The Elbert County tribune., 1912-09-20

the natlves--the prices for goods being those cuI
in Manila. plus 20 per cent. and cost of transporta
The stores not only SELL but also buy. They pure
baskets. woodcarvings. native weapons. and art
of savage dress such can be sold in Manila Gu
paying literally for them in cash
One of the sub-provinces composing the M
tain Province is Benguet. the capital of which, Ba
Ia mile above level. and It's miles due mort
Manila-is the terminus of one of the most wond
roads in the world built by the natives with the
of American engineering skill Extending all the
from Baguio to the sea- 1t is carved to large
tent out of solid rock skirting the sides of steep
mountains and crossing deep canyons In many
places by suspension bridges. For most of its
length II is wide enough for narrow-tread carts.
and at intervals of eighteen miles comfortable
five-room rest houses have been erected for the
benefit of travellers. Running at elevation of
5000 to 1000 fet, 1t passes through tropical
cry of unsurpassed beauty. commands magnificent
Views and should In the future become a
route much patronized by tourists
The last of the Benguet Igorots to come under
the Jurisdiction and control of the United States
government were the people of Atoc. who occupied
q remarkable natural stronghold bold peak
$500 feet high. which juts out from the surround
ing mountains. its precipitous sides defying attack
In this rocky fortress dwelt the tribe. small in
numbers. but warlike working the rice paddles
in the valleys below by day and seeking refuge in
their eyrie at night. They preferred indepen-
dence to submission Nevertheless. being eventu
ally overcome by force of arms. they
tirely docile- Generally speaking, the Igorots are
and cheerful. and the women have voice in their
councils, often exercising controlling influence
Strongest in numbers of all the savage peoples
and among the most inveterate head hunters were
tho Ifugaos. There are about 1851 900 of them
Bitterly hostile to begin with they have become
warm friends and admirers of the Americans. and
their services, voluntarily givep, have been ut
Iized extensive scale In the building of roads
and trails. BY their suggestion they sub
NIT to a labor tay which demands ten days work
per from each able-bodied man Several
companies of Ifugao constabulary have been
ganized, and do admirable service keeping order
among the tribesmen.
Equally fierce and as yet untamed to any great
oxtent are the Kalingas, They We're inveterate
head hunters until recently. but have almost CIV
en- up the practice. Some of them beginning
to cut their hair and dress like Christians aud
quite a number of the children learning to
read and write One small group of their settle
ments adopted an attitude of defiance toward the
Americans. and two years ago Walter F. Hale,
lieutenant-governor of that province, paid the
rebels visit. When they threw spears at him
he picked them up and handed them back with an
fntimation that such actions dfscourteous.
He told them that he wanted to be friends with
them But they replied that they did not desire
to be friends. and that they intended to take his
head at the first convenient opportunity.
Such was the situation of affairs up to a short
time ago. when four settlements broke the peace
and went on the warpath- Lieut.-Gov. Hale with
a strong detachment of lfugao constabulary and
assisted by force of friendly Kalingas, thereupon
organized punitive expedition attacked the rebel
villages. and wiped them out, burning the houses
and killing the pigs