THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
THE AJITAS, OR AHITAS.
POSITION AND DIMENSIONS OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS -- THE MALAYS AND
THE NEGRITOS, OR AJITAS -- RESEMBLANCE TO THE BOSJESMAN -- THE BOW
AND POISONED ARROWS -- SKILL IN ARCHERY -- THE SAVAGE INSTINCT --
MEETING A PARTY OF AJITAS -- THEIR APPEARANCE, AND CHIRPING SOUND OF
THEIR LANGUAGE -- CONCILIATING THE ABORIGINES -- GOVERNMENT OF THE
AJITAS -- THEIR ACTIVITY IN HUNTING -- NOMADIC PROPENSITIES OF THE
AJITAS -- REVERENCE FOR THE DEAD -- A QUARREL, AND ITS CAUSE.
To the north-west of New Guinea lie several islands, which are grouped
together under the general name of Philippines. They consist of a
considerable number of islands, of which the northern island, called
Luza, and the southern island, called Magindano, are by far the largest.
The inhabitants of the Philippines are of two kinds; namely, the
Malays and the Negritos. The former are evidently not the aboriginal
inhabitants, but have voyaged to the islands in their canoes and formed
a number of settlements. As in the course of the work we shall see
much of the Malay race, we will pass them by for the present, and only
notice the Negritos, or little negroes, so called by the Spanish on
account of their dark skins and small size.
This strange little race is mostly known by a name which is given in
different forms. By some writers it is spelt Ajitas, by some Ahitas,
and by others Itas. Of these different forms I select the first, which,
by the way, is pronounced as if it were spelled Aheetas.
The Ajitas are quite as small as the Bosjesmans of Southern Africa,
their average height being four feet six inches. They are well shaped,
and their skins, though of a very dark hue, are not so black as those
of the negro tribes. The features are tolerably good, except that the
nose is broad and rather flat, and that there is a marked deficiency of
chin. The hair is woolly, like that of other Papuans, and, as they do
not know how to dress it, they wear it in a sort of mop round the head.
The eyes are remarkable for a decided yellow tinge.
In common with other savages who lead an uncertain kind of life,
fasting sometimes for two days together, and then gorging themselves
like wolves, they are apt to have their limbs and projecting stomachs
with a recurved back such as is the case with the Bosjesman, the back
being bent like the letter S. Their shape is in no way concealed by
their dress, which is nothing more than a wide belt of plaited bark
fastened round the waist.
In many respects there is a great similarity between the Bosjesman
and the Ajita. The latter live by the chase and by plunder, having no
idea of agriculture. They always go armed, their weapons being bamboo
lances and bows and arrows, the latter being poisoned. The effect of
the poison with which they are tipped is to produce an unextinguishable
thirst in the animal, which seeks the nearest water, drinks, and dies.
As soon as it is dead, the hunter cuts away the flesh from around the
wound, as the poison would otherwise communicate so bitter a taste to
the whole carcass that the flesh could not be eaten.
Their bows are but slight, as are their arrows, the poison doing the
work of death, and the depth of the wound being of no consequence.
They are skilful archers, having the bow and arrow in their hands from
infancy, and practising at any object that may take their attention.
Both sexes use the bow, and the little boys and girls are fond of
wading along the banks of streams and shooting the fish.
Like the Bosjesman, the Ajita is always at feud with the other races
that inhabit the same country, and, small as he is, makes himself
dreaded by reason of his poisoned weapons. Sometimes Ajitas are taken
prisoners, and are generally enslaved. As they are light, active, and
not bad-looking, they are often employed as servants by the dignitaries
of Manilla.
One of these people was in the household of an Archbishop of Manilla,
and was educated by him with great care. To all appearance he was
thoroughly civilized, and at last was ordained priest. But the
instincts of his savage nature were too strong for him, and the
man escaped from his position and civilized society, threw off his
garments, and rejoined his savage relatives. Such instances are
continually occurring, and it is almost impossible to retain an Ajita
in civilized society, no matter how well he may be treated, or how
young he may be when captured.
The habits of the Ajitas are essentially of a savage character, and, as
a rule, travellers in the Philippines are obliged to be very careful
lest they should suddenly be set upon by these dangerous little
creatures. Sometimes, however, they can be gentle, and even hospitable,
and an instance of such conduct is related by M. de la Gironière,
part of whose narrative has been translated and quoted by Mr. Earle:
“We directed our course toward the north, among mountains always
covered with thick forests, and which, like those we had just quitted,
presented no traced route, excepting a few narrow pathways beaten by
wild beasts. We advanced with caution, for we were now in the parts
inhabited by the Ajitas. At night we concealed our fires, and one of us
always acted as sentinel, for what we feared most was a surprise.
“One morning, while pursuing our way in silence, we heard before us a
chorus of squeaking tones, which had more resemblance to the cries of
birds than to the human voice. We kept on our ground, concealing our
approach as much as possible with the aid of the trees and brambles.
All at once we perceived at a little distance about forty savages, of
all sexes and ages, who had absolutely the air of animals. They were on
the banks of a rivulet, surrounding a great fire. We made several steps
in advance, and presented the butt-end of our guns toward them. As soon
as they perceived us, they set up shrill cries and prepared to take
to flight; but I made signs to them, by showing them some packets of
cigars, that we wished to offer them for their acceptance.
“I had fortunately received at Binangonan all the instructions
necessary for knowing how to open a communication with them. As soon
as they comprehended us, they ranged themselves into a line, like men
preparing for a review; this was the signal that we might approach.
We went up to them with our cigars in our hands, and I commenced
distributing them from one extremity of the line. It was very important
that we should make friends with them, and give each an equal share,
according to their custom. The distribution being over, an alliance was
cemented, and peace concluded, when they commenced smoking.
“A deer was hanging to a tree, from which the chief cut three large
slices with a knife of bamboo, and threw them upon the fire, and,
drawing them out an instant afterward, presented a piece to each of
us. The exterior was slightly burned and sprinkled with ashes, but the
interior was perfectly raw and bloody. It would not do, however, to
show the repugnance I felt at making a repast scarcely better than that
of a cannibal, for my hosts would have been scandalized, and I wished
to live in good correspondence with them for some days. I therefore ate
my piece of venison, which, after all, was not ill flavored, and my
Indian having followed my example, our good repute was established, and
treason on their part no longer possible.”
M. de la Gironière showed his wisdom in accommodating himself to
circumstances, and in sacrificing his own predilections in favor of
expediency; and if all travellers had acted in a similar manner, we
should have known much more of savage manners and customs than we do
at the present time. After propitiating his little black hosts by tact
and kindness, he remained among them for some time, and by means of
an interpreter, whom he was fortunate enough to obtain, continued to
procure a considerable amount of information concerning a people of
whom scarcely anything had been previously known since their existence.
The Ajitas live in small tribes, consisting of some fifty or sixty
individuals. They have no fixed residence, but wander about the country
according to the amount of game which they find. They have not the
least notion of house-building, and in this respect are even below the
aborigines of Australia, and at night they crowd round the fire and
lie as close to it as possible. This fire is the central point of the
tribe, the old people and children assembling round it during the day
while the adults are hunting for game; and if the hunters should be
able to bring in enough food to last for some days, they remain round
the fire until it is all consumed.
There seems to be no particular form of government among the Ajitas,
who always choose one of the oldest men to be the chief of each
little tribe, and do not acknowledge any principal chief or king. Age
is respected among them, and in this point the Ajitas show their
superiority over many savage tribes. The language of the Ajitas is said
to resemble the chirping of birds rather than the voice of mankind,
but it must be remembered that the same was said of the Bosjesmen’s
language when European travellers first came among them. Any language
which is heard for the first time affects the ear unpleasantly, and
even those of Europe are generally stigmatized by foreigners as
gabbling or grunting, according to the pitch of the voice. Of the
structure of the Ajitas’ language nothing is yet known.
In one point they are superior to many savage people. A man has but
one wife, and both are faithful in the married state. When a young man
wishes to marry, he asks the consent of her parents, who, on a fixed
day, send her into the woods alone before sunrise, and after an hour
the young man goes after her. If he can find her, and bring her back
before sunset, the marriage is acknowledged; but if he cannot succeed
in his search, he must yield all claims to her. It will be seen that
the real choice lies with the girl, who can always conceal herself if
she dislikes the intended bridegroom, or, even if he did find her,
could refuse to come back with him until the stipulated time has passed.
The religion of the Ajitas seems to be, as far as can be ascertained
on a subject from which a savage always shrinks, a mere fetishism; any
object, such as an oddly-shaped tree trunk or stone, being worshipped
for a day, and then forsaken in favor of some other idol.
Any real reverence in the nature of the Ajitas seems to be given to the
dead, whom they hold in veneration. Year after year they will resort to
the burial-places of their friends for the purpose of laying betel-nut
and tobacco upon the grave. Over each spot where a warrior is buried
his bow and arrows are hung, the Ajitas having an idea that at night
the man leaves his grave, and hunts until the morning. Owing to this
reverence for the dead, M. de la Gironière’s expedition nearly came to
a fatal termination. They had succeeded in procuring a skeleton from
the burial-place, when the theft was discovered by the Ajitas, who at
once set upon them, and fairly chased them out of their country, the
poisoned arrows proving to be weapons too formidable to be resisted,
especially when used by foes as active as monkeys, who could pour their
arrows on their foes, while they scarcely exposed an inch of their
little dark bodies to the enemy.
It is owing to another form of this veneration for the dead that
travellers have so often come in collision with the Ajitas. When a
warrior dies, his companions are bound to take their weapons and roam
through the country, for the purpose of killing the first living
thing that they meet, whether man or beast. As they pass along, they
break the boughs in a peculiar manner as warnings to others, for even
one of their own tribe would be sacrificed if he fell in their way.
Travellers from other countries would either fail to see, or, if they
saw, to understand, the meaning of these little broken twigs, and in
consequence have been attacked by the Ajitas, not from any unfriendly
feelings, but in fulfilment of a national custom.