General Rufino in the Moro Country.
Introduction.
The story of Rufino's expedition to the Moro country in the summer
of 1901 reads like a chapter from _Anabasis_. It has to do with
_Capitan_ Isidro's curious experiences as a hostage in the home of
Datto Amay Bancurong, at Lake Lanao. It deals with the last chapter
in the history of two American deserters, Morgan and Miller, of the
Fortieth United States volunteers, who, under General Rufino, served
as officers--soldiers of fortune in a lost campaign--and who, as a
last tribute of the treachery and faithlessness of those they served,
received their death-blows at the hands of Filipinos who had caught
them off their guard.
The information published by Rufino shortly after his surrender has
been valuable to the officers of our own army who are now exploring
the mysterious interior of Mindanao. _Capitan_ Isidro's intimacy
with the Moros during the long period of his captivity should render
his interpretation of the character, the life, and customs of this
savage tribe authoritative. General Rufino, being one of the last
_Insurrectos_ to surrender, has not been as yet rewarded by the
Government. This fact will be of consequence in case of any further
outbreak on the northern coast of Mindanao. General Rufino lingers
still about the scene of his exploit, and may be met with almost any
time in Oroquieta, or, still better, in the sullen and revengeful
village of Palilan, near the border of the Moro territory.
Rufino's Narrative.
We left Mount Liberdad on June 1, 1901, with eighteen officers, and
privates to the number of four hundred and forty-two. Our destination
was the town of Uato, on the shore of Lake Lanao, where, in obedience
to our instructions from the Filipino _junta_ at Hong Kong, we
were to arrange a conference with the leading dattos in regard to
an alliance of the Filipino and the Moro forces to conduct a joint
campaign against the American army of invasion.
Among our officers were two deserters from I company of the Fortieth
United States volunteers, Morgan and Miller, who were mere adventurers,
and who desired to clear the country and embark for Africa. Morgan was
supposed to have been wanted for some criminal offense in the United
States. He claimed to have deserted as a consequence of punishments
received by him which he considered to be undeserved. His comrade
Miller followed him; but I have heard that Morgan took it hard because
his friend had followed such a questionable lead. An understanding
had been previously arranged between our officers and Morgan, so that
when the latter left the lines at Oroquieta we received him and his
comrade at Aloran, six miles north.
Our first stop was to be at Lintogout, a station on the river by
the same name, that flows into the long estuary that divides our
country from the Moro territory. As you can see, our march was very
rough. The mountain chain, of which Mount Liberdad, Mount Rico,
and Mount Esperenza are the most important peaks, is very wild
and hazardous. A few miles from the coast the country breaks into
ravines and hills. There are no villages; no depots for supplies. The
trails are almost imperceptible, and can be followed only by the
most experienced _Montesco_ guides. Back in the mountains there are
many natural strongholds, which are practically inaccessible. The
mountain wall, with its Plutonic cañons and precipitous descents,
wrapped in a chilly fog, continually towered above us on the west.
To add to our embarrassments, we were harassed by a detachment of
United States troops that had been pursuing us. Their plan was to close
in upon us in two sections, from the front and rear. Near Lintogout
we came to an engagement with Lieutenant Patterson's command. My army
was by this time seriously crippled. We had lost one hundred and forty
men the previous day by desertion. The deserting men, however, did not
take their arms. Lieutenant Patterson's command must have been quite
exhausted, for they camped at night on a plateau along the precipice,
where an attack by us would have been inadvisable. The troops were
new and untried; the experience for them was something they had not
anticipated. Yet they kept at it stubbornly, slinging their carbines
on their backs, and climbing up hand over hand in places where they
had lost the trail. Their guides were evidently somewhat of a puzzle
to them, as the Montese idea of distance is indefinite. "When I have
finished this cigar we will be there," they say; and "_poco distancia_"
with them means often many miles.
We were not inconvenienced much by the engagement. Our American
lieutenants superintended the construction of intrenchments, back
of which we lay, and fired a volley at the enemy. At their advance
our army scattered, and a number of our soldiers, taking inexcusable
advantage of the opportunity, deserted. On the next day we set out,
reduced in numbers to two hundred and fifty-two. None of our men were
killed or wounded in the fight.
We then proceeded overland to Lake Lanao, the journey occupying sixteen
days, during which time the army had no rice, but had to exist entirely
on the native fruits. Our tardiness in reaching Lake Lanao was caused
by two attacks by Moros, June 15th. In order to avoid this enemy
we made a detour, coming dangerously near the coast at Tucuran. At
Tucuran three men deserted. Thence our march led inland to Bacáyan,
following the south shore of the lake. Before we reached Bacáyan
we were met (June 29th and 30th) by Dattos Casiang and Pindalonan,
with their combined forces. Our side lost two killed, three wounded
(who were taken captive); and the Moros, thirteen killed, three
wounded. Arriving at Bacáyan July 1st, we waited there twelve days.
Then we set out along the south shore to Uato on the lake, which
place we reached without engagement on the nineteenth of July. We
stopped at Uato ten days, there borrowing $500 "Mex" from Datto
Bancurong. We were obliged to leave Captain Isidro Rillas with the
datto for security. The very money that we now were borrowing the
Moros had received from us for their protection during our campaign,
and for their promising not to molest us all the time that we were
in their territory. Having loaned us money, they now sold us rice,
in which negotiation, just as in the former one, they took advantage
of our helplessness. The deal, however, was a necessary one, because
the army had been for a long time without funds or rations. Leaving
Uato we proceeded to Liángan, on the north coast, opposite Tudela
(on the Jolo Sea). We left the Moro country on the recommendation of
the two American deserters, who had been dissatisfied for some time
at the turn affairs were taking.
We were attacked the first day out of Uato by the combined forces
of three powerful dattos, who had previously borrowed rifles from us
on the pretext of desiring to kill game. The engagement lasted until
sunset. Of the Moros, ten were killed and many wounded. Night coming
on, the enemy withdrew for re-enforcements. They returned the next
day several thousand strong, and would have utterly annihilated us
(for we were worn by fever and starvation) had it not been for Datto
Bandia's advice, which finally discouraged the attack.
We reached Liangan July 31st with two hundred and thirty-nine
men. Here we purchased rifles from the Moros, crossed the bay at
night, and reached Tudela August 5th. Procrastination on the part of
the conferring dattos made a failure of the expedition. We had spent
about $10,000 gold for rations, good will, and protection.
Morgan and Miller, when the army was disbanded, lived around Langaran
for a while. One day while they were bathing in the sea, they were
cut-down by natives--I do not know why. Morgan was killed while arguing
with his assailants. "We have done a lot for you," he said; but those
were his last words. Miller, attempting to escape by running through
the shallow water, was pursued by _bancas_ and dispatched. The bodies
were found later in a marsh.
Capitan Isidro Rillas's Narrative.
I was to have been educated for the Church; but after studying for
some time in Cebu preparatory to a course at Rome, I set aside the
wishes of my parents, who desired that I become a Jesuit, and took
unto myself a wife.
You wonder, probably, why we Visayans, who are very peaceable,
should have assumed a hostile attitude toward the Americans. Of
course, we do not really like the game of war. But what positions
would we hold among our own communities if we were to be easily
imposed upon? You would have thought it a queer army that assembled
at Mount Liberdad in 1901,--barefooted _hombres, ignorantes_ from the
rice-pads and the hemp-fields, armed with cutlasses and bolos--for
we had no more than fifty guns--undisciplined and without military
knowledge. But the appearance of your army in the war of Independence
caused amusement to the British soldiers--for awhile? The Government
generously recognized a number of the leaders of the insurrection,
and in doing so has not done wrong. Our leaders are to-day, among our
people, what your patriots are in your own land. And even you have no
respect for those who hid themselves among the women during the affair
at Oroquieta. Left alone, we could soon organize our government, our
schools, and army. But, of course, conditions render this impossible,
and so we think American protection is the best.
You ask for some account of my experiences with the Moros during
our excursion to their territory. Our army was at first about five
hundred strong, but nearly half the men deserted on the way. We had
not counted on so much hostility among the Moros, although they are
ancient enemies of ours, and until very recently have raided our coast
villages and carried off our people into slavery. But when we wanted
slaves, we purchased them--young Moros--from their parents at Misamis.
Though our mission was an altogether friendly one, our hosts did not
let any opportunity go by of taking an unfair advantage of us. General
Rufino was obliged to leave me as a hostage at Uato at the home of
Datto Bancurong.
If we could have effected an alliance with the Moros, it would no
doubt have been a formidable one. The Moros are well armed and expert
fighting men. Most of our weapons have been purchased from them, as
they had formerly acquired a stock of stolen Spanish guns. Those living
in the Lake Lanao vicinity must have about two thousand Remington
and Mauser guns, besides a number of old-fashioned cannon, which
are mounted in their forts. They manufacture their own ammunition,
which is necessarily of an indifferent quality.
We told the Moros that they would all have to work if the Americans
should come. We knew that they were all slaveholders and ladrones;
we knew that while they kept their slaves they would not need to work;
and so we thought our argument ought to appeal to them.
When I was left with Datto Bancurong, security for the five hundred
_pesos_ that Rufino had been forced to borrow, I was treated with
considerable hospitality. At one time when I had the fever, he
secured some chickens for me,--they were very scarce. The datto had
three wives, but one of them was rather old. I did not notice any
ornaments of gold upon them. They wore silver rings and bracelets,
which the native jewelers had made. The women are industrious,
and consequently do most of the work. They are quite skillful with
the loom, and manufacture from the native fabric, _ampic_ (sashes)
which their husbands wear. But for themselves they buy a cheaper
fabric from the _Chinos_, which they dye in brilliant colors and make
into blankets. You would probably mistake the men for women at first
sight because of their peculiar cast of features. They are dressed
much better and more picturesquely than the women, wearing bright
silk turbans, sashes with gay fringe, and blouses often fancifully
colored and secured by brass or mother-of-pearl buttons.
The Moro tribes, because they recognize no ruler but the local datto,
are unable to accomplish anything of national significance. Concerted
action is with them impossible. Thirty or forty villages are built
around the lake. They are so thickly grouped, however, that one
might as well regard them all as one metropolis. The mountains form
a background for the lake, which is located on a high plateau. The
climate here is more suggestive of a temperate zone than of a place
within four hundred miles of the equator, and the nights are often
disagreeably cold. To become a datto it is only necessary to possess
a few slaves, wives, and carabao. A minor datto averages about four
slaves, a dozen head of cattle, and two wives. He wears silk clothes,
and occupies the largest _nipa_ house.
The Moro weapons are of several kinds,--the _puñal_ (a wedge-bladed
knife), the _campalon_ (a long broadsword), and the _sundang_ (a Malay
kriss). They also use head-axes, spears, and dirks. Being Mohammedans,
they show a fatalistic bravery in battle. It is a disgrace to lose
the weapon when in action; consequently it is tied to the hand. Many
of their knives were made by splitting up the steel rails laid at
Iligan. The brass work of the Spanish locomotives, also, was a great
convenience in the manufacture of their cutlery.
Although they have schools for the boys, the Moro people do not
make a speciality of education. The young men are taught from the
Koran by priests, who also teach the art of making characters in
Arabic. Their music is for the most part religious, inharmonious,
and unmelodious. The _coluctang_, their most important instrument,
resembles our guitar. They seem to recognize three grades of
priests--the _emam_, the _pandita_, and the _sarip_, named in order
of superiority. Their churches are great, circular inclosures, made of
_nipa_ and bamboo, with no attempt at decoration. Sacred instrumental
music is supplied by bells and drums. The drum at Uato, where I was,
being of extraordinary size, required two men to operate it. Each town
contains a large percentage of ladrones, whose influence is offset by
the _pandita_ (or elders), three or five for every _barrio_. These are
the secondary priests, and it is necessary that they go into the church
three times a day to pray. At sunrise, at midday, and at sunset they
will cry repeatedly, "_Aláh! Aláh! Bocamad soro-la!_" (Allah is god;
Mohammed, prophet.) All the priests wear bright robes like the dattos,
but the clergy is distinguished by a special _bangcala_, or turban,
which is ornamented by a string of silver rings.
There are about five hundred Filipinos living with the Moros, mostly
slaves. Deer, jungle-cock, wild hogs, and cattle are to be found
in the plains and forests near the lake. The soil is fertile, and
sufficient crops of corn, rice, coffee, and tobacco may be raised,
_Camotes_ (wild potatoes), fruits, and cocoanuts are very scarce.
Though many of the dattos are disposed to treat the Americans as
friends, three in particular will entertain a different attitude. These
are Bayang, Mario, and Taraia, who, among them, have control of many
men. They realize, however, that the new invaders will be harder
to oppose than were the Spaniards of the former _laissez faire_
régime. The Filipinos will, of course, be glad to see the Moros beaten
in the conflict that is now inevitable.
To conclude my narrative, we finally got the better of our hosts, the
enemy. The Moros wanted $1,500 in return for the $500 they had loaned
Rufino. "Then you must let the hostage come to his own people," said
Rufino, "so that he can use his influence among them and solicit funds;
for otherwise we will not ransom him." The situation did not look so
very bright for me; but at a conference of the interested dattos they
reluctantly decided that I might depart. Eight Moros were appointed
to accompany me as a body-guard. On reaching Iligan it was requested
that the post commander furnish me an escort back to Oroquieta, which
was done. The Moros profited so much by our excursion, selling us good
will and rice, that I am sure they will forgive us for not paying them
the ransom money, which is no more than the brokerage on a small loan.