The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-09-09
THE IGORROTES OF LUZON.
Something About the Americans Best Friends
i'm the Philippines

is ever heard In the chase Should fate
decree the taking OF the husband FIRST,
the broken-hearted wife at once is taken
by the barrio and given home In a
house set apart for Widows There she
receives the kindest treatment at rough
but honest hands, that respect her and
her condition, because she Is woman,
unprotected, and certain death is melted
out to any transgressor Of the sacred un-
written, but ime-honored law. And
these self inidels(O believe In the
fundamental principles of the American
constitution in that "all men are born
equal yet the Christianity Filipino
will not for moment entertain such
belief, and refuses absolutely to acknowl-
edge that all men have inalienable rights.
In the eyes OF the average Filipino the
Tgorrote us a thing apart and he has
no rights. Once l was dining with the
padre OF Dolores, and / asked him why
the Christian people so looked down
on the Igorrotes? His prompt reply was
"they are inhdels," and he was amused
and surprised when / asked him II he did
not consider all human beings Gods chill
dren, and did not God treat all alike IN
sending rain and sunshine on all, ana
why should man on account OF his being
little more fortunate place himself
above God, and consider one man more
than another?
well" he said "these Igorrotes will
not cut their hair and they will not wear
Clothes" but yet l say they are happy
and contented. Such peace and harmony
as prevails In an Igorrote settlement I
have never heard Of. dreamed of or seen
before. These people go into the neid
together, plant and harvest their crops
Jointly, put the grain in common grain
cry, and each evening the women can Dc
seen around their wooden mortars pes
tics IN hand, beating out rice (thelr
principal Cood). enough TO last the little
village until the next supper time, sing
ing. keeping time with the rise and tall
OF their pestles. And as one gazes OF
into the valleys one can see the men all
coming in from work. The villages
(walled barrios) are always built on a
hill, always on a river and always near
a fertile valley, where they terrace the
mountain valley and sone times fetch
water for miles In bitches winding around
the mountains, with bamboo viaducts over
the ravnes in order to get the water Ia
sufficient level to flow Tire highest rice
paddy. They wear long hair coiled upon
their heads, a hat shaped like ~ sour
plate, with a poke. IN the top for to-
baccc and with a highly decorated gee
string" their costume IS complete. Mer
and women, old and young, AL smoke
The women smoke hedge cigN1s, or else
little pipes, and II is "custumboy' (thS
CUSTOM. for Filiplnos are the same.
Physically the Igorrotes arc perfec-
tion Their average height IS FIVE feet
eight inches, and average weight 100
pounds. The women are small and very
pretty and graceful.
The Igorrotcs are the very best friends
the Americas have on the Island the
Macabebes MOI excepted. On May
was accompanying First Lieutenant s. L
letters Of Arkarsas on scout In the
nountains and at Msdindinoc IAN
Igorroto vlllage) the enemy were In am
bush awaiting us. having taken every
soul out Of he village 50 we could GO
no information But We had so-le Igor
rote guides with US from down the val
ley, and they scented the Insurgents, enc
with no arms except wooden shields, Ions
spears and baltic axes. they ran on ahead
on foot, pushing us to keep w with them
on bnyses. and ~ lest they csme rnnniui
back pointing sfeai. saying "i7snrgents. Z"
with their information we whippad tho
Insurgents IN their own game with for''
men against their two hundred We killed
fourteen and rct seven Guns hnt had |!
not been for those f~isnai~ Tn7tare m
hdels) some OF Us misht have heen hurt.
One living in civilized rnurf-v cfr
not Imagine the impresSi1, thess children
OF nature make on a civilized being. on
must see both sides to fairly appreciate