Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-02-06
WITH THE SULTAN OF SULU.
The Guy That Has so Many Wives, as GUS
CIosuit Uniquely Puts it.
JOLO, 2. L, Dec, Is, 1901.

JOLO, 2. l., Dec, Is, 1901.
EDITOR REPORTER:-B Being off duty
today | will write you a few lines
about our new station. We are now
in the Sulu islands, the land of the
MOrOS. This is where the much
talked of Sultan of Sulu (the guy that
has so many wiveS( rules.
We are in the town of JOlO, HOlO. on
the island of JOlo. Jolo is the only
town of any Importance on the islands.
/ 1t is surrounded by brick wall from
three to five feet thick and about
twelve feet high, pierced every three
feet with loop holes for rifles, the wall
has but two gates which are closed at
night and all MOrOS not having permits
to live inside must go out, To the
north outside the walls is the Moro
town of BuZ Buz which is built of
bamboo and over the waters of the
bay. To the south is the town ,Of
Teulii, the Chinatown of JOlO. The
FilipinOS here also live in Teulii.
JOlO has macadamiZed streets, coral
being the material used for road max
ing. 1t has system of WaterworkS,
the water supply is taken from the
hills back of the town. There are also
several small parks and fountains and
all the streets are lined with cocoa,
lime and other tropical trees. The
buildings are all two stories and of
Spanish design painted in bright
cOlOTS.
A fine stone pier extends about 150
yards out into the bay which is lighted
with many lamps and forms a prom
enade, there is also light house tower
and the public baths tBanOS de Sta
Rosa adjoining the pier.
The natives Of the Sulu islands
belong to the Moro tribe of the Malay
race. They are ignorant people, their
language being simple, it takes but
few words for a native to express his
thoughts. In religion they are
MOnammedan. Nearly all MorOS
dress the same. The men wear short
Jackets and very tight trousers, some
have very large trousers much like a
bag. The women dress in much the
same manner as the men with the
addition Of large sheet like a piece
of cloth, which they wrap around
themselves at times. The children
run about in natures clothes only.
The men all wear turbanS and the
women bamboo hats. Their clothes
are all of bright colors, the brighter
the color the prOuder the wearer.
Their hair which is straight and coarse
is of the blaCkeSt. They use much
cOcOanut oil on their hair which
becomes rancid in a short time, one
can tell Moro is near without seeing
him just by the OrdOr from this oil.
These people are very @hOspitable
toward one another but keep away
from Americans. Some have such a
fear Of our soldiers that they will go
many blocks out Of their way to keep
from passing Gne Of them. They are
cOntemptuOua peopi@ md can endure
most anything III CLe line Of pain or
bar, ship. They unN9e no system
aaout their wOtN anVe are laZy and do
no work but what is necessary. In
the heat of the day they stay in their
little bamboo Shacks and sleep but in
the evening the streets are crowded
with them. They are ruled over by a
Sultan who has number sOf chiefs
under him called dattOS. These
dattoS are always at war with each
other. When a Moro is brought
before datto for stealing, he is
sentenced to have a hand or foot cut
off, many can be seen minus a hand
or foot.
Few MorOs live inside the walls of
JOlo city, this is given up to Ameri-
cans, Chinese and Hindoos. There
are two schools here with Americans
for teachers, one for boys and the
other for girls. The merchants are
all Chinese and HindOos | think that
United States will have to keep troops
in JOlo for many years. The natives
are allowed to carry guns and other
arms here, something the FilipinoS on
the other islands cannot do. Every
man and boy carries larong which
is a bOlo with a wide blade. They
have guns of all kinds from mausers
to flint locks. A Moro is very proud
hombre with all lis arms and while
this proud feeling and carrying arms
goes on a good civil government can
never be established, The 18th.
leave soon for the states, but all men
who have more than six months to
serve will stay being transferred to
other regiments on the islands.
| remain yours truly
GUS. CLOSDIT,
Co. H. 18th Inf, JOlO City, p. |.