New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-10
Ancient Portrait Gallery

however. only when 1t suits their purposes Two
or three dattos have always resisted the Sultan's
war between them. The Sultans control over
them. therefore. is quite limited, and with two
or three warning factions in the islands the jeal
Ousy of the support of the Americans for side
is quite enough TO keep them in a constant state
of turbulence and lighting. 1 suppose one of the
factions thought IL had got together men
enough and that they were absolutely immune,
SO they were Just cleaned out
1t is worth while noting that the constbulary.
which Is highly praised in General Woods dis
patch for Its work, was. IN that section. made
up of Moros themselves II has never been diff
fcult 10 enlist them in service 10 fight
against their own people when called upon. prob
ably owing to the number of factions in the ISL
ands In this particular case the heavy NOR
tally among the Moros engaged probably would
be explained by their methods OF fighting. 1t
would have been impossible 10 have inflicted the
same loss the northern Fflipinos. The latter
have a way OF disappearing before the trooDs in
the interstices of the jungles and conducting
guerilla warfare. But the Moros, the ap-
pearance of an enemy sound the alarm and
gather everybody inside their forts. where they
will fight to the end. Probably the loss In this
case was caused by the fire of the soldiers ar
tillery. The bluejackets probably called
upon to assist in getting this artillery up the
steep heights of the mountain because Of their
knowledge of blocks and tackle
No; I have not the least fear that this move
rnent wifi extend TO the other islands and. in
fact think that the heavy blow struck the
Moros Will have strongly deterrent effect upon
them.
In 1901 Lieutenant H. L Wigrnore United
States engineers. made several armed recon
noitering trips through the island of Jolo. He
visited almost all parts OF the island. and the
port he made about those trips shed some light
on the geographical aspects Of the country and
on the character of some Of the tribes several
of which up to that time had never seen a white
man and were even ignorant Of the existence OF
the Spaniards
His reports show that the island is mountain
GUS though the mountains are seldom higher
than four thousand feet. with few small
plateaus between them The mountains are
thickIv covered with trees and underbrush.
Here and there the natives have made clearings,
and raise cocoanut trees. a little tobacco and
corn and camote. a vegetable which corresponds
to the American sweet potato. The villages
among the mountains are small. and few or
them are surrounded by bamboo fences. The
native chiefs live IN somewhat pretentious
houses but the natives themselves live In nipa
huts. made of grass and bamboo and leaves Of
the nipa palm.
Like all Of the islands OF that group. Jolo is
volcanic. In the last two years however, most
of the volcanoes have been quiet. and in the dry
craters little lakes have been formed Those dry
craters often form splendid natural Notifications
Lieutenant wtgrnore in his expeditions re-
ceiyed a friendly welcome from the native chiefs
AS a rule. visits were exchanged between the
CHIEFS and the American COAllti4SfAAooRs WIZ ~
sured the Moro chieftains that the only and
best course that could be followed by them was
10 seek the friendship OF the American govern
ment which. from its side. assured the Moro
that IL would interfere in no way with his prf-
waite rights and liberty and had no intention OF
doing anything harmful to the prosperity or its
new subjects. This view adopted by the
great majority OF the native chiefs. and IL was
seldom that any trouble was experienced
The task became harder In the interior OF the
island, where white men had ever been seen
The natives at the time OF the expedition were
at war with their near neighbors. On seeing the
expedition march toward them from direction
appear they made preparations to Tight They
seemed to be ignorant OF the use that could be
made OF the American arms. An Interpreter,
however succeeded In assuring them OF the
peaceful intentions of the accommodating force
and an attack was averted on the whole ex-
petition the American force was impressed by
the splendid physical appearance OF the natives
The different tribes live In constant warfare
| and no great mercy Is shown In those wars
| The Spaniards at time seem to have inter-
| ested themselves much in the island. though at
one spot the ruins OF an old Spanish fortress and
| a Spanish gun OF the beginning of the last
/ century were found
| The last annual report OF the Governor OF the
/ Moro provinces says that Major Scott, as Gov
1 ernor OF the Sulu (Joo) district and command
/ ing officer OF the garrison. had had success In
| establishing law and order with unruly a
! tribe as the Sulus. long known the boldest
| OF the pirates infesting Malayan seas" Quot
| ing Major Scotts report the Governors report
| tells of one instance where a Moro had pur-
| him II he planted them in the four corners OF the
Gotta II would make him iuvIluarahle. and thai