The Yale expositor., 1910-04-01

- MUST write of some of the char
acteristics and peculiar customs
of the natives in certain parts of
the islands of the Philippines. In
the mountains of the Benguet
province at Beguio. the summer
capital. is the home of the lgorrotes.
They remind one in their appearance
OF the lower caste OF negro TO be
found In the swamp districts OF Louisi-
ana or the mountain districts of North
Carolina and Tennessee, writes j.
Hamilton Lewis, in Chicago Evening
Post.
OF medium height, black and dark
brown color. with short, matty black
hair, half-tatted nose, stocky OF figure
and erect OF stature, such are the out
lines of these natives. The men wear
little crowns for hats. composed of
anything that dazzles, and all the tas-
sells that can sway in the breeze. This
adornment Is set on the back of the
head, as a fez is worn by the Turk.
A shirt of any fabric. as gaudy as can
be obtained, comes only to the middle.
and there Is met with the belt that is
the only remaining garment. This is
tight-fitting and held only by string
In these mountains the cold becomes
great at times. Frost and particles of
snow are often seen, and at night it is
always cold, yet these men never
wear covering and sleep in huts and
tents. as did the primitive American
indians. They go barefoot. save that
of late form OF sandal is assumed for
perfect dress. This covers only the
toes and is worn with no sock.
Often one may see anachronisms of
civilization in these lgorrotes; fiat.
headed, their ears pierced through or
the lower part pulled down and
stretched so large as to wear a spool
the usual spool on which thread is
wound-in their ears as adornments,
and their teeth blackened. To this is
added shirt OF blue army cloth with
brass buttons. like a soldiers jacket:
hat or derby of straw, depending on
what has been traded the wearers; a
sword in the shape of an American
bayonet, for which they have ex-
changed their head ak, an instrument
they carry to cleave off heads OF peo-
pie they meet and dislike, or use in
assaults in war.
With this military accouterment
they are adorned above the waist; be-
low, as was Adam, II we trust the de-
scription of the Bible; naked to his
enemies" in the language Of Cardinal
Wolsey. This lgorrote is a sight Tor
the gods-of photography.
The women reverse the process. A
skirt adorns or founders about their
legs. This is made of material look
inc like jute bagging. Sometimes there
is sandal on the foot, at the waist a
flowing cloth, fluttering at the ends,
OF most flaming color when obtainable.
From the waist up abreast the tides
OF wind naked to the breeze" in a
Walt Whitman spectacle. There is
not cloth or covering until the
head is reached. Then possibly a
shawl or wrap which is a lately as
sumed display OF fashion upon occa-
sions.
Sunday is their market day. So
Commissioner Worcester, the most
learned man in the east on the ma.
tives, provided building for them.
To this they come on Sundays. quiet.
unperturbed. with no curiosity as to
the foreigner. They affect the superb
ority OF attitude characteristic of the
Indian; that is. to overlook super
ciliously the fact that white person
is about. SO Insignificant to them are
such unimportant intrusions.
At this market are brought all the
dogs to be had. For dogs are the chief
object of trade AS II is cattle at our
stockyards, or chickens in our market,
or turkeys in Spain. so IL is dogs in
the Igorrote country. The dog Is the
animal of food. He is to the Igorrote
as the pig to the Chinaman. But mark
lit is the fat pig which the Chinese
seeks, and the fat rat The Igorrote
must have only thin. poor. wasted
dog. The thinner, the poorer. the
more emaciated the animal is, the
more in demand and the higher ia
price is t.
Thus. as geese are fattened in the
Italian Tyrol and in France to pre-
pare the pate de fois gras. SO in the
Igorrote country the dog is famished
to the point OF starvation SO as to
keep It thin. poor and with bones bare
ly covered. This Is to make the ami
NAL tough n thus serves as chew
ing cud. like unto dry or strong beei
10 America.
So hundreds and hundreds OF dogs
OF every stripe and color. kind and
bred. y0ked together as may be seer