Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-02


cap, which came well down over his fore
head. He was unarmed, with the exception
of a cane, which he held in his right hand.
We had few words with him through the
interpreter, and later on he took part in
the audience which We had with the sultan.
The Sultan of Mindanno Island.
Our conference with the sultan was held
in the open air. His majesty. who lives
near Cottabato, happened to be visiting
this part Of his domnions and he was anx-
ious tomeet with the Americans. He had his
chief officials with him, dozen black-faced
cutthroats, who were dressed in all colors,
wearing turbans of red. brown and yellow,
and jackets and waist cloths of Dolly Var
den hues. ALI carried weapons and all
were armed with knives, well as naked
spears. At the audience the sultan and the
datto sat upon chairs which had been
brought forth from the stores of the town.
The retainers in many cases squatted on
their heels or sat upon the ground, only
half dozen standing near the sultan. Be
hind the sultan were two men holding SILK
umbrellas trimmed with silver thread, and
beside his Sultanic-I was going to say
satanic-majesty stood two slaves, one with
betel box, a sugar basin filled with what
looked like red powder but which really
was the stuff which these people chew. ana
the other with a silver cup, which served
as a spittoon. From time to time during
the audience the slave took out chunk OF
red betel in his fingers and handed 1t to
the sultan. The sultan popped 1t into his
mouth and chewed as he talked Now and
then he turned his head to expectorate into
the silver cup which the slave held to his
lips. AS he opened his mouth in CONVERSE
tor 1 could see that his teeth were black
eDed and his gums apparently ran blood.
AS looked 1 could not realize that this
was the famous Sultan of Mindanao,
man who, as far as religion Is concerned.
Is the head of all the Moros of this great
island, and one who is possessed of consid-
cradle power. He seemed like pasteboard
king and poorer imitation Of royalty than
any I have ever seen on stage OF sec
ond-class opera.
1 would like to picture him to you as he
looked when he was talking with Colonel
Hayes. Imagine a slender. consumptive,
yellow-skinned man of forty-odd years.
Let his cheeks be hollow, his forehead low
and his eyes small, black and twinkling.
Make his nose straight and his black lips
prominent and sensual. Let him have
whisp of mustache and perhaps one hum
bred brown hairs two inches long on ms
chin. Clothe him in a jacket of woven
silken thread fastened so loosely with gold
buttons at the front that there is crack
down his chest and waist through which
nor undershirt. Let him have on tight
yellow pantaloons, upheld by a wide belt
with a buckle Of silver as big as the larg-
est f1atiron. Let his jacket have silver cuffs
nished. and you have the sultan as he APP
peared today.
The Sultan and Webb Hayes.
The sultan received US with dignity and
appeared honored at meeting another dis
tinguished embassy from the United States.
He said he was an American citizen and
told Colonel Hayes he was very glad to
meet him. I am not sure whether 1t was he
or the Datto Baqui who informed Hayes
that the Moros of the next province had
bad hearts, and that he would like to nave
<l,a forces
and kill them. To this Colonel Hayes re-
piled that we believed in peace rather than
lighting, and that we wished to stop war
and not to make 1t. The colonel told the
sultan that the Americans were his friends.
and that We proposed to treat him and his
subjects well with the hope that In time we
might make them American citizens. AS
Colonel Hayes went on his heart warmed
toward the savages about him. and in the
generosity of the moment he asked the sui
tan whether he would not go back with him
to the transport and take a trip upon 1t to
Davao, our next stopping place which Is
about 260 miles away. Colonel Hayes told
the sultan that he would drop him at that
port, as our ship was going on from there
to the Sulu Islands and Zamboanga- Now.
when this offer was made the colonel.
think, expected it to be politely refused. He
supposed the sultan would shudder at the
idea of such long journey and at being
left so far away from home He was mis-
taken. The sultan jumped at the PROPOSE
ton. With profuse thanks he told the in
terpreter who informed his great brother
that he would not only go with him to Da-
vac, but that he would give him the honor
of his company to Sulu, where he wished to
see his brother sultan, and that he would
also go on from there to Zamboanga to
have a conference with his good subject,
Datto Mandi. He added that he would. of
course, take his retinue with him, including
the dozen ladies of his harem whom he had
with him in his house on the seashore near
by.
This was a proposition with a vengeance.
The mule transport had no quarters for
first-class passengers AS 1 have said be-
fore, we sleep upon the deck and are
crowded at the table that now and then
one has to walt. The captain of the steam
er is a very crotchety Englishman, who
objects to having any passengers at all;
considerable trouble to get him to take me.
and laughed to myself as 1 saw the COM
pllcation into which Colonel Hayes was
drifting
The only thing that Hayes could do was
to hedge, and he did it beautifully. Not
telling the sultan at once that he could not
take him, he begged him to come out with
him and look at the ship before he decided
to go. This proposition broke up the audi
ence; and ourselves and the piratical gang
took boats and went out to the steamer.
and the officers. The crusty steward was
persuaded to bring out some crackers and
port wine and the sultan and his retainers
were asked to eat. His majesty nibbled
with his black teeth al a cracker, but he
refused the wine, for as Mohammedan 1t
is against his religion to drink. Colonel
Hayes then showed him over the ship, and
at the close of the trip told him that upon
consideration he did not think this boat was
good enough for such distinguished char
acter as his majesty. He said that the sui
tan might go to Davao If he wished, but
that he feared they could not make him as
comfortable as his station demanded. and
that it would be much better If his majesty
would wait for the next gunboat which
came along. In this he could travel to
Zamboanga and back. Whether the sultan
saw that he was not wanted or not do not
know, but, at any rate. he concluded to
wait.
PrOtograDhing the Harem.
Shortly after this the sultan left for the
shore with all his retInue. 1t was about
two hours later that was told his majesty
and his harem were assembled on his royal
barge, which lay at the dock. and that
might possibly get photograph Of them
For this purpose Col. Hayes and myself
took a dugout canoe and pulled back to the
mainland. When we reached the pier we
found that the sultan had left his boat and
gene to his hut on the shore He was about
a mile away in a little matched village,
which was built upon piles down close to
the water. We could see rude tent which
his retainer had put up in order that him
self and his ladies might enjoy the fresh
breeze on the sand away from the rays of