The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-03-25

DlAAlxN OOs
primitive pipes. Children in the arms
OF their mothers were to be seen
through the car windows sucking
contentedly at cigars not much smaller
than themselves and enjoying the ef-
fects OF the strong weed as much as
a white baby would drooling over a
stick of candy.
The Nigritos, as indicated by their
name, are diminutive specimens of the
negro race. They are but little lar
ger than pigmies and very low in the
scale of intellect. Instead of affect
ing the lively interest in their new
surroundings, as did the other tribes,
they sat stupid and squat in their
seats and scarcely ventured as much
as look out of the windows. Some
of the women gave way to the sup
posedly distinctively female weakness
curiosity occasionally raised
their heads to obtain glimpse of the
crowds gathered about the train. The
children of the party looked little
black toys, so small and ''cute," as
one lady was heard to remark, were
they.
All Good Feeders.
It was almost noon when the train
arrived and many Of the tourists were
eating Rice seemed to be the princi-
pal article on the bill of fare and this
was eaten in almost every conceivable
position and place. Some of the men
had squatted themselves on the plat
forms of the cars and two and often
more were Dusily engaged in digging
the contents from bowl placed on the
floor. Others stood IN the aisles and
still others were perched on the backs
OF seats, all busy shoveling in the
succulent cereal.
Coming from a tropical country, all
essential to their health and care is
taken that they may have all needed
by them During the short time the
train remained here the men in charge
visited the stores and bought boxes
of oranges and entire clusters of
bananas. These were distributed
among the cars, generous portions fax
ing to each. Several of the natives
assisted in carrying the fruit to the
train and created somewhat of
sensation climbing across platforms
and onto the cars because of the scan
tiness of their attire. When one, clad
only in pair of tennis shoes, an
abbreviate shirt and a breech clout,
dropped his bunch of bananas and
stopped to pick it up a scattering
among the female portion of the sight
seers ensued and momentarily faces
were averted. But nothing more dis
astrous resulted than the mashing of
little fruit.
Travel in Style.
IOLu 1leI0 Cu0 party ludy U0 Sdlu
to have travelled in style, as it was
given a special train. Six tourist
sleepers and standard Pullman were
required to carry the delegation. These
were attached to the regular Burling-
ton train from the west until Bill
ings was reached. Not caring to haul
so heavy train over it's own line
arrangements had been made to run
the Filipino contingent as the second
section of the regular eastbound pas
senger. In making up the two sec
tiOns the Pullman was separated from
the other and taken away as part OF
the first section. This caused not a
little annoyance and inconvenience to
the white men in charge OF the party.
All their clothes and other belong
ings were in the car, as was also the
wife and child of the doctor who
travelled with the party and was chief
of the outfit.
One of the attendants said that they
had left Manila February IL and had
been travelling continuously. Until
San Francisco was reached majority
of the natives had never worn more
than sufficient clothing to hide a
small portion of their bodies. When
they landed the men were supplied
with linen trousers, shirts and shoes
and told they would be required to
wear them henceforth. In spite of this
injunction, many found the habits OF
centuries too strong to be overcome
in an instant and in numerous in
stances trousers, shirts and shoes
were gradually discarded for the more
comfortable attire of dame nature un.