The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-01-31
WIVES WORTH LESS THAN SO.
Captain R.c. CroxtoL. ofBssex County, Gives
Some Interesting Pen Pictures Of the
Philippine Country.
Richmond Times. )

Few OF she many letters which have
been received from the Philippine l..
lands have appeared so interesting
as some Of the private letters which
have been received here by Mrs James
r. Gordon, from her brother, Captain
r. E. Oroxton. Of the Twenty.thlrd
United States Infantry. who is now
stationed, with his company, In the
most southerly point In the Philip
pines. Some extracts Of his letters to
Mrs Gordon are given below;
"TAIL-END OF CIVILIZATION "
Bungao, p l., Nov. 2eth.
You cannot call this the tail-sno OF
because civilization ends
long before you get here. Bat the place
is healthy. and as cool as any place out
here, though the fifth parallel OF lat
tude passes just south Of the island that
am on There are twenty-five islands.
Of which Ihave charge. but only twenty
are inhabited, and this Is the most
southerly point occupied by United
States troops. With the exception Of
an Eugiishmau end his wife. / and my
company Of two lisutenants, one doctor,
and 40 men. are the only people here,
except the Moros, Of whom there are
about six thousand. Steamers come IT.
regularly from Manila (Which is 700
miles north Of here) with mails, pro-
visions, paymaster. ETC., and are OF
times thirty or forty days apart, but |
am we'll and busy, Am having house
built for myself, and have a crude sys-
tenn Of water-works under way. Am
building new nipA huts for the men,
houses three feet above the groutd,
fifteen feet square. and there will be
four men 30 house, which is great
improvement on the long barracks y th
sixty or eighty men in one big room.
The men have fixed them up very pretti-
ly with flowers and vince, and most OF
the men like this better than any OF
the southern posts
PUPILS OF ANANIAS.
Everything is quiet down here, but I
sometimes have little Moro difficulties
to settle. The Moros all have brats,
and live on the coasts In huts made Of
bamboo and covered with palm leaves.
There Is. however, q tribe called
"Bajas," who live entirely in their
canoes. They trade fish aud shells for
rice and salt. and never leave their
canoes except for trading purposes. All
are very poor and have no ambition TO
accumulate anything. They have no
regard for the truth, but have q whole
come respect for the Daltos. These lat
ser may be likened 20 3 chief, IS TO au-
thority, and 30 q duke or some such
title as to social status There are
other. smaller stiles among them, bus
no titled person can work, 80 they live BY
hniug their subjects or enSlaying them.
My predecessor here had q gang Of
six. who had some trouble to complain
Of, bat who told 30 many lies that final.
ly, in despair Of getting ct the facts,
he said to Datto Taatiug ''You know
more about these people than ! do. Get
at the facts and settle their case.
Well It took him about ten seconds
He said 'You are all guilty Of some
thing, 80 go and bring me fifteen dol.
lars each and go home" They seemed
perfectly satisfied, and in few min
utes came back With the money, and
the case was ended.
CRAZY WEDDING.
I went to a Moro wedding the other
day, add 'twas tho crsziest tbiny ever
saw. The man and woman were sepa.
rated bya curtain, and the ceremony
was all performed on the man. After
the curtain was raised, then both sat
with eyes ou the ground for some time,
and the custom is for the bride to
Hght and scratch whenever the groom
comes near, and 30 CRY when he leaves
her. This continues foE three days,
when the ceremonies" are over and she
goes about her household duties. This
victim paid two slaves and some tobacco
FOR bis wife, or about S75 Of our money.
and the price. from my point Of view,
was enormous.
A few Of the Daltos are comparatively
we'll Of. They force their people 70
sell them pearls for almost nothing
then sell them at good prices A good
pearl hers, shough. is very rare. Most
Of them are small and Irregular In
shape and lacking In lustre. Clothes
cost very little here. Kahki suits,
made by ChinameD. COST only $500,
and you need only about six suits .
year. I left 3 box IN New York BY
mistake, and Is came 10 BY last boat.
The first thing found on Opening Il
| was pair Of skates | sm going z
srado them of for knives, because ! se'
no chance just now Of any very good
Zoe out here.
! KNIVES WORTH MORE THAN
WOMEN
Tho only exiraysganoe Is buyini
knives have about twenty-five now
some Of them very handsome, viii
handles Of osrved ivory Or inlaid wisl
silver. Have snst bought one for s2i
bus IL has sen dollars worth cf silvs
IN che handle It cost o dollar NOR
than the average bride sells for