The sun., 1901-06-10


pHILADEiPHIA, June s-Edward G. Wilson.
who is In the Philippines serving with Com
pany c Of the Twentieth Infantry at An
saoui. has sent a letter to First Sergt James
Welsh Of the First Regiment. n. @. p. which
contains some Interesting facts In regard
to n people who have some strange super
stitiorW and tastes. The letter reads
From very close observation and the
help OF an old Spaniard. who Is a friend OF
mine and has been n settler In this barrio
for many years. have been able to gather
the following facts concerning 'onr friends.
the Igorottes.' In the first place. you do
not have to recommend outdoor or Del
sarte exercise for them. as they are con-
stantly In the open air. Active at all times.
they are great mountain climbers and In
breathing the pure. clear air Of the noun
tains here, sickness is seldom known among
them. As race they are exceptionally
well developed. though somewhat small
They are never troubled over DIR ess or its
reform. Their one costume answers for
all occasions and Is practically worn all the
year round They are. however. not over
cleanly in their person ,. and about the only
time they get bath IL when It rains or when
they. by accident. fall into stream
IN their habits they closely resemble our
Indians. and the prehistoric Indian Gus tom
OF letting the won en- do oil the work and
drudgery while their lords and masters cit
around In indolent ease. smoking green to-
bacco in ill-smellins pipes. prevails. Tho
women and children also have acquire cd
the nabit Of smoking. and when iamily
gathers around the circle on an evening and
begins to smoke that Is your cue TO nee. for
to stay Is TO be strangied by the dense volume
Of evil smoke which they produce. I have
found that many OF these people suffer from
a frightful throat disease that resembles cah-
Ger. and which believe TO be brought about
by their excessive smoking Of unseasoned
tobacco. They say II Is caused by the great
quantity OF unknown mineral substances
in the water they drink have not known
the water TO affect any of our men IN this
manner. although they freely drink II and
constantly bathe In Il
cure for sickness When a part Of the body
is injured they tattoo little stars all over the
affected parts. believing that by this means
taken up their abode there. Being exposed
to the sun and weather at all times they are
constantly shedding their skin. much like a
do not wash. for they are so proverbislly
lazy and indolent in things Of this kind that
they prefer nature TO conduct the Job.
little berries, which they string, and which
are then plated in the strands OF their black
hair. making quite pleasing contrast. With
tsttooins, these are about the only ornaments
they affect. excepting some Of the older wo-
men. who wear necklaces made OF the back
bones Of snakes. I purchased one Of these
for the equivalent Of 20 cents. American
money, but have not been able to bring my
self to wear IL. although they say they are
productive OF good luck.
Dogs are considered by these people to be
a great delicaoy, men and boys making fire.
quent trips to the coast towns. where they
gather up all the stray CANNES they can,
bring them here and fatten them, afterward
disp1 sing Of them at good figures
When death occur. in a family the native.
take chickens. meats and other kinds OF
food and a great feast is held, followed by
a wild dance similar TO the dances Of our
Western Indians. and on its close the body
is buried the personal belongings Of the dead
person are handed around among the rela-
tives and the visitors depart There are
rich mines in this district and some Of tho
native. are fabulou.ly rich, but they do not
their mines they will not eat meat. as they
believe il will make them blind to the sight
OF gold