The representative., 1901-06-06
THEODORE BOYD.
FILIPINO WEAPONS.
Ugly Knives and swords Used I'm War
fare by the Natives.

Ugly Knives and swords Used I'm War.
fare by the Natives.
Lieutenant Commander Harry s. Knapp.
Filipino weapons to his parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. Frederick Knapp. Of IA Columbia
street, says the Hartford Comm Courant.
The weapons are of a great deal of inter-
est. They show what the American soldiers
were up against in close fighting. They look
uglier than meat axes in a hand-to-hand
conflict. The only implement Of warfare
that Is not dangerous Except to the Wom-
ans Christian Temperance union) is the
canteen, and the Filipino canteen is made
of bamboo. It looks something like the
kegs used for oysters many years ago. The
ried by rope. The slaves are bound with
bark twine.
Some Of the large swords and knives are
dangerous to handle. They are carried in
sheaths which are lightly wound about the
blade. When the owner Is walking about
looking for a fight. he keeps the blade
sheathed and does not remove 1t. 1t is not
removed until the weapon comes down on
the head OF an enemy. A hard blow Is de-
lfvered, and as the blow descendS 1t cuts
through the twine that holds the sheath
and Is buried in the skull, the sheath falling
apart In two places.
There are some interesting specimens Of
bolos. Every Filipino and Moro has his
bolo He does not necessarily carry 1t as
his war weapon. 1t enters into his home
life, and marks his social and professional
rank by its shape and ornamentation. All
these instruments are made by hand. Grim
tnals are usually made to work In the bol0
factories. Many of the men become expert
IN wood and ivory carving, as the handles
indicate. The bolo plays an important part
In the mystic dance performed prior to q
marriage, the members Of the family pros
trating themselves before it and swearing
allegiance to It.
The campilan Is the regular arm of the
Moro private soldier. 1t is about four feet
long and very sharp. It's scabard consists
of two pieces Of wood loosely tied together.
1t is never unsheathed for the first stroke.
The blade cuts through the wood, thus un-
sheathtng ITSELF The handle Of the cam
pilan is Of ebony or mahogany.
The kris Is the favorite weapon of the
st II officers. It Is from two to three feet
loLg. One-third of the way down from the
tip 1t ripples in little wavelets of steel. This
sword inf1icts a ghastly wound. The ap
proved kris stroke is for the body, with a
peculiar weaving motion of the wrist. sup
posed to send the blade home and spread the
wound. The blade Is often inlaid with gold,
and sometimes with pearls and other Jewels.
In theory this Is to make it flash In the
light as it is brandished above the head.
One of the most interesting weapons Is
the talibong,, sort Of headsman's AK. 1t
is from four to five feet long. and weighs
from four to eight pounds. Companies US
ing these weapons act as an advance guard.
The weapons are also used by the official
headsman in decapitating criminals. The
chief use of the talibong. from which it got
it's name, was to. sever the head of the VIC
tim fallen in battle.
During the continuous warfare between
the Moros and the Spaniards the Moro army
was armed almost exclusively with bolos
There is peace between the Moros and the
Americans. In the north Of the archipelago
a form of bolo is used as an agricultural in
strument, for the gathering and harvesting
of crops.