The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-05-13

WHEN we consider that TO per cent. Of the entire extent of the Philip
 W pine Archipelago is covered with forest 1t is not surprising that many reg ions are beyond the influence of ciylllzl- tion and some remote and inaccessible that their inhabitants have never seen a white man. Wild tribes are scattered throughout the length and breadth of the islands from Cape Egano, at the north of Luzon, to Sarangani Point, at the southern extremity of Mindanao. There are upward of eo0,o0o uncivilised people. ranging in degrees of barbarian from the Moros with their crude form of political organixa- tion. to the utterly savage and unsettled Nesrftos. The spaniards roughly classi. he'd the population as Christians, Pagans and Moors. Authorities differ widely as to the number of non- Christian tribes, some lists containing more than 80 names. but 1t is probable that these may properly be reduced to 16 or fewer, the principal of which in the order of numerical i'm portance being, Moro. Igorot, Bukidnon, Subano, Mandaya. Negrito and Manobo
 With the exception of the Negritos, the native population Is of Malay origin. the result of three great mig tory movements at widely distant dates. The Negritos are the aborigines of the Philippines and the fact that they are still found upon the Malay Peninsula and the Andaman Islands, the British penal settlement In the Indian Ocean, has created A belief that they were in prehistoric days the sole possessors of the Malay Archipelago and the adjacent mainland from the An damans to the Philippines. The Negrttos are one of the pygmy races of the world The average height of their men is about { feet and inches and the women are considerably shorter The early Spanish and Portuguese travellers called them Tit tie negroes'' on account of their kinky hair aud facial resemblance to the South African, but the cranial forma ton differs greatly, and the attempts of some fanci ful writers to connect the two races are not supported by the slightest reasonab ble hypothesis. Including mixed breeds, there are about 30.O00 Negritos in the Philip pines scattered over the greater part of the archipelago. They are incorrigibly wild. Every effort to civllize them has failed. The utmost result produced in a few cases of individuals has been the degree of domestication to which a dog or horse Is susceptible. Probably there Is no more primitive race to be found on the earth at the present time. The ex- tent of their social organization is the family unit and, while a few families may live together In the depths of the jungle for the sake of protection or con venience, the community Is of tenn porary character and involves no ties other than those of blood rela ationship. The Negritos are nomadic by habit and of timid d,spostion. The sight of Ak.nwx
 approach of civilization In any form is the signal. for the abandonment of vil- lage, or, rather, encampment. The Negritos may indulge this tendency without any serious inconvenience to themselves, for they have no possessions about which to be concerned. They do not till the ground, neither do they domes ticate any animals. They have no kind of furniture nor uten- sils and wear no clothing The shelter of boughs, which is deserted in the morn- ing, may readily be replaced by another a few miles away before sunset, and the family Is as much at home tonight as 1t was yesterday. The women do what little work there Is to be done. The earth may be scratched with n pointed stick anu a handful of make sown, but 1t Is an ex- ceptionally enterprising family that aspires to anything beyond fish, roots and grubs In the way of food. ,The weapons of the Eegrito are bamboo spear and bow much longer than himself, the arrows of which are sometimes poisoned. He never attacks in the open, but 10 apt to am- bush stranger and occasionally raids the rancheries of civilised Malays in the night and drives off cattle.
 As may be supposed. the intelligence of the Negritos Is of the lowest order, and they do not appear to be capable of any development. Wherever found the same degree of primitive barbarian is exhib- ited. Their religion is compound of ma ture-and-demon worship. The moon is the chief deity and the forests and mountain fastnesses are peopled with spirits. be- nign and malign, who take active inter. est in the affairs of men and who are to be constantly reckoped with.
 There are several hybrid tribes sprung from union of Malays and Negritos. but 1t seldom happens that woman of the former race Is involved in a connection of this character. for. although the female Maiays entertain extremely liberal ideas on the subject of intermarriage. they draw the line at Negritos as . rule. One of the most interesting of the Malay Eegrito tribes Is the Mangyan, who in habit the Interior of Mindoro. They have the features of the aborigines and wooly hair, but are not quite as short in stat urs. The Mansysns make rude huts of branches and bamboo, practice 6 simple form of agriculture and make some pre- tence of covering their nakedness. The men wear a scanty loin~ cloth, which Is the sole garment The dress ot the wo- men Is unlike anything of the kind to be found elsewhere in the Philippines. About the waist and hips is coiled a mass of cord made of plaited strips of rattan. This article Is never taken off. It is be- run in girlhood with few coils and Is added to from time to time. Suspended over the front of it Is short clout a few inches In breadth. This completes the costume of married woman. but an unmarried girl wears. in addition. a GOV ering of plantain peel over her breasts.
 During the rains the Mangyans huddle together in their roughly walled and tAatched huts elevated upon posts The dry season is passed In roaming aimlessly about in the forests. spending the day in hunting and fishing and bivouacing at night wherever chance may ind them.