Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-14
Our Mohammedan Archipelago in the
Southern Philippines.
WORKING THE PEARL FISHERIES
Early Morning Visit to the Market
Place in JoIo.
UNCLE SANS HOLDING
Copyrighted. 1900, by Frank G. Carpenter.
Deciai Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
JOLO. Island of Sulu, May % 1900.
1 am still in the land of the Moros. l
have sailed westward from Mindanao, and
for the past week have been travelling
among the islands of the Sulu archipelago
which dot the set In a great crescent
from MindanaO to Borneo. There are two
hundred of these islands, some mere dots
upon the face of the sea; others composed
of mountains and plains. covering an area
equal TO that of several hundred good-sized
farms. Some, such as Basilan, Sulu and
Tawi Tawi, even approach the dignity of
countries. running from ninety-five square
miles in Tawi Tawi to three hundred and
thirty square miles in Sulu, with Baslan
coming between al an area of two hundred
and sixty-three square miles.
The Sulu Islands are among the most
curious. Wild and romantic of our Philippine
possessions. They are inhabited chiefly by
Moros of the most savage order. governed
by dattos, and al subject to the Sultan of
Suiu. with whom the government has made
a special treaty. giving him a monthly SAL
airy from the United States treasury. His
rule Is such, however that We have had to
place troops at number of stations
throughout the archipelago. The chief gar
rison Is here al JoIo but there are soldiers
also at Siassi Bongao and Basi:an.
Basilan. SLASH and BongaO.
Basilan is only a few hours ride by boat
from ZamoOanga- 1t has a population of
something like a thousand or So and its
capital. lisa bella. contains about eight hun
dred inhabitants. It Is a beautiful island,
with good soil and having mountains GOV
cred with timber. The Spaniards used 1t as
a naval station, and built there dockyards,
barracks and a hospital.
The Island of Siassi is the most important
of the TapuI group. embracing about a
score of islands and islets. 1t Is situated
about forty miles from SuIu and its cap
ital SLASH. vfes with Jolo as one of the
commercial centers of the archipelago.
The town Of SLASH is the only port in
the Sulu sea at which steamers can come
directly up to the docks. The main street
of the town, in fact, Is built out over the
sea Its houses are up on posts standing
cut above tn water and some of the people
go from house to house on stills stepping
from their. stills to the first floor of the
houses and leaving them outside until they
are ready tc depart. The town is very
pretty. being vel shaded with cocoanut
trees and doing a considerable business III
copra- sharks fins and shells. We have q
company stationed this point
Another company is quartered at Bongao
to keep watch over the two dattos who live
there and the people of the Tawi Tawi
group This group has about forty islands.
the most important being Tawi Tawi.
L1nR oval lSIdnu HliltlE-lNe miles IN CIR
conference and about three hundred and
eiGhty-five square miles in area. II is very
nouutainous. lacks water and has almost
no cultivated lands
The Island of ROngao Is a huge rocky
mass rising about one thousand feet almost
straight up our Of the sea. At one end Of
II there is some low land. This is about
BonEao bay. anu upon it are the barracks
Of our soldiers. There is a fort and some
other buildings.
Il IS said that the pirates used Bongao as
81 resort in th- past. If being especially well
fitted f"r defense. and the jungle on the
mGuntaiI forming a good place for retreat
when attacked Rougao IS only few
hours rid. from Burneo
These Islands arr all morr or less sur
rounded by pear fisheries. The chief bust
ness is in the shells of the pearl oysters
which are gathered from the bed of the