Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-14

seems only one plausible theory OIL the
origin of such a race. Centuries ago
the Philippine islands formed con-
tinuous chain, reaching to the main
land, before volcanic disturbances
caused the connecting links in the
chain to disappear and the group to
be parted from the countries of the
world, and it may have been before
that parting that the ancestors of this
white people found their way to the
island, of Mindoro. An upheaval cut
them off from the land they had left,
and there they settled. making the
best of the situation They shut them
selves in, safe from intrusion in their
mountain fastness. They taught their
children to resent intrusion they
taught their children's children. 1t is
a part of their creed to be sufficient to
themselves.
And yet, without communication
with the big enterprising world, they
have maintained a certain degree of
civilization. They are intelligent.
quick to catch new ideas, peaceful
when not attacked, virtuous, indus
trious and domestic The knowledge
of this strange people came to me
through Filipino native whose word
is good. He has seen these people
he has been one of the few to know
them and have frequent communica-
ton with them. What he told me was
upheld by the priest and the presidente
of his province. The people are as
white as you. Dress them in your gar
ments and they would pass for Ameri-
cans The Spanish have tried to reach
them several times, but they have gone
armed; therefore they have always
met with disaster. Their guard sys-
tenn is perfect. The center of their
colony is the main town, of something
like 10000 in population. This is sur
rounded by circle of hamlets of 200
or 300 inhabitants each. They are
built with only ten or fifteen miles
between each. If you approach with
hostility you will fancy them to be
the most terrible savages But go in
peace and you will find them a people
of much advancement, far above the
Filipinos.
| Their women are wonderfully beau
tiful, he says. They are tall as a Fill
| ipino reckons height, being over five
faet. They are athletic and graceful
| They wear loose robe falling from
their shoulders and belted with a cord
of banara fiber. Their hair is worn
sometimes flowing, sometimes coiie1
on the top of the head. as gracefully
rs a European woman would coil hers
The men are splendid specimens Ct
manhood being much over feet in
height. They wear short pair OF
| hpr ri ,n1, 2h~ L.
waist. Many of them have curlina
hair All are fair haired and Dl.e
eyed. The coloring of the people
their remarkable intelligence, theil
skill in certain arts, their grace, ant
strength and beauty, their loTe q
sports-all these things were charac
terjstic Of the Greeks of ancient civil
ization. Why should these people no
be an offslloot OF the ancient Athens
They are pleasure loving people
My informant had been present a
many of their festivals, which Occur
frequently He says there is nothing
barbarous about their gayeties. The.
have all sorts of athletic contests :
races and jumping tests anu wha
they call hop games,' sort of lear
frog They have wonderfully graceful
dancing by the men and women. The,
also have music, their instrument
being mostly made of bamboo. The
are adorned on these occasions witt
all kinds of curious ornaments--bi,
of colored stone, claws of birds, ga.
! feathers and flowers. The women ar
passionately fond of flowers and the
raise them in little gardens near thei
II homes.
They are thoroughly domestic, an
, they keep their houses as neat as an
model housekeepr of our own cour
try They are clean in every way, a
though their homes are simple ban
boo houses like those of the brown ma
. tives. They use the cariboo and the
raise many domestic animals. Pig
were taken there In trade. and noy
they are fiourishing.
f, Their dialect is strange Mamie
!. Castro, the Filipino who visits then
is an educated man for a Filipino
, speaks Spanish and is more or less fl
miliar with all the dialects Of the i!
: lands, and says that this bears no r.
. semblance to any one of them. Pr
he is able to converse with ther
: through their knowledge of Spanisl
; and this has come to them through
. happening as romantic as any thu
: you could fancy. Many years ag
u there came to them a new ruler The
Z did not know that he was to be the
J ruler when he came He penetrate
) to their fastness, he came unarme,
: and they admitted him. Then the
y learned who he was. When only 70,
l. years old he had been taken from on
= of their huts by a Spanish surgeo
!. The mother and father had run at HI
:; approach, leaving their twin boy
y AS the parents were too much frigh
. ened to return the Spaniard took til
!, children to Spain. There he educate
y them and they became Christian
/ One of them was a law student.
= soon as he was old enough he set Q,
i for his native land, taking with hi
the education and the religion
:. which his people knew nothing. 4
. soon as the people realized who /
y was they acclaimed him their sulta
9 Ever since he has ruled Their
. taught and partially Christianizt
e them. They are fast leaving the
= Mohammedan religion, and are takiI
!, up the creed which he holds.