The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-09-27
A MARINE IN THE PHILIPPINES

Former Hillyer Guard Boy of Hartford
 Writes We'll of What He Sees.
 P + Bowling is a Hartford boy now on duty for Uncle Sam in the Philip pines, says the Hartford Times He was a former member of the Hillyer Guard, and is now attached to Company A, Second regiment, United States Ma Irine corps, and is now at Olongapo, Isle of Luzon. Ia recent letter to his un- cle, James F. Bowling, of Foot Guard place, the marine boy writes as follows:
 A soldier is hardly the person to att tempt to describe the Philippine Islands in befitting manner, for as a rule his life and daily routine while stationed at some small barrios, away from every thing but half-clad natives and cocoa nut trees, is not calculated to inspire him with dreams of the wild, pictur- esque beauty of the bush or the unpar- aHeled sunsets common in the far east. To the unknowing friends at home the name Philippine islands suggest savage Moros, head-hunting Igorrotes, armed with naurderousbolos, and all manner of contagious diseases and levers. But this idea is erroneous and should be cor rected. The Moros, without a doubt, are a savage race who have no idea of the word fear, but they also have a wholesome respect for Uncle Sam's sol diers, and their warlike movements are confined to secret meetings. While the climate of the islands is not all that could be desired, still no normally heal I thy white man could become seriously lil unless he is careless or did as the soldiers must sometimes do from necess- | ity-fike for several days or weeks, without change of clothing and lying tdowr between sheets of water. Add I to this flardtack and canned bill and you have the nucleus of a fine fever
 case.
 'The natives are of different mixtures,
 the Malayan naturally predominating
 over the negro and Spanish. On the is- Hand of Luzon there are more than one hundred different tribes of vari colored and sized people. The most enlightened lof these are the Mestizas and Maca- bebes from the northern part of the is- I Hand. These people are almost white in Icomplexion and have regular and pleas ling features, and their beliefs and
 worldly knowledge are far above that lof any of the other miscellaneous
 brown men on the island.
 "The Igorrotes are about as near an
 approach to the missing link as could
 be found. They are not inclined to az I riculture and live on the fruits of con I stant hunting trips. They are small IaImost dwarfish in stature, and what Language they use is the very lowest I mixture of Togalla. Among themselves I the sign language is entirely used l Their hunting parties can be encoun- tered in the dense brush. miles away \ from any habitation. With the bolc I they cut down three or four bamboos I from which they erect a small lean-tc l against some convenient bush, on tor l of which are spread few palm leaves l Under this rude shelter, which is raised lperhaps three feet from the ground they squat, eating the flesh of the ami Imals that have fallen to their arrows | with hardly any preparatory cooking l Conchas and snails found along the beach also form their menus especially lat a 'feasta. They associate with nt iother tribes and are, on the whole looked down upon Their methods ol hunting are very crude and ingenius.
 "A native barrios is a place of un learthly noises and smells. The houses lare of bamboo, with nepe grass roofs and, as rule, do not exceed twelve fee square. Tn this one room the entir, family, usually accompanied by tn, lgoats, pigs and game cocks of the lort
 of the manor, retire at night, and tn,
 noises which arise from one of thes
 shacks on dark night can only b lealaled by the odor,
 Schools can be found in all the large Ipeoblos, but they are not patronized al lwell as might be wished.
 While many military roads hay,