about ten times as big as Au
gusta, Ga, but has only one street car line
and that is drawn by their little bit OF ponies
ins in vestment. There ia but one railroad
aud that very poor one. 1t Is about l2i
miles long. The number OF steam boats II
insufficient for the Islands and 40 10 any othel
means of TRANSPORTATION. .
| This place offers the greatest inducemsnti u
ofany place know OF for man with capital
but for O man who has to work he had better
We are gradually getting the worst OF oul
bargain. When q white man wishes TO q
| from one town to another he has to get HI
escort OF not less than six to q dozen soldier
| to guard him. Often times they swoop dowr
| on parties Of this size. Kill two or three
wound some and run away. Sometime they
capture the whole lot. Our men ere gettlnI
sick and going homo and reducing the garri
son, scattered all over the islands which will
We can hold the big towns easy enough, bu
have not men enough to run the little ones 81
we'll. 1t Is really necessary to have mer
enough over here 10 police every town on tb,
ing now is performing the duty Of police
man.
You would like to know about the weather
Well 1t is hot here, but ut this season not an.
hotter than at home. 1t is hot all the yea
here. The rains during the rainy season ar
very much as they are at home during we
spell, except. typhoOp. A typhoon last
about week to ten days. The rain come
during that time In torrents The wind blow
at the same time. Very few roofs fail TO leal
during season OF that kind. Last summe
during one OF the worst days, "a Inches &
water fell In so many hours. During thes
l typhoons the sea gets 30 rough that a vesse
has TO be a good one or 1t will 60 10 pieces.
We are just now getting over a ten days
attack. '''..
During the rainy weather the heat lsts n
and we can wear coats very comfortably. II
March April and May the rain has not hegu
and the heat is terrible.
Well, Jim, have written you long lette
and will now give you q rest. Hoping the
your family Is we'll and to hear again soon,
remain,
Your sincere friend.
/ I'M. Kennedy.