The sun., 1901-09-14
WE HAVE TAKEN PtRAGTA.
IT'S . Fair-sired. D~nseiy Wooded Phiiip-
pine island People Very Poor.

Puerto PRIScEsA. Island 81 Paragua
July II This island. which II situated In
the southwestern portion of the Philippine
Archipelago. has recently been occupied
! by a company OF the Tenth Infantry under
tho command Of Capt Ell A Helnick. a
very alb. and exp.rienc~d offic-r Of long
service In Cuba Prior 10 his coming. no
! American troops had taken post on the isl
| and, and IL was not known what resistance.
| II any would be made, 80 the transport
which brought the land forces here was
accompanied by two gunbos,- They en-
| t.r,-d the harbor Of Puerto FTincesa In
solemn state. and upon arriving in front
/ If the town they saw the insursent flag
! floating. hut IL was found that the so-callrd
Governor was absent with u detachment
| in the northern part Of tho island. hence
the invading troops were duly asked to
await his r,turn In reply the Governors
| representative was told that his pesocful
surrender would b- awaited for one hour.
and II not forthcoming at that time forcible
! possession would he taken of the town.
Every preparation was made for a night.
| One hundred rounds Of ammunition were
issued to each man. and this was followed
| by the decentralization. The ladies Of
| th" party were prepared To s-s actual
hu-tiitl"-. but before the troops werc all
| transferred To- the small boats a sheet was
raised ON IN" dock a. a Sign OF surrender.
Upon examination thirteen old guns.
were found. about two Of which would
! probably shoot. and some forty odd wooden
/ sT~arS One energetic man with = loadcl
revolver could have put the entire town
/ To flight since then ANAL detachments
have heen In he field hunting for the absent
| Filipino Governor. who declined 10 come
| back and give himself up All ~ his men
except two have bcrn captured. and 30 tho
American force- ar- In peaceful possession.
The Island II Paragus or Palavan IL north
| a. Rornru. and il one II the most southern
! islands II the Philippine group II -
| about two hundred aud Atty miles long
aud thirty miles wide II IL exceedingly
mountainous and heavily wooded IN IN.
| central pdr' Tn" Spanlards made very
| little progress M colouizing II This town
l. the result ~ their last effort IL wss
| huilt IN the early sev entities and has less
! than thirty wears IT history IL ~ we'll
| located and well laid out on the neck Of
land which enc lo-cs the landlocked haTbor
on the EAST II IL furnished with good
| barracks of hard wood and brick covered
! with "a corrugated roof They were begun
| the Spanish Gov rrnment, and unfortunately
| left IA half completed condition. Whsn
finished they will accommodate q com
| pany of one hundred and ffty men ooin-
| furtahly There - In addition Governors
| palacr a church. convent and jail.
/ hlt good water j. scarce, and cirterns are
| the main dep.nd.nCe
Your correspondent has seen = great
| deal uf poverty. hut hs las never yet es.en
| peupl 49, generally poor according Ia
| American standards a. the people of this
| island 1h"r" 10 not place between
| this port and the northern end ot the isl
aud that contains a store where any OF the
! various things which a civilized man thinks
| ~ C.'--ary cuuli he bought One store has
/ .nc,. h-'cn established here. and of course.
/ II doing = good business The southern
| part II the island II p"opl.d by tho Moro.,
| who ar- said Ia l@ IA q t-'tter cundiuon
| than are those IN the northern end ~ tho
Z island Tn. commanding oNicer ~ tho
Cunpanv stationed here ls Mayor oi IN.
| town and has visited all ~ the outlyins
hsrrios. restoring order and encouraging
| the people Ia e. to work The native.
| live IN What are called nipa huts, built az
! hard wood rolcs and bamboo. covered
I with nipa leaves which are from a species
| 81 palm that grows along the river hanks
and IN the -wamps The natives dress
I generally about a. q" thr middle and lower
/ class In Cuhs hut there " trihe which
occupies the mountainous region, who
/ wear hut little clothing A large slss
bandAnnA handkerchief would fully dress
! an ntro family Among the men EN-
ployed tn clean UP the town was young
/ fellow ~ this tribe who reported with
neatly cut hair, and gee string. which
/ witt the handkerchief constituted his
entire outfit A. In the case Of tho ninitAs
! of C,ila, II is only a matter Of getting used
| To IL
A small percentage Of the people speak
! Spanish but spanish II all that one needs
to know, a. there Is always some one 10
- l.g. All
Ia interpret The common language OF
! tle people ~ Tagalog or Ni.ayan, but In
the south Moro is spoken. Thess yargons
rcsanble our Indian languages, and abound
| in harsh, cultural sounds more than they
do in spanish There is little beauty or
utility 10 tempt one 90 study them
Their music " not ~ unlike ours. and they
dance and wsltS. polka and two step not
grac-fuliy hut CORRECTLY There IL brass
land here cnnsisting ~ ten OF twelve piece~,
which Is probably the only ono IN the Us
end Ii now plays the Star Spangled
Banner with variations peculiar TO the
performers Al one of tho visits. At which
] was present the music consisted of an
accordion and q drum somewhat like the
native drums OF Cuba.
The cultivated products OF the island
are rior or polay and corn. together with
the usual tropical fruits This year the
grasshoppers have destroyed the rioe in
many places Here. 80 In Cuba, they have
a fine grade Of cattle. which are always
Ia good condition Every native family
has few ohiokens and pigs, but egg are
difficult 20 gel. The spanish Government
attempted 20 raise sugar cane on this island.
hut tho land select~d was not suited To that
crop, and the experiment Was a failure. but
there aTe doubtless many PLACES where cane
, can he grown To advantage Probably
thu most valuable product that can be had
from the island " hard wood timber. Of
which there are many varieties growing
IN profusion The trc~s are ~ immense
height, and straight. without limb for
hfty OF sixty feet The moet valuable wood
l. the ipil. Of a dark red color and very
hard, 40 that II takes an excellent polish.
Floors and frame work are made from II,
~ the " hi'e ant which h great peat here.
docs not attack Il In a single day th.
anis will riddle the bottom OF pine chest
and ruin the contents
This island h en'irely paoihed' and no