The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-13

~ Well, all have to say
~ is that II you want to
be sure OF your head
~,r had better tie It on with a string!"
rbese words were uttered by Col. James
Petit. the military governor. the man
who had charge OF our troops In Min
aarao and in the Sulu islands further
IN 10 the south OF us. He has more than
thousand soldiers scattered at differ
a., stations about the southern and east
am coast of this great island and other
,,oops occupy the leading ports OF the
north.
zamboanga has for several hundred
Years been the chief garrison town Of this
mar, OF the world. The Spaniards made
/, the headquarters OF their army and
navy OF the south, and It occupies the
same position today with the Americans.
II ia situated on the extreme southwest
arm end OF Mndanao, on tho wide but
deep Basilan, through which the vessels
move going from Japan to Australia. II
mas fairly good harbor, but the ships
have TO anchor far out from the shore.
and passengers and freight are brought
10 the town in small boats. One OF the
transports was fifteen days landing 700
tons of cargo. The mule transport upon
which I came had to send its wagons
ashore In dugouts, and the mules were
made to swim. Two steam boilers for
an ice plant, having been Theoretically
sealed and plugged up WELL fioated
ashore and. altogether, days were taken
IN landing stun which should have con-
suned hours.
Our Mohonmedan Capital.
Zamboanga cannot be called a Moham-
medan town. for II is occupied only by
the troops. the Chinese and some FIJI
pino Christians. 1t IL. however. the cap
itsl of our Mohammedan zone and from
Il are controlled the 200, 900 or 300 700 Mo-
ros who now pay allegiance TO Uncle
Sam There Is a Moro villag.. which has
more people than Zamboanga itself, on
the shore Just above It, and Moros by
the hundreds. dressed In gay clothes and
wearing turbans. walk to and fro through
its streets
Every surrounding of the place, In fact,
n picturesque. 1t looks more like boz
tanical garden with the accompaniment
Of midway plaisance than an every
day American garrison. It's houses are
shaded with cocoanut trees. Tall BAN
snas rustic their leaves as you walk
through the streets, and all about II Ia
the most luxuriant OF tropical vegetation.
There are miles and miles OF cocoanut
groves above and below It. and when you
ride out into the country toward the
mounthInS WHICH naHR over III you are
shaded by cocoanut trees. some OF which
are hundred feet high. You see fields OF
bananas and hemp, and here and there
the vanished green leaves Of the coffee
bush
The town itself is a gem. 1t h COM
posed OF two streets running parallel to
the sea. The one nearest the water r.
the main street. It's sides are lined with
great trees the branches Of which almost
meet overhead, and under them. In the
center OF the street. flows a tenal whose
waters are a. clear as crystal The canal
Il crossed here and there by rustic bridges
made of mahogany, teak and other hard
woods. It I. fed my little river at the
lower end OF the town. and there is n
bridge' over this which leads you into
the market and homes OF the Moros.
Upon tho main street are the Offices OF
the collector of tho poa4, az Omaha man.
Capt. swobe. aud also the general head
quarters OF the Department OF Mindanao.
The headauarters building Is large
structure. with oyster shell Windows and
a great balcony looking out over the SCI.
In II you will find the colonel OF the Th.r-
iy-iirst regiment ane his star. who have
the management OF all things here. 10th
civil and military. The merchants far
Instance. are all Chinese, but Col Petit
regulates their licenses and they have to
pay 80 much a month for the right to sell
koOuN. no lAtS ulc pfiStS ui tuiu8s w
the market. and tells Just how many eggs
shall be sold for 10 cents. lie makes
liquor laws by a stroke OF the pen. and
recently announced that no whisky should
b. sold in Zamboanga. This last WAS very
disgusting TO a httle irish ax-soldIer, who
wanted to open n saloon TO sell whisky
To him the colonel said you know there
are only two clnsses OF people IN this re-
rion. There are the Moros and the Chris
tian~ The Moros, according to their re-
llgion. are not permitted to drink, and the
only Christians here who have money TO
spend are the soldiers What you are ask
Ing IL that I give you the permission to
sell bad whisky TO my soldiers Well, sir
You can't have a." The irishman went
away sorrowful
Uncle Sans BIGGEST Farm.
One OF the most curious duties that Col
Petit has Is the acting as manager TO
the biggest farm which tho United states
owns II IL situated about fifteen miles
from here. and is 50 large that a fast