The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1901-03-14
War, WINE, WOMEN
GEO. THAcKER At A WAKE

u
Singing. Dancing and Feasting 1T Ma
tive Funeral-Hsw the ssnorit>s Dance
The Soldiers Longing for GOODS CSan
try" and His Love for "the Old Flag
|, I'VE are permitted to print the follow.
ing from the latest letter received by
County Attorney Thacker from his son
George, who is member Of Co. L, 18th
y. 3. Infantry, on duty in the island OF
Luzon. ED. ~
CUYAPo, P. l., Jan. 20, 1901.
My Dear Father: We are now hav-
Ing what they call the cool season
down here. The nights are so cold that
one blanket is hardly sufficient for
warmth. But in the daytime 1t is Just
awful hot, and every afternoon we
have what is called the monsoon wind
from the south, but / call it the next
thing to a gale. Anyone who has
walked against the winds on the plains
Of western Kansas will realize what a
monsoon is.
Let me give you a. description of a
wake that had the pleasure of attend
ing some months ago and it will show
you how these people enjoy themselves
on every occasion. One afternoon while
strolling down one ofthe back streets of
the town heard the sweet strains of
music coming from one of the houses
near by and on investigating found
quite a crowd of natives assembled. I
was invited into the house and on en-
tering imagine my surprise to see the
cOrspe of little child laid out on a
small platform and dressed in the pref
test burial robe imaginable. The dress
was snow-white and all trimmed in old
gold and silver braid. They brought
me chair and when I was seated the
orchestra, consisting OF six pieces, three
clarinets, one fiddle and two guitars,
began to playa pretty waltz, and then
tony establishment a lady and gentle
man stepped out upon the floor and be-
gan to dance and sing. First the lady
would sing verse to the gentleman
and then he would sing to the lady.
They were both barefooted and kept
about four feet from each other and all
the time they were singing they were
keeping time with their feet and sway
ing their bodies and gesturlng with
their hands, as / thought, to impress
the words more forcibly upon each
other. Every little bit they would
whirl around and pass, but never touch
ing each other. This lasted for about
thirty minutes and then two gentle
men sang a duet. OF course could
not understand much of what they
were saying, but / enjoyed it all the
same. After they were through, two
children, a boy and girl, probably six
or seven years of age, got up and went
through love dance and song, kneel-
ing to each other and all III time with
the music too. 1t was the ,cutest thing I
had ever seen, but the best was to come
yet. After each song or dance refresh
ments were passed areuad. such as
nipa and bassa, two native Wines. az
George Sings "Anssaca"
was then kindly invited to sing, but
very Prom pity declined, not being
very gifted in that line as you well
know. But they would not accept no
for an answer and l was not u little
puzzled to know what to choose. /
occasion demanded a sacred song, and
then again | looked at the people, who
by this time were feeling the effects of
the wine they had so freely drank, and
thought they wanted something quick
and comical But remembering they
could not understand anything said,
and not knowing but what that very
night I would be chasing some of them
through the jungles, l concluded that
our national hymn, "My Country IT'S
of Thee" was best suited for the oc-
casion. They clapped their hands and
seemed to appreciate it very mnch.
After nay song. / was invited out into
another house. to partake of the dinner
and a very nice dinner it was too
roast pork, chicken, fish and rice, to
which did full justice, having learned
by this time to.eat with my fingers as
well rs the natives.
A Juvenile Duel
After the repast we returned to the
first:hOuse and again I was delighted to
see those two little children on the
floor. But this time 1t was something
quite different from love dance. It
was q duel. Each one was handed
two sticks, a short one and long one.
One represented a b0lO, the other a
dagger, and /. never want to see a
grantler sight than those two little
kids fighting that duel, each step and
each stroke in time with the music.
There is story in each one of those
dances and I hope that some day /
may learn them. When the fight was
over, glass of water was placed on the
head of each child and they waltzed
around the room separately and to-
gether without splitting drop. 1t was
very neatly done and must have taken
considerable practice and training to
attain such perfection.
-. A4IIigh Toned Dance
have attended several high toned
dances. since have been here and l
must tell you Of the fun 1 had at the
last one. Now in the first place it is
rather hard for an American to dance
with the senoritas Of this country, for
the !ssapatas,n or slippers, they wear
are without heefs and only their toes
fit in, and If you are not used to dane
ing with them, at every turn they. are
sure to,lose them OFF their feet. Six of
us attended this dance and as it hap.
pened I was the only one who could
dance and SO of course they left 1T to
me to do the hOnOrs for the crowd.
After 1 had danced a few times, with
alf the stopping and waiting for the
girls to find their clippers and put them
on and the boys guying me all the
time, I made up my mind that was
going to dance one waltz through with
out stopping. / picked out senorita
whom I thought was very good
dancer and we started out, and as usual
at the very first turn she lost her sapa-
tas and tried to stop, but / held right
on. to her and kept on dancing and