The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-01-05
GUAM AND
IT'S PEOPLE
Our Neighbors of the
Ladrones.
ENSIGN POOR'S ACCOUNT
An Interesting Race Not All Like the
fIipinos Save in In
dolence.

The following article was written Icy
Ensign c. l.. Poor, U.SN., who is one
Of Governor General Leary's STAFF on
the Island of Guam. 1t appeared first
in the Christmas number Of Harpers
Weekly:
When, under the most amusingly
opera-bOuffe conditions ever expert
enced in modern warfare, the United
States steamship Charleston, on June
| 10, 1898, captured the beautiful but lso-
lated and sleepy old Spanish island COLI
ony of Guam in the western Pacific,
the place was governed by a lieuten-
ant colonel of the Spanish army, Don
Juan Marina, supported by STAFF Of
four army and one naval officers, and
garrison of fifty-four Spanish sol
diers, with native militia of fifty-four
men, these latter being armed with
old Remington rifles, and organized as
artillery crews for four old brass field
guns.
Upon the departure of the Charles
ton the Spanish officers and soldiers
were removed, and the island was left
nominally in charge of its leading cIti-
zens and the native soldiery This coz
dition Of affairs prevailed until ,ate
this spring. when the United States
steamship Nanshan, a purchased col
lier, brought Lieutenant Kaiser, U.SN.,
to the island. Except for short periods
of time when the United States steam
ship Bennington and the United States
steamship Brutus were in the harbor,
the peace and rule of the island Here
in the hands of the natives; and most
eXcellently did they peform their duty
so well that 1t augurs most favor
ably for the future well-being of this
colony, though the warmth of car re-
ception and genuine interest shown in
our government by these Clearly ard
intelligent people are sufficient evil
dence of that
During all this time the native troops
have maintained their organization
and discipline, keeping their clothes
and equipments clean and in order
posting their sentries, and carrying
out their routine-all in most praise
worthy manner. They are soldierly,
intelligent body of men, and will I'M
douDtedly be a valuable auxiliary to
the new marine garrison that has ar
rived on the United States steamship
Yosemite. Their best sphere of useful
ness would be as police force and as
rural guards in the outlying villages,
thus relieving the marines of this iso-
lated and monotonous duty. The ma
tiYes of Guam are in pleasing contrast |
to the Filipinos. Though originally, |
in great part from the same stock |
they have inherited all of the virtues |
and few of the vices of these people. |
There is in the blood of these people |
considerable proportion of Spanish, |
South American, and American stock, |
the last being due to the whaling-ves- |
sells that used TO frequent the island in |
large numbers to obtain fresh water |
and to recuperate their crews. IL is |
not at all unusual to hear English spo- |
ken, even in the interior of the ISL |
and, and, in fact, it is quite as com |
mon as Spanish. In personal appear |
ance the natives resemble the Filipi- |
nos, though of greater stature and |
more robust, while the hair Is not so |
bristling and porcupinelike, and brown |
or even blond hair Is occasional evil |
dence OF the mixture of races. The |
intelligence, las indicated by their |
faces, is much more marked than in |
the natives of the Philippines. The |
women, when young, have well-round-
ed figures and an excellent carriage, |
which redeems to great extent their |
shortness of stature and consequent |
tendency to dumpiness. In my long
walks about AgaDa / have noticed |
many that were very comely and some |
that We're decidedly pretty. AS they |
age they do not become unduly fat, or |
later on repulsiyely haggard, as Is the |
case with SO many tropical natives.
Their dress Is neat and clean, and in |
their personal habits they are modest |
and tidy. For the women the costume |
consists of short chemise, or jacket,
with low neck and short sleeves. This
Is made OF white material of varying |
degrees of fineness. For more ceremo-
NAL occasions 1t Is embroidered
around the neck and upon the sleeves,
and Is sometimes bordered with lace.
1t fits closely to the stayless figure, |
Upon occasions of the greatest impor-
lance an elaborate jacket of the beau
tiful and expensive juna cloth, with
flowing sleeves and wide collar, is
worn over the chemise. With this is
worn skirt of vari-colored calico or
cotton stuff, generally OF some bright
hue. The feet are usually bare, small
heelless slippers of colored leather be-
Ing occasionally seen. The hair is
drawn back from the forehead into a
knot, and hats are never worn. In
church white cloth is worn as veil
over the head
The men dress simply and comfor-
ably, generally in suits OF white drill
ing, such as are common all through
he East. The Filipino custom OF
wearing n white shirt with long and
lowing tails is in favor among the
poorer natives.
One of the first things evident TO us
s the decided antipathy OF the natives /