The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-02-01

passable roads, scrambling % cks
for two days, on the third founu MINI
self on the bank of torrent, incum-
bered by enormous blocks of stone.
Now, let him tell part of his story
in his own way:
"The sides only about twenty PAGES
apart, rose perpendicualrly like two
lofty walls, whose SUBMITS, alta height
of about thousand yards inclined
towards each other, and left but
narrow opening. admitting scarcely
sufficient light to show us our way
as we leaped from one stone to an
other. This revine is the only road
by which one can reach Tapuzi. 1t is
the natural and impregnable barrier
which protects the village from in
vasion by the Spanish police. Look
above your head, Master, said my
lieutenant( the ex- bandit, Alila, whom
he had found at Jala Jala, and had
subdued by firmness and kindness)
only the dwellers of Tapuzi know the
paths that lead to the tops OF the
mountains. All along the ravine they
have placed enormous stones, which
they have but to push, to precipitate
them on those, who should come to-
attack their village without their
permission. We had walked for full
hour through this defile, when an
enormous mass of rock fell perpendi-
cularly only twenty yards in front
of us. 1t was warning. We came
to halt, placed our arms upon the
ground and sat down. Perhaps
block similar to those that had just
fallen, was suspended above our heads
ready to crush us. -
In very few minutes a shout.was
heard, Alila went out alone and re-
turned with two Indians, who, ION
being satisfied that the visitors were
friendly, conducted them ito Apuzi.
The Village was composed of fifty or
sixty dwellings, built in native fas-
hion, of straw, and ON level plain
of several miles in circumference,
completely surrounded by high noun
tains and shut in from the outside
world. The community found in this
primitive settlement was of the most
peaceful and law abiding character
possible. A benign and venerable
ex-outlaw was the patriarch of the
village, lawgiver, judge, arbitrator
and priest. He baptised their children,
married their young people and
buried their dead. Their garments
were woven by the women, none of
whom had been outside of the plateau,
where was situated their little town,
out of the vegetable silk, gathered
from numerous trees found in the
neighboring forests. A few fields of
maize and potatoes supplied all their
wants as to food, Except what was de-
rived from the chase. No money was
required in their transactions as Ebar-
ter was sthe only manner in which
whatever was necessary was acquired.
The appearance of the Village the
manner and character of the people
greatly impressed the author especial
ly the fact that the punishment most
feared by offenders agains the simple
laws governing the community was
that of expulsion. An offer made by
M. de Gironiere to the ex convict
patriarch to intercede with the bishop
of Manila and have priest SGT to
them was refused with an earnest re-
quest not to make known even the
fact that the visit has been made. The
shrewd old man realized at once that
the presence of priest among his
people meant an innovation upon
their peaceful condition and an in
PRODUCTION of Spanish rule which
would be followed by undesirable
visits from policemen and unpleasant
inquiries into the Epast life of many
of the villagers.