The National tribune., 1900-05-03
PHILIPPINE PIRATES.
Fanatical warriors of Our Eastern Possess
sions.

SiOuS.
Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly.
1t does not follow because two men are
| OF the same race that they shall be the same
| In character. any more than tina. twin
| brothers shall be Of the same nature. No
more does it follow that two tribes of one
race shall closely resemble each other
In truth, marked distinction within the
| limits OF a race is common thing, and is
strikingly displayed in the Filipinos,
among whose 80 and more tribes, wild and
civilized, very decided difference in char
tribes, for instance, the Igorottes are fierce
| and warlike, the Mangyans are peaceable
and trusting. There is similar difference
between the civilized tribes, the Tagalogs
and the Visayas being normally quiet and
provocation, while tho Moros Of the South
are incorrigibly fierce and warlike, and at
any time quite as ready to fight as to eat.
| They are all brave enough. The rece Mt
war has shown that the natives Of Luzon
DO not lack courage. But fighting is not
their native element, as 1t is that of the
Moros. who at any time would rather WELD
| the sword than the spade.
South Of Mindanao, the large southern
| island of the Philippine group, there stretch
number Of small islands, Of which the
group the Sulu Archipelago. These islands
form connecting link between the Philip
pines and ths great island of Borneo.
Some three or four centuries ago, about
| the time that the Spaniards came to the
Philippines, a tribe Of Malays made their
| people so fierce and warlike in disposition,
so bold and daring in action, that for CEN
| turies they defied the power of Spain, and
| made the Philippines very hot place to
| hold. These were not idolators. They
had been converted to Mohammedanism
haf tt,nsr oil
the Spaniards to convert them to Christi
| anity ended in the quick martyrdom of the
| missionaries. The Spanish settlers named
these newcomers Moros, or Moors. in
distinction to IndloS, or Indians, the name
given by them to the other natives.
The -Moros are born pirates. The sea
seems more their home than the land.
They fairly revel in thewater. for wherever
possible they build their houses in the sea.
raising them on piles sunk in the shoal
waters of the coast This mode of build
ing has been followed in all the Philippine
Islands, the houses, even if miles from
the sea, being built on piles. 1t seems t.
suggest a time when the Malays were
water dwellers. In truth, a backward
glance through time shows us the Malay
sea-roVers setting out in their war-praus
to conquer the multitude of islands in the
South Seas and haunting the coasts so as
to be ready to take to the water again at
moments notice.
Such has been the record of the Moros
They seem to have made short work of
conquering the Sulus, few of whose natives
were left to tell the tale. Thence they
quickly made their way into Mindanao,
Balabar and the south Of Palawan. In
the latter island they first came into con-.
tact with the Spaniards, and a state of
war began which has continued with
scarce truce for more than two centuries
The Moros hate the Christians with all
fhQ flnntirat hafpod IF bo e-r,fi Of
Islam wherever found. They hate in
particular the priests and friars, and have
shown no mercy to any of those so un-
lucky as to fall into their hands. For
that matter they seem to have had no use
for any captives except as corpses or slaves.
west monsoon, it was long their custom to
launch their boats and set off on piratical
expedition to the North. Landing on the
coast OF the first island reached. they would
attack town and country alike, usually
with success. and always, with savage
sands. and the men compelled to harvest
their crops for the benefit of their captors
This done, the Moros would butcher them
in cold blood and carry off their women and
children, the former for the harem, the
latter to be reared as slaves. Their cruel
work done. the savage pirates would take
to their boats and hasten back before the
changing of the winds.
need hardly say that the Spaniards
did not submit calmly to this state OF affairs.
They sent many expeditions against the
Moros, but it WAS like sending sheep against
wolves, and more than one Spanish force
was cut to pieces. Landings were made at
times, and forts were built even i'm Sulu
itself. But the garrisons did not remain
long.
In every case the forts were taken and
their defenders slain, or they were driven
out by the indomitable Moros. This re-
suit seems remarkable. in view of the fact
that the Moros had only swords, spears and
daggers to fight with against the firearms
Of the Spaniards. A gun was a rare
weapon in their hands. and it was rarer
still when they could use one with effect.
But once let them get within sword reach,
and it was bad for the Spaniard.