The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-10
A White Race IN Mindoro.
The Theory Is They Descended From Wanderers
From Europe.

Lieut.. De Clairmont, one of the
Philippine scouts wo recently returned
| to this country, gave the New York
Herald an interesting account of a
race of people in the island of Min
doro, one of the Philippines. The story
is as follows:
| Hidden in the heart of Mindoro,
| reached only by secret and difficult
! trails, guarded by fierce men strongly
armed, live a race of people as white
as you and I. There seems only one
plausible theory of the origin of such
a race. Centuries ago the Philippine
Islands formed a continuous chain,
reaching to the mainland, before vol
canic disturbances caused the con-
Meeting links in the chain to disap-
pear and the group to be parted from
the countries of the world, and it may
have been before that parting this
white people or their forefathers found
their way to the island of Mindoro
An upheaval cut them off, we will sup
pose, from the land that they had left,
and there they settled, making the best
of the situation.
They shut themselves in, safe from
intrusion in their mountain Businesses.
They taught their children to resent
intrusion, they taught their childrens
children. 1t is 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 civiliz-
alton. They are intelligent quick to
catch new ideas, peaceful when not at
tackled, virtuous, Industrious and do
mestic.
The knowledge of this strange .peo-
pie came to me through a Filipino ma
tive whose word is good. He has seen
these people, he has been one of the
few to know them and have frequent
communication with them. What he
told me was upheld by the priest and
the presidente of his province. Man
uel Castro's story is a wonderful one.
We ate and drank together at a re-
ception given by the presidente of
Taijabas province. in Mindoro.
do you know" said Castro, that
the island of Mindoro has a white race
of it's own? The people are as white
as you. Dress them in your garments
and they would pass for Americans"
Then he told me of the strange
whites, for he goes to their outlying
hamlets to trade with them and has
done so for a long time. He is one
Oh TIE lew OulolOtIS dHOWeu MltUlE
their guarded boundaries.
Unless l had gone with friend
ly feeling and made them know
it 1 would never have gotten inside,
or else / should never have come away
again. said Castro The Spanish have
tried to reach them several times,
but they have gone armed: therefore,
they have always met with disaster.
Their guard system is perfect. The
center of their colony is the main
town, of something like twenty thous-
and in population. This is surrounded
by a circle of hamlets of two hundred
or three hundred inhabitants each.
They are built with only ten or fifteen
miles between each.
when alarm of an approach is re-
ceived in one of these hamlets runners
are sent out to all the rest, making
a complete chain. The news is carried
fast. All the circle of villages is up in
arms Men with strange, ancient
wea pons are ready.
"If the intruder tries to force an
entrance a swift. well aimed arrow
greets him. its point made deadly with
poison If he should escape This he
comes upon an array Of spears and
knives. The latter are curved Ike
scimiters and are welded by these peo-
Pile with deadly skill
IF you approach with hostility YOU
VIII fancy them 10 be the most terrible
savages But go in peace and you Will
find them a people Of much advance
ment. far above the Filipinos."
Castro spoke OF them with great
pride. lie boasted Of their beauty
strength and courage. Their women