The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-13

open, for although these people are nov at
peace with US. and we call them brothers.
they are of such "a nature that the least
indiScretiou might make them break ONT
into war. They caused the Spaniards more
trouble than any other OF the Philippine
races They are different from tho others
in their manners customs and religion,
and the handling of them is one Of tho
most delicate problems Uncle sam has TO
solve, II Is, / believe. a more difficult ona
than that Of the Indian Of the negro. II
will not be a question OF making the Mo-
ros American citizens so much as keeping
them from bringing about state OF an
Srchy and bloodshed. The questions OF
religious fanaticism are here added 70
those OF barbariSln. for the Moros al
though they are Mohammedans, are littla
letter than savages.
Their houses are matched huts. ana
their only manufactures are weapons %
war in the shape Of lsnces, spears and
most terrible swords They carry knives
called barongs, which are q sort Of cross
between a sword and "a meat AK. hut
which are 50 sharp that am able TO shave
the hairs from the back OF my hand with
any one Of them. They have kriscs or
short swords, the blades OF which wind ia
and out like "a snake these they use for
dlsembowelne their enemies. They have
also campians. the wide blades Of which
come to your waist when the points rest
fer beheading.
There are Moros who are said TO be able
to ceave man from crown to waist at
one stroke. A favorite cut IS through the
shoulder, taking on the head, neck and
one-half the chest including the arm
They sometimes hamstring their victims
before killing them, and IN the ease of eN-
ecutions a common method IS to tie the
mans hands behind him and then beheAd
him with one blow Of the knife. After q
person is killed he is often chopped 60
mincemeat by the men and boys Who wish
TO try their knives on human flesh. This
is the case not only with the lower classes,
but with the best one of the dattos or
princes of Basilan, Just the other day, or
dergd six men TO be killed, After the exc
cution he came TO the place and chopped
into one Of the dead bodies with his ba-
rong, saying as he did SO 20 some OF our
soldiers who were standing by. Il do IL
merely 10 try my knife"
The Moros and the Spanisrds.
The spaniards have never really con-
quered the Moros They have subdued
them again and again, only To find them
selves with another war on their hands,
The Moros We're here at the time the
Spaniards first came They are not the
aborigines, but are supposed to ba the
descendants of the DYaks of Borneo, who
invaded this part OF the world centuries
conquer them until about 100 years after
Columbus discovered America Al that
time Portuguese who mad made n for
tune In the Philippines, proposed 20 tho
king OF Spain 10 make an expedition to
Mindanao 10 subdue the Moros, lie was
allowed 20 do so. and the result waR that
his head was cloven Ia two by one OF
these terrible knives. Shortly after this
the Moros became famous as pirates.
They organized fleets. ana for more than
200 years were the terror OF the seas OF
this part of the world. They attacked
every peoped island. sacked the villages
and churches and Killed the people. DUR
ing the present century their war junks
| oame into the harbor OF Manila. and there
| are white persons yet living In the phil
| inpines who have been Moro slaves. This
did not stop until lSG0. when eighteen
/ steam gunhoats were sent ont from
Spain. and this port Of zamboanga made
the center of operations. Since then there
have been wars. but piracy has, to u
large extent. stopped although there il
"a chief now In the upper part OF the east
ern end OF the island who goes about in
his barge ievying contributions from the
towns on the shore at the mouth OF hin
cannon.
Or Posts on Mfndanao.
Within the past month or so troops
have been stationed at all the ports of
Mlndanao. The 1hirty~brst infantry was
the first 20 arrive, and II Is scattered
along the south and east coast. The For
tieth has garrisoned the ports Of this
north. but stil more soldiers are needed.
The Spaniards had to keep a large force
on the island and they have erected bar
racks and forts I'm many Places.
The fort here covers about acre of
ground. II has wallis twenty feet high
and quarters enough 10 accommodate "A
large number OF men. In one az It's walls
an image OF the Virgin has been carved.
and below this IS a lamp which ~ Is said
has been burning for more than 90 years.
II is known as the Virgin Of the Fort.
ana the Visayan or Christian inhabitants
Of zamboanga SO out regularly and kneei
on the ground before Il TO pray. There
is story told Of how a ghostly sheeiex
woman appeared one night 20 one Of the
soldiers on guard and announced hsrself
as the Virgin. saying she would watch
over her people. and how the next morn
ing this figure was found miraeulonsiy
carved upon the wall
FRANK q. CARPENTER.