The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-01-03
GUAM AND
ITS PEOPLE
Our NeighbOrs of the
LadrOnes.
ENSIGN POOR'S ACCOUNT
An Interesting Race Not All Like the
FiIipinOS Save in In
dolence.

The following article was written hy
Ensign c. L. Poor. U.S.N.. who is one
of Governor General Learys staff on
the Island of Guam. 1t appeared first
in the Christmas number of Harpar's
Weekly:
When, under the most amusinSly
opera-bouffe conditions ever expert
enced in modern warfare. the United
States steamship Charleston, on June
20, 1898, captured the beautiful but iso-
lated and sleepy old Spanish island col
ony Of Guam in the western Pacific.
the place was governed by a lieulen-
ant colonel of the Spanish army. Don
Juan Marina, supported by a staff Of
four army and one naval officers, and
a garrison of fifty-four Spanish SOL
diers, with a native militia of fifty-sour
men. these latter being armed with
old Remington rifles, and organized as
artillery crews for four old brass ield-
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 clti-
zens and the native soldiery. Tvs cor
ditiOn of affairs prevailed until tate
this spring, when the United States
steamship Nanshan. a purchased col
lier, brought Lieutenant Kaiser, U.S.N..
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 we're
in the hands of the natives: and most
excellently did they peform their duty
so well that it augurs most favor
ably for the future well-being of this
colony. though the warmth of CIR re
ceptiOn and genuine interest shown in
our government by these cleanly ard
intelligent people are sufficient evil
dence of that.
During all this time the native troops
have maintained tnair organization
and discipline, keeping their clothes
and equipments clean and in order.
posting their sentries, and carrying
out their routine-all in a most praise
worthy manner. They are a soldierly.
body of men, and will un-
doubtedly 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 a police force and as
rural guards in the outlying villages,
thus relieving the marines of this iso-
lated and monotonous duty. The ma
tives 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 |
4 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. II is |
not at all unusual to hear English spo- |
ken, even in the interior Of the ISL |
md, and. in fact, ii is quite as COM |
mon as Spanish. In personal appear |
lnce the natives resemble the Filipi- |
hos, though of greater stature and |
more robust, while the hair is not so /
Jristling and porcupinelike, and brown |
)r even blond hair is occasional evil /
ience of the mixture of races. The 4
Intelligence, as indicated by their .
aces, is much more marked than in .
he natives of the Philippines. The
women, when young, have well-round- I
ID figures and an excellent carriage,
which redeems to a great extent their
hOrtness of stature and consequent F.
endency to dumpiness. In my long
walks about Agana / have noticed
many that we're very comely and some (
hat were decidedly pretty. As they
Ige they do not become unduly fat. or
ater on Tepulsively haggard, as is the
Gse with so many tropical natives.
Their dress is neat and clean. and in 7.
heir personal habits they are modest
nd tidy. For the women the costume
ousists Of a short chemise. or jacket.
With low neck and short sleeves. This
S made Of white material of varying
.egrees Of fnCness. For more CeremO-
,ial occasions it is embroidered
round the neck and upon the sleeves.
nd is sometimes b0~de-ed with lace
{ fits closely % the stayless figure.
-pOn occasions of the greatest im7Or-
ance an elaborate jacket of the beau