The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-04-25
LIFE TN THE
PHILIPPINES.
A Morristown Young Mans
Experiences III Our Inst
lar Possessions.
A COUNTRY NOT WELL KNOWN.
EDITOR JERsEYMAN: :

The little general knowledge which
the masses OF our people now have Of
the Philippines was largely gained
during the exciting period Immediate
ly following the capture Of Manila in
the summer OF 1898. Previously few
people had ever heard Of the islands,
and fewer could have located them
upon the map.
The Philippines, together with the
empire of Japan form chain Of is
lands Of volcanic origin lying parallel
with the eastern coast of Asia. They
comprise the southern third of this
chain and lie wholly within the trop-
les. Their geographical position with
reference to the Chinese Empire is Of
great commercial Importance to the
United States, and their development
under the auspices of our government
is a matter of absorbing interest.
The islands have a population Of
about 1000, 900, Of whom 100000 are
classed as uncivilized or non-chris-
tians. There are four classes of in
habitants, the negritos, Idonesians,
Malayans and European mestizos.
The negritos are supposed to have
been the first inhabitants and to haye
come from New Guinea. They are
black and small and the only people
who have kinky hair.
Some people call the Filipinos pic
tureSque, but as we see them they
wear just enough clothing to flag a
hand car, shoes they never wear and
they leave a track like grizzly bear.
The men wear hats from two to two
and one-half feet in diameter. There
is one tribe called Igorrotes who
wear nothing but a gee string, let
their hair grow long, carry spears and
speak a language that is a combipa-
tion of bass drum and fiddle. If any
tribe of Filipinos can be called pic
turesque the Igorrotes certainly de-
serve the appellation.
The school teachers sent here from
the United States in 1901 have met
with great success, and nearly all have
renewed their engagements with the
government for another two years.
Old and young are equally anxious to
obtain the benefits Of the schools, and
especially to learn TO speak English.
Many schools hold evening sessions to
accommodate the large number who
crowd into them. AS has been terseIy
remarked "a nation has gone to
school,
The Philippines are described as a
land of sunshine and flowers, waving
palms, beautiful ferns, majestic noun
tains, roaring torrents, luscious fruits
and picturesque people. Now to the
traveller of leisure and in search of
the picturesque the description fits O.
X. The average flower would stink a
hyenna from a glue factory. The
waving palms are described by Mark
Twain as resembling dilapidated UNI
brellas, and the ferns have stickers
that leave a wound like the stab of a
knife. The roaring is all right, there
are lots of romantic people who never
see river tilted up more than il
ought to be without roa ring some
about it. The majestic mountains !
Just carry Kraig rife, one hundred
rounds of ammunition, blanket, can
teen, haverSack and three days ratiOnS
over one of these mountains and then
try to extract poetry OUT of the Situa-
tion. The fruit is little dried up ba-
nanas about the size of North Caro-
lima peanut, and cOcoanuts at five
cents each. The ten commandments
of the hospital corps are don't eat the
fruit or you will have the cholera, Z
and sssleep under mosquito bars and
avoid the fever"
The grub we get is good, wholesome
and as a rule well cooked, but our bill
of fare lacks variety stThe same yes
terday, to-day and forever, Heb
XIII. 81 and the emergency ration |
dislike to speak of, like candidates 1t
has it's friends and its enemies. To its
friends it is relief, to its enemies it
is imaginary TatiOnS, condition
powders,p or first aid to the in
juTed. The emergency ration is put
up in tin box about the size of a bar
of soap, and contains cake of black
tea, two small boxes of salt and pepper
and two cakes OF stuff that tastes and
smells like a very poor grade of fertil-
izer. 1t is amusing to see a Rookie
tangled up with a can OF this COM
pressed vitality. Perhaps he has been
on a long hike (march) and it is rain
ing like blazeS so he can't build a fire.
Meal time comes, a halt is sounded, he
remarks that he is hungry enough to
eat a pole cat, opens a can OF semer-
gency,p which is intended for DAYS
ration, thinks it is a shame to ask
big man to make meal from these
meaSly little cakes. He takes a couple
of bites, drinks some water and begins
to swell up like poisoned bull frog.
After eating twO-thirds of a cake
Rookie declares himself satisfied as to
quantity and rolls his inevitable Gig
arctic.
| am prevented by common decency
and the sixty-Second article of war
from naming the dish on hike, but
will give the recipe with apologies to
Mary 4. Lincoln, Soak hard tack in
water as long as you have time, then
FRY IN mess pan with lots OF bacon
grease and brown sugar and serve on
dog trot should the captain give {" for
ward march just then.
Hikes are always hailed with de-
light for that means plenty Of chicken.
The very sight Of native barri0 seems
to suggest chicken TO the average