The Spell of the Hawaiian Islands and the PhilippinesAnderson, Isabel
History
The Spell of the Hawaiian Islands and the Philippines
Anderson, Isabel
Hawaii; Philippines
Neither the men nor the women cut the hair, which, in the case of the
men, is banged in front and tied up with rags behind, some wearing nets
to keep it out of their eyes. Although the women have abundant hair they
use "switches," into which they stick beautiful feathers. The men also
decorate themselves in the same way. On the back of the head they often
wear little caps woven of beautifully stained rattan and covered with
agate beads, and these are used as pockets in which small articles are
carried. Great holes are pierced in the lobes of their ears, into which
are thrust wooden ear plugs, with tufts of red and yellow worsted.
Almost every Kalinga woman wears a pair of heavy brass ear ornaments and
sometimes a solid piece of mother-of-pearl cut like a figure eight.
The Kalingas are particularly warlike, their very name meaning "enemy"
or "stranger," and endeavours to bring them under government control
were begun only a few years ago. There are still some _rancherias_ which
the lieutenant governor has not yet visited, as it seemed best to wait
and bring the people to terms by peaceful means.
While we were enjoying ourselves at Baguio, the Secretary of War,
Governor Forbes, Secretary Worcester, General Edwards, and my husband
started north into the mountains to see some of the strange tribes that
were gathering from far and wide to meet the great _Apo_, or chief, as
they called Secretary Dickinson. I give the account of the trip in my
husband's own words:
On Saturday night, July 31st, after the Assembly baile, we motored to
the docks and went aboard the transport _Crook_ for the trip northward.
We were made very comfortable on this big transport, with deck cabins,
but we all slept on the open deck by preference and had a pleasant run
till in the morning we were entering Subig Bay, a splendid vast harbour
between great mountains, the narrow entrance guarded by Isola Grande.
Here we landed and visited the batteries, and although it was a small
island it was a stewing hot walk about it--especially as the Secretary
sets a great pace--till a torrential shower came up and drove us to the
commanding officer's house, where we had a bite of breakfast--and all
the breakfasts at the posts which we have visited have been so good!
General Duvall had come up from Manila on his yacht _Aguila_, and on
board of her we crossed the bay to Olongapo, where there is the present
naval station. The great hulk of the famous floating dock _Dewey_ was
looming up there, just floated again after her mysterious sinking
which, even now, they do not seem to be able to explain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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