Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-09
THE TRAMP DATTO
HE IS FRIENDLY TO THE AMERI-
CAN TROOPS.
How He and His Followers Bring
Food to the Soldiers-Wants
to See America.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
Near the Great Lakes.
With Lake Lanao Expedition


| PHILIPPINE ISLANDS June 30 1862
L will tell you about Tramp Datto AlTo of
the lakes of the interior of Mindanao Island
where our troops recently engaged in war
Win the Moro tribes. Every one has heard of
orread about tramp counts, and other tramps
OF royal worth, but the tramp datto is
something of a novelty. In the first place
we should know what datto is. The name
Is fast becoming familiar to Americans as
result of the occupancy of the Moham-
medan sections of the Moros in the new
possessions of the United States in the
southern seas of the Pacific Your CORE
spondent Joined the army some years ago,
and was so fortunate as to be assigned to
special duty with of the corps serving
In the Moro campaign at the present time
we became familiar with the datto and his
customs by immediate contact with him
and his tribe. These dattos do not usually
rate as tramp" dattos, because they pos
sess settled estates and properties, and own
many slaves. Inc tramp datto has no set
tied position, although he has a following
or slaves and others, often in large num-
pers. There are not many tramp dattos IN
Mtndanao, and the one referred to is unite
a curiosity to us ALL We met with him on
the Ganasi trail after leaving Malabang In
April, 1902. The long column of infantry.
cavalry, artillery and engineers forced a
passage into the Moro rebel country after
many days and nights of hard work Every
inch of the way had to be cut through the
heavy jungle, and oftentimes under the fire
OF the enemy. All this time the leading
dattos Of the lakes were planning for orr
destruction. few were inclined to be
friendly, but the majority were determined
on war.
Many Councils With Dattos.
The consultations and powwows with the
chief dattos of the tribes Of the lakes were
frequent. The dattos would come to our
camp under the protection of a white flag
to consult terms of peace with our general
L had very good chance to observe the
customs of these dattos They would come
on horseback, dressed in all the colors of
the rainbow, with their people trailing be-
nind' some armed, others ringing bells,
otnerS shouting to announce the passage of
a datto. Our tramp datto comes to us in
the same way. These dattos, except our
friend the tramp, own strongly fortified
houses In fact, this is country in which
every mans residence Is a little fort. Some
of these barricaded houses have been built
for hundred years The houses are of
wood. The walls for protection are earth
and stone and often as high as the house.
TO further strengthen the position there
are wide and deep bitches cut around the
walls. The occupants of the house are
armed and will fight to the death Datto
Allo. the tramp, however, owns no such
house. Whether he has his quota of wives
or not no one about the camps has been
able to determine. He Is a queer character,
and yet every one Is always glad to see
him.
Friendly to Both Sides.
Undoubtedly this strange tramp datto is
friendly to both sides. He comes and he
goes as he pleases. He has proven his
friendship to the Americans dozens of
times, and yet this fearless fellow does not
hesitate to tramp over the hills among
the rtons tribes h;
followers to the fierce Moros. Datto Allo
made himself known to US about the time
of the battle Pandapatan of Bayan. In
this fight the fanatic fighting dattos and
their crazy followers killed one officer and
eight of our men and wounded four off,
GERS and about fifty enlisted men The
writer participated in this engagement and
can certify to the fierce fighting qualities
Of the Moro. Datto Allo was not in this
fight. He viewed the affair from a safe
distance. After the fight, which occurred
May 2, 1902, our tramp datto proved of
considerable service to us. We went into
camp near the fort which cost US so much
to take, and one of the first persons to
come to US with provisions was Datto
Allo. the tramp. He wears a blue United
States army blouse with the straps Of a
first lieutenant given to him by some Off
Ger in fun He headed procession of his
slaves and followers in his blue coat, and
with an air of Importance came to US after
the battle, each of his men laden with
corn, potatoes and other foods much needed
days of May to about the end of the
month
He Wears a Glad Face.
But Tramp Datto Alo is something more
than a provider of food and a conveyor Of
important information. He is of CHEEKY
spirits. He is invariably in smiles. He
wears a brilliant headgear and possesses
good features as appearances go among the
Moros. He does. however, blacken his
teeth like all the Moros, and this tends to
remove some of the pleasantness of his
otherwise pleasing countenance. He always
has his campaign and small knife in his
belt, ready for service. From ten to one
hundred persons trail behind him, ready to
do the bidding of this man, who possesses
power enough to hold his people together
even though he has estate fort, like
the genuine Moro datto. The only man ca
pable of ruling the datto is the sultan.
There is chief sultan of all the Moros
of Mindanao, and sultan for each dis
trict. in the battle of May the Sultan
of Bayan was killed. tramp datto might
not be safe in some sections of the island,
and the Datto Allo, even though courageous
would not expose his followers by leading
them far from the camps OF the United
States troops. Almost every morning this
datto comes filing up the hill to our camp,
with the men In his wake bringing in SOU
venirs to sell, potatoes and corn for ex-
change or cash, news of the enemy and gen.
eral information. He has a smile for all
eral. where he seats himself on the grass
in front and his people form circle about
him. Soon the general or his aid appears.
and after little greeting the natives are
sent to the camp market with the provi-
sions, cloths and relics. Datto Allo engi-
neers the thing. Sometimes he has a pres
ent of spear or a boar's tusk for some
one among the officers or enlisted men.
Sometimes he has useful information to i'm
part through the Interpreter concerning
hidden arms and ammunition. Datto Allo
has many faithful natives in his employ
and these natives are scattered everywhere
and are constantly bringing word to him
of what Is going on among the war tribes
Often your correspondent has followed the
instructions of Allo, and with others dis
covered concealed ordnance just where re-
ported.
Has a Record.
Tramp Datto Allo has a war record The
Spanish troops used to come up here in
the lake country, which is about thirty
miles from the sea, and the Moro tribes
united and as often drove them off Datto
Allo although he has never fought against
the Americans, has often fought the Span
ish A Spanish general and his troops once