The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-03

Through the courtesy OF Mr. j. HaF-
Vey pevore, the 1ntellIgencer is permit
ted 70 reproduce this morning a very in-
terestlng letter he has just received
ffom his brother, Capt B. B. Devore, OF
1.-THE regular army, who ID now serving
"a the Philippines. The letter follows;
JoLo, Jolo Island, Philippines, Dec.
$. 1Ss9.-Thls Is the principal island OF
The Silu archipelago group. ana IS tne
residence OF MOhammed TamaJamalu
Hiran, sultan OF the Sulus, who Is ruler
a 149 islands, OF 10000 subjects and q
dozen wives Under the Bates treaty
the sultan. his wives, his people and the
u, 900 slaves in his Islands are now sub
iects OF the United States. He IS
Known by many titles other than sui
lap, such as The Stainless One, Y NJ :;
Spotless One, "t"rhe Mountain OF Light,
6tc His dress il simple, consisting OF
zone garment, somewhat after che fash.
don Of q modern nlght-shirt. He IS
short fat man, with round, boylsh face
and large eyes, presenting very Ordt.
nary appearance, He lives In small
house, protected by q thick stone wall
ten feet high. The first floor contains
only one room, large, bare apartment;
the sleeping rooms of the "palace" are
in the second story. He lives in plain,
ample manner, without pretentlou,, as
40 all the Moros, who are OF q very low
order Of intelligence. and all they seem
10 want is to be let alone; any tnnoVa-
lions, though intended for their bet
torment, appear to annoy them.
The soil Is rich, and would grow any
tropical fruit, hut nothing Is cultivated,
except In an Indifferent, careless man
ner A coffee plantation, Just yielding
It's first crop, Is an exception, and the
planter is pleased with his success.
Several improvements have been in-
auRurated recently, and much Is needed
to bring any sort OF order and system
out OF the present primitive condition OF
things.
Owing to the continued and excessive
rainfall, the atmosphere is always very
humid. Clothes are ruined in u short
time by mildew, unless the greatest pre-
caution Is exercised to prevent 1t. Some
papers In the pocket of cont hanging
mp in my quarters, became saturated
with moisture, absorbed from the air,
and water was condensed In such guam
tity that 1t drlpped from the skirts Of
the coat. The sun Is very hot, but
shade trees are plentiful, and break the
force Of the heat to some extent.
Jolo sea, which borders the island on
the north, Is smooth, and seldom RULED
by storm, this section OF the Philippines
being out OF the typhoon district.
The Pearl Fisheries.
This Is the center OF pearl fishing. The
shells, mother OF pearl, usually AFFORD
enough revenue to pay all expenses. go
that all the pearls found are net profit.
The sultan formerly selected the best
specimens for granting the privilege OF
flshlng, but he Is steadily losing power
and prestige
The women are practically slaves
bought and sold as merchandise. and
perform the same sort Of labor as the
men; though It might be said to the
credit OF her sex, as In civilized coun-
tries, she often does her work nelter
and better. and with more speed than
her brothers. 1t might also be said,
with the utmost respect and admiration
for enlightened wolnanhood, that these
bFown.skinned women are much more
vigorous and healthful than her fair
and lovely sisters who live beyond the
seas, This Is not accounted for by
reason OF climate, food, religion or medl-
cine, but because she Is not environed
With modern educated" dress. She Is
bllssruIly ignorant OF stays OF steel and
laces OF cotton or SILK, which add style
and form 10 lovely London ladies',
adorned with, or envlous OF, pretty Paris
natterns. American women who have
been to Europe, and few mllllners
who have not been there, have observed
the dlscomfOrtS Of physical compression
as daily demonstrated by living models,
a. the demands Of society.
L., hNNFV a a MI
lives very simply, on fruit and rice. He
rOves about, making use OF whatever he
can find, not absolutely pre-empted. He
g a primitive trader In crude products,
and still practices piracy. The native
who is now pilot on our launch is an
eX.pIrate of considerable notoriety.
Wicked and savage man that he was,
plunderlng and robbinG at any cost OF
life. II appears that his nefarious con-
tact with better people opened his eyes
to his own merciless depravlty. a higher
idea possessed him, and he reVolted at
his ignoble occupation. He is delights
ed now with his own reformation. thus
demonstrating, without knowing 1t, the
effulgence OF Gods law to His people,
In ali lands who have been transformed
from the world OF the wicked to the
realm OF the good. This man thinks
much more OF himself. which hegetS q
better feeling from his superiors who
give him employment, and get honest,
faithful service from him.
TO Cypress them would be TO invite re-
venge, and, like Hugo's Claude GueuX,
but with a thousand times less reason.
they would stealthily Stay the white
man. knowing their own execution
would follow, believing themselves to'be
spaniards Chsckmated.
The spanIards were preparing TO turn
this town over to the sultan, and would
have done so, II they could have gotten
away before our troops arrived. Four
Companies Of the Twenty-thlrd infantry
came here TO take charge OF the island
without knowing any OF the conditions
10 be confronted The SpaniRrdR and
MOros were not on friendly terms; but
\ the hostile feeling which obtained
among the Moros has mellowed into
| seeming az may be reRI friendship for
ug. Shrewd. tactful, honest diplomacy
Ofttlmes results in better terms and con-
ditIons than can be obtained by bullet
i