The Savannah morning news., 1900-10-27

states. This arm has a broad axe-like
blade. and Is rather clumsy 60 handle. II
Is not for use. aud its original purpose
has been forgotten The Moro suItans
carry a. Mahogany and ivory. inlaid with
sold, silver and Jewels form the handles
Of these arms Some OF them. undoubtcd-
BY. are worth kings ransom. but these
are kept carefully hidden and are worn
only on state occasions
The Deadly and beautiful Little
PunnI de Kris.
Women and children carry tho punal de
kris. one hardly ever hnds a Moro child
with any pretension 20 family and breed
ing who isn't the proud possessor OF one
Of these diminutivc but deadly weapon.
Occasionally they come into play 81 child
ish quarreia ard the disadvantage OF arm
ing an irresponsible human with a lcthal
implement are sufficiently attcsted IN the
subsequent funeral not 20 mention the feud
that may result. The woman OF the bet
ter classes takes the same pride IN her
punal de kris as does her more CIVILIZED
sister in stylish apparel Seldom Is that
wcupon more than a foot long. and us-
ually IL Is not more than seven or cich'
inches. but the blade Is well po nted and
sharpcned. In shape IA f. an exact replica
o. the kris on a small scale. sometimes
even more ornate In iulaid device.
punal de kris beaten blade. handle aud
scabbard from solid silver Is no uncom-
mon thing. and ] have heard OF punals
beaten from gold.
The quinabasi IS the knife OF the private
soldier. lie carries a very much as the
American private does his hayonet II s.
his general utility blade ana rot used
much IN actual warfare His whiting
brush cutting and foraeing bring IL mo
play. and Il Is his table knife when he
ia. 81 ali La
Il IS . utensil rather than a weapon
though by no means to be despised az
close quarters.
one OF the most interesting weapons
% the Moro Is the talihong. a sort Of
hesdsman's Ak II IS from four to five
feet long and weighs anywhere from four
20 eight rounds In time OF war certain
companies are equipped with these arms
exclusively ana are used as an advance
guard They were also used hy the Off
cIal headsmen in decauitating criminals.
The chief use Of the talibong from which
80 got It's name, was 90 sever the head %
the victim fallen In battle The horos
when warning with other tribes or even
among themselves never took prisoners.
After a battle men armed with the tall
bong were scr: among the slain 10 finish
the work The weapon has now no sig
nldcance. but Is held sacred IA the fam
ilics OF those who were once commis-
STONED to use g. while there are other
special designs OF the holo among the
natives OF the Philippines. the impic-
meuts herein described constitute tho CON
ventional types Of the bolo. as officially
recognized by the Moros.
Even the Filipino Cabby Has his
BoIo.
The distinctions between the different
types Of weapon drawn SO close among
the Moros OF Mindanao. have lost much
Of their force In Luzon. and the section
Immediately under the influence OF Ma
Mia Still even here the old families keep
sacred their holos. though the weapons
DO not enter into the religious lie Of
the people as they do further south. But
even IN Luzon tho native without his
boio stands as a man without trade.
Every cab driver has one under his clothes
or concealed among his worldly goods
During the continuous warfare between
the Moros and the Spanisrds the Moro
army was armed oimost exclusively with
holos There Is peace between the Moros
and the Americans and the greatest good
feeling exists between them In Fam
boauEa. Iligan and Parang-Parang. the
chief Moro cities Ia Mndauao. Il IS as ,
safe for an American soldier 20 20 about
unarmed az right as q is in an American
city The Moro Is not deprived OF his
boio. but since peace has been estab-
nshed many have given their holos as
presents 20 the officers. Tho majority Of
natives. however. have sold them as SOU
venirs. They are in great demand. and
the various ships and transports enter
ing these southern ports havo run the
price up 10 an abnormal point
Capt a. W. Butt.