Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-06-20
SHRINE AT A FORT GATE.
Romantic Story Told by the People Of
Observation-Disclosures the Ha.
ven for Old Fashioned Derby
Hats.

is one of the prettiest towns In the
Philippines. having been made so by
one or the late Spanish governors who
mad that post. was for many years one
OF the most undesirable posts in the
Islands. The Spaniards with treach.
cry falses promises ana murder gained
the hatred of the Moros of Mindanao.
ana the Moros squared the blood score
which the Spaniards piled up.
10 the north of the town there still
stands stone fort which was built in
the early days of Spanish occupation.
II is still in splendid state of pres.
ervation, for until few years ago
the Spaniards needed fort Mt Zam.
boanga.
The old fort has for many years
the custom being more than hundred
years old--witnessed strange sight
every evening just before dusk. At
that time the Roman Catholic popula
tion of Iamboanga, at least the femi
nine portion of the Roman Catholic
population. goes to the west side Of
the fort. and there. before the old
gate. which once opened on that side
but which has been filled In with sol
Id masonry long since. falls upon its
knees and prays. Candles always
burn there at prayer time under stat
ute of the virgin.
The story goes that Spanish sen
try. on duty at that gate one night saw
the virgin, who warned him that the
Moros had planned an attack upon the
fort and would attack at that gate
The gate was Immediately fortified
and short time later the Moros at
| tackled 1t and were repulsd with heavy
| loss. The gate was then replaced
with solid masonry and since tia;
| time 1t has been used as n shrine
Such faith as that Of the ZamboanP.
uenos Is sufficiently unusual In this
new century to be interesting.
Captain Sidney Williams OF the
29th volunteers. and now treasurer OF
the island OF Romblon. related a curl
GUS incident which came under his OBJ
servatlon some time ago In the Ig
orrote country. in northern L,izon
He had with him Chinese servant, q
Cantonese. who had been In the Phil
| lppine islands only short time. and
who had never before seen an Igor.
rote. One day shortly afteS his al
rival In the Igorrote country the China
man squatted down and began n con
Iversation with an Igorrote They ta'k
ed for some time and had not the
slightest difficulty in understanding :
talking the language OF the Cantor
Chinese and the lgorrote was tp'k
ing his language.
This seemingly remarkable inci
dent Is explained when one reads the
history OF the Philippine Islands. l.
the year 1874 III MI Hong. a Chimes,
oorsair being dogged at all times and
on all sides by Chinese ships or the
emperor. decided to CONQUER 'hc Phil
great people there.
In November of that year he arriy
ed In Manila bay with G2 SHIPS. -.0Oi
sailors. 1000 soldiers 800 womer an,
number of skilled artisans. He ha'
come to stay. and he brought soldiar
for the arts OF war and skilled lab0
for the arts of peace.
After two assaults on the fortli'ca
tions of Manila. in which therr wer'
heavy losses on both sides. the Chin
ese, after having all but wrested vic
tory from the Spaniards. were beatel
back to their ships. and III Ma E0nl
sailed away to the mouth of the Ayn,
River in the province OF Pangasinan
He told the natives there that he ha,
won great victory over the Spaniard
and they. being as willing to have or
set OF foreigners as another for mas
| ters. promised to be loyal.
, The pirate built Notifications. a pa
. coda. and huts for his followers t
/. live in. and was Just getting his sci
. tlement under way when the Spaniard
+ appeared and demanded his surrei
der lie refused. but few weeks lal
er. fiuding he would surely be over
powered he sent a part OF his men ;
attack the Spaniards and while hi
I enemies were thus engaged he sale
3 away to the open sea and liberty b
0 way OF the mouth Of the Agno Rivel
A which was unknown to the Spaniard.
}. The attacking party which he sen
n out was left to shift for itself and tn
;. members OF 1t fed to the mountain
!. and lived among the Igorrotes. TIL
!, strain stlll shows among the Igorrotei
!. who are today probably lower In tn
moral. mental and physical scale tina
any Of the other people In the Phi
ipplne archipelago These are po
sessed OF lighter.colored skin tina
n their fellows aud have slant eye
a They are called Chinese Igorrotes.
was one OF those to whom Captain WI
lams' servant talked.
But Philippine history does not @,
:, plain how the Bagobos. tribe OF hea
y hunters who live In the Island OF MI,
= danno. today talk the same languag
or almost the same language as III
Samoan islanders. Yet such Is II
70 fact
!, Tho Bngabos are strange peop
= with many strange customs. The
put premium on murder. Until