Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-06-08

l u ~ gNN hAiRNf Nh'A h'f 80
turned Traveller, that In
the Sulu Islands the an
Client savage custom Of
taking wives by capture is
49, still prcseryed?'
THAT shows at once the
FlIpinos are not civilized said the
Newspaper Man "A civilized man new
er has TO capture a wife. His only trou
bic is TO keep the women from captur-
ing him.
The Lady scowled at the Newspaper
Man and the Returned Traveller con
tinued:
THE natives Of the sulu archipelago
are as different from the Tagalos and
llocaners OF the north Philippines as a
hyena from a monkey The Suus are
black as velvet and have pronounced
negro features, but their hair Is straight
as a poker. They claim to be Moham-
medans, but the only sign OF It | ever
saw is the way they Cypress their WOO
men and keep them in seclusion Those
Sulu women are as afraid Of a white
man as II he were a roaring lion and a
boa constructor rolled into one
quite right they are remarked the
Lady white men are dangerous
mot to those women replied the
Traveller Fore heaven, they are the
most monstrously ugly creatures In the
shape of the human female on this
planet today. know that because a
woman could not be homeler than they
arc"
Il should not think their men would
want 10 capture them then" observed
the Newspaper Man
"Oh but they do. That's the fashion
In those parts, When a sulu takes
fancy to a girl, he breaks into her ia
theirs house at night like burglar
seizes the girl by the hand and drags
her off. If her father does not want the
lover TO have the girl he tries to kill
him. and they mutually XIII each other
II they can. If, on the other hand. the
father Is willing, he bargains for the
sale Of the girl dsposes of her at sat.
isfactory price and sends her OF with
the lover"
But suppose she does not want to
go?' said the Lady
In that case she tries TO kill the
wooer on her own hook. II she can. she
gets rid Of him. II she can't, she has to
go with him and be his WIFE no matter
how much she hates him, II does not
make any difference, either, whether
the woman Is married or not. If Sulu
brave loves another mans wife, which
happens often--for we always like what
we have not gothic goes TO the hus
bands house. takes the wife by the
hand and endeavors TO lead her off with
him. II the husband In possession Is
tired Of her he let's her go for a sufil-
cient consideration. paid by the hus-
band who would be, II, however, her
owner desires to keep her, he kills or
tries TO kill the lover, and the lover
tries TO kill the husband. II the lover is
the victor he carries off the woman,
leaving a number Of widows, more or
less, behind him"
What Is polygamy practlced in the
Philippines" asked the Lady.
Yes, in the sulu islands. A man
may have all the wives he wants II he
can capture them | visited in COM
pany with a white man who had been
In the Islands long time, Sulu chief,
q Dato, living short distance out OF Jolo.
This Dato had seven wives. every one
little worse looking than the others.
My friend said to me: Now, II you fancy
one of the Dato's wives, just go to her
and put your hand upon her When
man puts his hand upon a Sulu woman,
she belongs 10 him. II the Dato iswlIlng
to let her 90, he will sell her to you at
the highest market price. II not. he
will whip out his bolo and kill you, or
try to. You may buy the woman or
fight for her, according TO the Dato's
pleasure and mood
How do the sulu women dress?"
asked the Lady.
Mostly like Mohammedan women.
They wear baggy trousers gathered In
at the ankle, Over this is a sort OF
loose. flowing gown, coming down
about half way between the knee and
ankle. They travel In their bare feet,
which are very broad, with the toes
spread wide apart
Some Of them wear on their heads
the same style Of queer hat the men do.
1t 10 braided from palm fiber and stitch
ed together in the shape Of a cone, A