Evening star., 1900-10-27

the campilan presents a curious and start
ling spectacle. One sees the sudden stroke.
hears the clap and rattle of the wooden
scabbard as it lands ard watches il fall to
the ground in halves, as If the blow had
been effective only in breaking the weapon.
Ii seems hideously incongruous that the re-
cipient of the stroke should go down with
his skull split at the same moment. Bu,
the sheathed steel does its work swiftly and
such duels are over with the first swing
that reaches the mark. The handle Of the
campian is always of hard wood; usually
ebony or mahogany
The hairy campilan is the mark Of the
officer below the rank of major. 1t differs
from the ordinary campilan only in the de-
tail of the carving Of the handle and in the
fact that a long tuft of hair is attached
to the handle. This hair is dyed with veg
etable dye; usually a deep red, but some
times bright yellow or green. In former
times the hair ornamentation was from the
head of slain enemy. 1t is said that even
now the scalp of the dead foe is in some of
the islands source of supply.
Weapon of the star Officer.
Among the staff officers the kris is the IA
vorite weapon. 1t is from two to three
feet long. One-third Of the way down from
the tip it ripples in little wavelets of steel.
1t is said that this small sword inflicts
CHASTITY wound, and from the appearance
one would choose 1t last of any to be per-
fcrated with. The approved kris stroke is
for the body with a peculiar weaving mo-
tior Of the wrist. supposed to send the blade
home and spread the wound Artistically
the kris is one of the most beautiful weap-
ons in the world. The blade Is often mag
nifcently inlaid with gold, and sometimes
with pearls and other jewels. In theory
this is to make it flash in the light as 1t is
brandished above the head of the charging
leader a beacon of victory. The kris is the
insignia of leadership. Every high officer
ears one strapped or tied to his belt.
Very similar in design to the kris is the
terciada. 1t is by no means SO ornamental,
the blade being straight and the inlaying, II
there is any. of some cheap metal. 1t, too,
signifies leadership in the field. and is. a
rule, the mark of the non-commissioned
officer.
Like the kris. the borong Of the Moro in
dicates rank and leadership, but rather the
leaGerhip of the forum and the council than
Of the field. Holders Of political office carry
the borong; SO does the class which We
would call leading citizens" in the United
States This arm has broad, ax-like blade
and Is rather clumsy to handle. 1t Is not
for and its original purpose has been
forgotten. The Moro sultans carry it. Ma
hogany and ivory, inlaid with gold, silver
and jewels form the handles of these arms.
Some of them, undoubtedly, are worth a
kings ransom, but these are kept carefully
hidden and are worn only, on state occa-
sions.
Punal De Kris.
Women and children carry the punal de
kris. One hardly ever nndS Moro cn1ld
with any pretension to family and breed
ing who isn't the proud possessor Of one
of these diminutive but deadly weapons.
Occasionally they come into play in child
ish quarrels and the disadvantages of arm
ing irresponsible human with lethal
implement are sufficiently attested in the
subsequent funeral. not to mention the
feud thai may result. The woman Of the
better classes takes the same pride in her
punal de kris does her more civilized
sister in stylish apparel. Seldom is this
weapon more than foot long, and usually