The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-02
ABOUT THE MACABEBES
HARRY POE JOHi.sON WRITES FROM
THE PHILIPPINES.
He Says the Tribe Mentioned Are
Brave and HospitabIe-A Trip
Described.

OF Nov. Is, 1900, gives some interesting facts
about the Macabebes, their country and
customs. The letter is as follows:
"A few days ago myself and comrade,
with a native guide made a trip through
the province of Pampanga. / left Manila
on the railroad running due north intend
ing to visit our fighting friends the Maca-
bebeS, a wonderful race, progressive ana m
tellectual, who in times past Were the allies
of the Spaniards and at present SO ABLY
fulfilling like mission for the Americans
Early on the morning of the lZth inst.
we started out on n trip, leaving the quaint
little town OF Bacolor nestled as IL IS among
great patchwork OF silver gray rice nelds,
interviewer with stripes Of greensward and
embroidered by groves and clumps OF pam
boo stalks resembling great punches or
green feathers, rising high above ones
head, their branches quivering and swaying
with every passing breeze one must pic
ture in his minds eye magnificent noun
tains as blue the great blue ridge OF the
Alleghenies, rising and falling in volcanic
beauty on every side as far as the eye
could reach and as you leave the quiet lit
tie village and ride up along the wide and
swift flowing Pampanga river. amid rice,
cane, and corn fields, you Immediately
come TO the conclusion that the adj
vanced methods and ideas of farming as
practiced at home would make these
Islands one of the greatest agricultural
centers TO be found in the Orient.
A FINE PEOPLE.
'In contradistinction to The Tagalo and
his shiftless, careless ways the Macabebe
Is the soul of neatness and order. every
thing about them and their homes presents
a clean and tidy appearance and their
pretty homes amongst the green trees look
very cool and inviting. Their hospitality
is sincere and boundless, and all along our
route we were impcrtuned TO accept of
their generosity. AT present farmers are
harvesting their rice. 1t is a novel sight
to see them at work, as the harvesting and
threshing is done in the most ancient and
crude way. The rice is first cut with small
odd looking hooks which are curved to
great extent and are very sharp. After the
men have cut the rice it Is shocked in
small shocks and the women then begin
the threshing, which is done in the crudest
manner Imaginable. First a large canvas
cloth is spread on the ground beneath a
four-legged table, the top OF which is made
OF woven bamboo reeds, upon which the
bundles of rice are thrown. The women
then begin pounding the grain with heavy
wooden fails, thereby causing the rice
heads to separate from the straw and drop
through the bamboo netting onto the
cloth. 1t is then put carefully into large
bowl-shaped basket made of pliable bam-
boo reeds, woven remarkably tight that
many of them hold water. The women
pick up the baskets and manipulate them
in such a manner as to cause the contents
to fly into the air, the chaff blowing away
These baskets are handled with an amaz-
ing rapidity for about ten or fifteen min
utes, after which the grain is sacked up
and taken to the little barn. 1t is q fact
that very little of the rice is lost through
this oldtime process
1.-The caribou or water buffalo is the
principal beast of burden among the farm
ers here as everywhere on the island.
These animals are about as large as an
American buffalo and are not unlike our
oxen, with the exception of their head
a M hDr ftaF xxyhf nh r.r.ff
from any other animal / know Of Their
horns resemble those OF mountain goat,
only they are much larger. often measur-
ing four feet from tip to tip. These ami
mails are exceedingly slow, but very gentle
and faithful. and may be seen almost any,
where. drawing heavy carts of a crude
pattern. with thick wheels of wood about
three feet in diameter, which are used
extensively during the dry season.
OLD TIME FLOWS.
1.-THE blowing is all done with these
| animals and the plows used are nothing
more than v~shaped pieces Of hard wood.
sharpened at one end, while the caribou is
| hitched to the other. These clumsy plows
| have only one handle and resemble the
plows, ETC., described in the Scriptures and
| I'm ancient history. The harness used is
but a crooked stick fastened to the ami
mails neck with a rope, and having at each
end a rope which passes along the animals
| sides and fastens to a cross-piece at the
end OF the plowbeam. The caribou is also
ridden extensively. have seen half a
| dozen youngsters astride their expansive
| backs. When idle they are almost con-
/ tinually wallowing in some creek or pud-
| die, and when these animals are standing
| about In the shade or in the water, great
| flocks OF birds may be seen on their backs
| industriously picking away at the ants
/ ticks and other insects that are on their
backs. and the beasts seem to recognize
Il he han of one tfor, ftx.xy IL
/ no effort to scare them away.
/ 1.-THE native ponies are very small and
are seldom used for heavy work. but are
/ ridden or driven to small two-wheeled rigs
| Like the Cuban ponies they are very fas
| and live on a surprisingly small amount OF
/ food.
1.-The natives throughout the country fine
| much enjoyment IN congregating at the
| nearest barrio and INDUCING in very ex
citing pony races as Sundays enter
tainment.
"The people met on this trip were fal
superior In every way to those found IL
and about Manila and they have pro
| found respect for the American nation
and the boys in blue The Tagalos hav,
the same wholesome fear Of them that
| rat has for a ferret and many instance.
have come under my observation shown,
| them TO be superior both as soldiers and a!
| men.
| cisive. whereas the Tagalos have q cring
ing. cowardly manner we'll suited TO thei
l
SCOUTING EXPEDITION.
''While on a scouting expedition through
| Bulacan province the American and Maca
bebe troopers surrounded the barrio o
San Rouque. known to contain some arme,
insurgents. Troop f, of the Fourth Cav
airy. went through the place in search o
arms without meeting with any success
Twenty Macabebes went through afte
that and found thirty guns and as man,
bolos. Before leaving several natives wer
giver the water cure which proved sue
ce ssful.
THE method of eliciting information
from reticent Tagalo, known as IN
water cure is unique and consists &
| spreading a prisoner on his back, holdin
a gun barrel across his open mouth. hi
| legs and arms arc secured and he is poure
full of water; from time to time the gun
| barrel Is removed to find out what he
willing to tell. A private undergoing tn
| operation while looked on gave up
| toio with the first application and hi
| gun after the second. An officer standin
| by lauGhingly remarked that a third dos
would probably reveal the hiding plac
of a Calling gun.
"Iuzon island. like the Indian Territory
| has a large number of tribes occupyin
small area. The Tagalos inhabit tn
three provinces adjacent TO Manila. The
| are born tyrants and rebels and their in
huence in stirring up trouble has bee
Widespread. The Macahetes i've in Pam
| vanga province. north of Manila abou
thirty miles. and are by far the brightes
and bravest men on these islands an
| The best and only true friends the Amer
cans have in the Phil:poines''
Twenty-Six Gamblers Fined.