Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-07-25


Rocking Mains Form the Principal Sport-ThS
Manner Of Disposing Of Their Dead is Ghas1iy.
The CENSOR is permitted to make
liberal extracts from letters written by
two Viroqua boys, who are serving
Uncle Sam in the Philippines. The
following is from ] Inn Glenn, who is =
member of Company G. 45th regiment,
md ie vv'itten from Iriga, under date
Of May 10;
IA most Of the big towns there is y
vacant square in he business part Of
she town called the plaza, and 1t IL
usually around the edges of this that
the native wopl1n squat to sell their
wares, although in some places there
are long bamboo sheds under which are
huilt platforms RAISED several feet from
the ground, upon whi IN the vendef sits,
surrounded by different Sinds of fruits,
native sugar, thread, needles bandana
handkerchiefs, and varied assortment
of tin handled knives, combs, small
mirrors cigars and cigarettes just at
the first peep of day you will see very
many women and lots of pickaninles
going to market with large baskets on
their heads filled with something To sell.
Some carry lunches of fine ripe bananas
and pineapples. others have sweet po-
tatoes, fish, cocoa nuts, sugar or salt.
OranS g and lemons are scarce on this
part of the island although lines are
plentiful. The women make kind OF
lemonade from them which they sell a
about one cent 4 glass, From 10 clock
until about or { the market is nearly
deserted, 1t which time the afternoon
trade commences and continues until
about or ) o'clock.
Some rime before Company G. came
here this town was nearly all burned by
n large party of Ladrones, and no build
ing had been done since. When the
president tabout the some as mayor was
appointed by the American officers, he
induced many natives to come IN ana
build up the town again. The first work
was when some of us Were on outpost.
Almost the first thing we saw as soon
as it was light enough, was a long pro-
cession of Jugoes coming hAto town.
Each one carried a long bamboo pole
with bunch of '~---ss tied to the end OF
it, The building commenced at once.
The first thing TO be built was a cock
pit, then police station, market place.
and building is still going on, bnt 1T will
take them long time to rebuild.
Cock fighting is the favorite aAuse-
ment of the natives. Most every man
has his game cocks, usually five pr six.
Sunday il the day for fighUing OF course
church takes up the fore part or the
day. but every man takes his favorite
cock to church under his arm, which he
ties up at some convenient place until
worship is over. when they all adjourn
to the pits The women have soups.
fish. rice cakes and so on for sale, SO
there is no need of going home Tor din.
ner They take their time in picking
ont the winner, and the owners of the
cocks to match. But finally every thing
is settled, the owners putting up every
cent they can muster, to he covered.
| The cocks are now taken into thb pit
| sudsallowed to run together, each being
Mold by the owner. The betting gener'
ally gets pretty swift about here and
| tine sports arA aigging deep, for each i
| dead sure he has the winner picked.
The steel gates are now put on They
are a little steel blade about two and a
| half inches long, slightly curved and
have a keen razor edge 1t is tied firmly
10 the right leg and points directly he
hind Now the ire of the fighters Is
sroused bv holding the head of one and
allowing the other TO peck it three or
| four tlilioa. This is kept up alternately
| for several minutes or until the cocks
have blood in their eyes; then they are
| turned loose several feet apart and At il
| they 90 with their little razors flashing
| in the sunlight Sometimes the fight
| .sts several minutes before either makes
"A cut; but generally they don't come
together more than three or four times
before one or the other is killed out
| right or receives a fatal wound. He
| will then stand until his feathers ccni
mence to drop and then turn tail anc
run. / have watched them several tiple'
| but have fall ! to see where the fur
! comes in
Much is said about the Americans no
+, 7g.ipg able 10 stand the climate here
| nut don't see but what they stand !
as well if not betrtr than the natives
for there is scarcely day bat wha
there il a funeral and sometimes severa
of them. Generally the first We know
of death is by seeing the people gath
ering at the home of the deceased. Th
gathering consists of the priests tn
mass servers and others of the church
the choir, orchestra and any others tina
care TO attend The procession is forme'
and moves along from the home to TN
church, the candle bearers in front ant
the rest following in order The re
mains are generally inferred withou
being placed in casket, unless they ar
mt in a vault The litters are throw
awav and there are several large pile
of thu III near the cemetery. which look
good iar the priests, for they won =
10 the ONE for less than 90 pasres $50.
The ce netery is a frightful place t.
look at for The same ground is uset
over and over for burial. The conse
oueuce Il that the whole cemetery II
Uttered with bones and skulls and thu
remnar ts of few old caskets. | under
took t. count the skulls in one of thes'
cemeteries Just for curiosity sake.
counted up 10 forty-six, then came TO
corner of the enclosure in which was
large pile Of bones and skulls almos
hidden from sight by weeds and brush
threw up my job right there. ren
il charged for the Use Of a cell IN tn
vaults, and If it iss not paid the cell !
opened. the remains cast aside ana TN
cell made ready to receive another body
A detachment of us are now at Ma
taw. about % miles from Neuva, stu
ated in q valley with mountains rlsinj
on either side and large active volcan
! in plain view. There Is fine Spanis
church and barracks combined here
We are quartered In the barracks AM
are having a very easy time of it. Gu
regular quarters are at Iriga, some foc
miles from here. There IL u large ma
tive band here, that came in off the lin
only short time ago. They used b
belong to the Spanish volunteers, bu
: | doaortad Lie the anldlerg Ine ban