Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-08-21
IN A PHI IPPINE TOWN:
BY ROCK ISLAND SOLDIER.

from the wide streets we enter mar
rover ones. bounded on either side
by BAN boo fences formed of upright
poles driven into the ground. A space
two or three feet wide, with the BAN
boo driven deeper than ordinary,
forms 4 passage to the house. which,
like the fence, is built principally of
BAN boo. Native houses are always
set on poles four or five feet in
height. Over the top of these grid
ers are passed. on which is placed
the framework of the building, COM
posed. as stated, of bamboo. Over
all is placed the ''nipa roof" Not
nail is used in the construction of the
ordinary house. the BAN boo being
tied and held in place by withes of
BAN boo. Attached to each house is
kind of shed in which all the cook
ing is done. With the majority of
Filipinos cooking is very simple. The
utensils are primitive, consisr ing only
of heavy iron vessel which
can be used both to fry and boil in.
The fire is built on small
open contrivance made from clay
| having on it prOtu berances for setting
the iron vessel on. A very small fire
suf1ices to do the work, as only rice
and fish are cooked. These forming
the whole food of a majority of ma
tives. To see them gather around
the festive board, which, in this case,
is the floor. squatting in true oriental
style, and each one dipping into the
the dishes. (Which are few. with
their fingers. is indeed novelty. You
must understand that we are visiting
a representative of the mass of Fill
pinos and not the higher and richer
classes. The house is bare of furni-
ture and consists of only one room in
which they live. eat and sleep. When
the entire family, consisting of 10 or
~, is congregated it leaves lit
tie or no room for breath
ing purposes. All Filipinos are
early risers, seeming to be eager to
greet the coming of the sun and with
the decline of the same they retire to
their homes, unroll small piece of
mating. made of bamb boo, and spread
it upon the floor and all huddle to-
gether in a corner. After dark very
few make their appearance on the
streets.
What is this? Whv a blacksmith
shop to be sure. Well. it is com posed
of single piece of iron, a hammer
and a fire on the ground. The black
smith does not have very extended
range of accomplishments, but he can
make bolos, and all by hand at that
1t takes hard and tedious work
! to hammer steel to the re-
quisite shape and thickness for
effective service. The natives are very
| skillful in'handiwork; jewellers execute
| neat and attractive designs. They
BANNER out gold for a ring
and set all their work without
the aid of mechanical devices, if we
except the rough file and hammer.
1t is pleasure to watch them at
work, so quiet, careful and industri-
Gus, and from crude material energies
effects that surprise one.
Fishing is one OF the principal in
dustries of the island. A Ian &c num-
Der of men, women and children arc
engaged in it. The beach for miles is
strewn with boats that have Just come
in or are going out. Fish being one
of the staple foods, large quantities
are consumed; the markets are kept
well supplied, the supply being
greater than the demand thus making
them comparatively cheap. In market
ing especially to the American. the
natives generally ask twice the
value of the article that is desired,
and finding the would-be purchaser
will not buy they reduce their price
to near the market value. When
the money is produced the sight of
it causes the Filipino to again raise
| the price. Where the Fill pinos show
their ingenuity is in the construction
of houses. boats, etc, with no other
tool than bolo. Give the Filipino
BAN boo and bolo and he will make
almost anything. The bamboo and |
bolo seem to be part of him. With |
out it it seems he could not exist.
ANY one who has seen him cannot |
conceive of thu disunion so common
has the relation become.
On the Cagayan river there is al |
ways large fleet of cascoes employed |
in transporting supplies to the troops |
stationed in the interior and along the |
river, thus affording employment to a !
great number OF natives. They make |
their homes on their cascoes, even |
having pigs, chickens and goats on
board, and never leave except |
ing to buy food at the various J
towns along the river. After unload.
ing the government supplies the cas-
Goes are pushed to tobacco planta-
ton and loaded with newly baled to-
bacco and descend the river to it's
mouth. The bales are then loaded on i
vessels in the harbor or stored awav
in the warehouses.
WILLIAM f. ELLINwoOp.
The Hard Work of Congressmen.
Let those who are biissfully ignorant |