Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-03-11

II riElEif FIEE ISLANDS
Captain Rhodes Writes Of Experience,
With Natives.


Capt. G. D. Rhodes who was the
guest OF Mr., and Mrs. :. 9. Wyandt
last fall is now in the Philippines. He
writes Interestingly Of his experiences
there where he arrived --ec. 2. He
is now at Jolo and writing to Mr..
Wyandt says:
I'VE were taken In for four or
ave days here by our colonel and his
wife (Col. Rodgers, and then
ranked out another captain, and
moved into his quarters. 1t Is cold
bloodsd regulation Of the war depart
ment, but seems the only thing to in
sure justice to all Our quarters are
within a stones throw OF the sea.
and as we live entirely In the second
story, we get all the sea breeze and a
pretty view Of the bay with Its green
islands and smooth water A wide
kporch encircles (southern style) the
four sides OF our quarters, and we
live there most of the time--when at
| home
Il brought a Chino cook from Ma
|nila and obtained a Filipino house-boy
and lavander (wash-man) from the
native population SO we are now
quite comfortably fixed, and running
our own establishment.
This is a walled town, built by the
Spaniards, who were never able to
secure more than a foothold on this
island of fierce Malay pirates. No
Moros are allowed within the walls
between dark and daylight; and dur
ing the day, every Moro entering by
one of the four gates, is searched and
required to leave his arms, usually
his ever-present borong or sword,
with the guard. Notwithstanding
these precautions armed Moros have
occasionally slipped in with arms,
and run juramentado' among the
Christian population. The Moros are
Mohammedans, who came here from
Malaysia and Sumatra about A. d.
1900. OF course they are great
fanatics, and when they believe them
selves injured or when they are deter
mined to commit suicide, they go
juramentado,' lie. they are blessed by
their priests, shave their hair, anoint
the body, and then creep as close to
Christians as they can. On sudden
they throw OF their disguise, and go
at 1t, hammer and tongs, killing and
ultimately being killed, always. The
more Christians the 'juramentado'
kills, the greater will be his reward
in Heaven from Allah, principally in
the form of more wives. There was
a 'boy-juramentado' last June, who
wounded 3 soldiers, but since then
we have had no trouble, and we hope
the habit is dying out, discouraged
perhaps by the fact that the juramen-
tado always gets 1t in the neck
"The island, outside the town of
Jolo, is about 20 miles long, and the
people, though warlike and proud,
are not unitedly hostile to use. They
have been principally fearful lest the
Americans would interfere with their
religion, and now that they find we
have no such intention seem to have
greater confidence in our administra-
ton. But they are treacherous out
fit and sooner or later must be dis
armed and disciplined.
There is such scarcity Of officers
here, due to detached service, some
sickness, and details in the United
States, that we are all very, very busy
here. / am commanding my squad
ron "a troops) in addition to my
troop, and have so many other duties
that l find little time to daily. Next
week we go (my squadron) on an g.
day practice march to the extreme
eastern end of the island, and expect
to see many strange sights, as the
people there have seen few If any
Americans.
Altogether, we like it here very
much. 1t is not so hot as Kansas,
The sea bathing is fine. The living
expenses, outside of servants, are
very reasonable; and for a soldier,
there is Just enough danger present
to make it fascinating. We are re-
quired to go armed at all times, even
when we go to the beach bathing
1--WE have received word from the
war department that we shall sail for
the United States on Dec. Is next, and
be stationed at San Francisco, Walla
Walla, and Boise. We had hoped for
Chickamauga Park"