Terry / A Tale of the Hill People

a nightmare to all the native skippers who called at that port. Crab-like, she crawled obliquely to within a few hundred feet of the low-lying town, then the screw churned up a

n southland-tales of pirates, of insolent, murderous datos defiant behind their cotta fortresses, of kris and barong wielded by fanatic Moros gone amok; of pearls

es, tan shoes and leggings, and stiff-brimmed cavalry Stetson. The smart uniform set his erec

rne, some scurried at tremendous pace toward the fishing grounds of the Sulu Sea, others tacked painfully into the Celebes. A Government launch, its starred and striped flag brilliant against the green sea in the morning light, left its jetty and headed south toward the dim coastline of Basilan. A score of gulls, that had

essel slowly neared the pier, then he turned to look over the town which was built flush with the edge of the narrow beach, extending each way from the shore end of the pier. The galvanized-iron roofs of the taller buildings-church, conve

os, a few Filipinos, a Chino staggering under a heavy balanced pinga, two white-clad Americans, while several rickshaws, Moro drawn, jogged by with patrons concealed under

der man accompany him respectfully to the entrance to the big building, where they stood a moment in conversation. Terry's interest quickened as he recogni

ladder, met the tall officer as

ive, of serious but pleasant mien. As he stepped to me

responding with friendly infor

s,

ng for you ever since receiving a copy of the Headquart

ht. I am very glad to know you, Major. Your brother and I were roommates

Fine boy. Wants to come over when he graduates this June, but

ant credence to the stories told of the Major's resourceful bravery under difficult situatio

I didn't I wouldn't have requested your transfer. You are assigned to the most interesting of t

s,

ad breakfast? I thought not. Pack a bag with what you will need for a day ashore-put on a white uniform for to-night. My o

k appraisal of the shrewd black eyes. He experienced a ple

I was glad to know you. Let me repeat

idden hull and walked off the pier, disappearing into the government building. Terry boarded the vessel, warmed by the frien

s: adobe, tile-roofed business houses honeycombed with little box-like shops in which the Chinese merchants displayed their wares: square wooden houses

e of the street with the habit which becomes instinctive near

ess perpetrated upon native boats in the name of Spanish cookery, and a cool shower bath eliminated the stench of stale copra which had clung to his nostrils if not to h

teresting unless you are interested in their peoples-and you are not interest

terial houses which impress one as never having been built but as always having stood there: sprinkle a few naked, pot-bellied, brown children staring at each other in pathetic, Malay ignorance of the manner and spirit of play: set a few brown manikins in the open windows-women who let life fly by in dull wonder of what it is all about: add a few carabaos lying in neck-deep content in mudwallows, and a score

gged at each other over their heavy tiffins and nine o'clock dinners; these crazy Americans would soon learn! But the crazy, enthusiastic Americans, engineers, health officers, executives, school teachers, Constabulary, labored on in the glory of service: eradicated cholera

de than Orientals had ever known. And they are the reasons-those few thousands of smooth-faced Americans who laughingly threw themselves at the wall of immemorial sloth and apathy-why Kipling's phrase is seldom quoted east of India, and no

bout it all: it is so far away and we are

guinaldo was king of the Igorotes or something, and Pershing rose from a captain to a general: why, I heard one of those Filipinos make a

bout the same mental relation to the race he is supposed to r

clean cross streets lined with neat nipa huts inclosed behind latticed bamboo fences, enjoying the novelty of a community different from any he had known. Every detail of the well kept streets testified to the strictness of the standards set by the white men who governed the town. The few Moros who

oads and roofs: by the hour set for his luncheon engagement he had covered the town thoroughly, including th

llowed him out on the wide veranda built over the water's edge, passing through a friendly, incurious group of young Americans who sat at little round tables in groups of three a

o be longer. This afternoon I want you to come to the office with me-there are lots of things to talk o

and interes

t! Though we can't take much credit for

the subdued clatter of silver against dish and the tinkle of iced drinks was often drowned in outbursts of merriment from one or other of the little tables. Most of the Americans we

lanters: you will know them. Three good

raps of shop talk reached Terry's ears, a jargon of strangely twisted English and Spanish words. Bridges, appro

sibilant murmur of the cocoanut palms whose bases were lapped by the quickening ripples. The breaking of the withering calm was the si

-just a

their table and

Terry goes to Davao to-morrow as Senior Inspector. You will be able to help

e social shyness of men who live their lives alone or among none but alien people. Lindsey a

d them as he and T

with them. But you may with some others, those who have a fancied grieva

emp production. In another twenty years it will probably rate as the richest single agricultural area on the globe-that's why those littl

Britishers, a scattering of Moros and Filipinos and nearly two hundred Japs. The Japs are quiet-you will seldom see them: they stay on their places and 'saw wood'; they're backed b

, planted hemp, working largely with their own hands-and in a climate where they say the white man shall labor only with his head. You will h

banked as potential labor would not work. A few came and stayed, but most of them quit after earning a few pesos. So the hemp rotted in the field. Desperate, facing ruin, some of the plan

of planter, but at the same time encourage the Bogobos to work for them. It means prosperity for the planters, and money and comfort for the Bogobos-and it will keep them o

pped in front of the artistic concrete bandstand, jerking a bi

er: has two traits that will carry him a long way if he gets the chance-common sense and industry. Wants to know everything about everything, a

od, Scott, Carpenter,-America has sent some of her

question Terry

id. "I hope

ot of the type to be influenced. Governor Mason is making good: you will see that after you have been here a month. He is a wonder, Terry,-probably the only man who could handle this situation with a few Constabulary. Study, patience, and square-dealing, backed

e," he wound up suddenly, confuse

h great blank areas eloquent of the unknown character of unexplored fastnesses. The crosses which indicated the distribution of Constabulary forces controlled from his office dotted every sizable island: pins bearing the names of government agents showed into what remote regions our trail-breakers had penetrated. One purple-flagged pin showed a veterinarian warring against a cattle p

ed to him. For an hour he outlined the salient problems which would confront the young officer in his new assignment. He was all business, curt, concise, definite. He t

to handle an ordinary job-you know it means so

rovinces were being stripped of their crack men for assignment to the southern experiment, so that detail there had become a mark of distinction. He had been as su

ing of native character, your sympathy with them: that, and your faculty for learning dialects. By the way,

else to do-and I l

ent. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a

nusual pistol shot: it reads 'Pistol rating-two-hand

arrassment he pushed the question:

ul-it is not much of an ornament. After I became really inter

e day you may be glad you spent the

e aspect of the service

ing recently in the Davao Gulf, a batch of discharged convicts who served long terms for brigand

htened as he went on: "You have

drone l

covered him on the boat-traveling as an ordinary steerage passenger. He went to Davao, and I fear it means trouble.

Make no false starts, do not arrest him unless you are sure that your evidence will convict i

competent face contented his chief. He re

do not want to be turned down in the courts at this stage of the game, and it may be he intends to

call for a good deal of tact and patience: patience with the angry planters, with the wild peop

the interview, speaking only to answer que

deal about the Hill People of

all intents and purposes! No living man has been among them-those who have tried have left their bones rotting in the dark forest

ed ambitions. So learn what you can about them from the old Bogobos who live in the foothills, and report any interesting traditions you may hear. Pieced together, the tales may make a helpful contribu

ssal of a vain hope, and rose: "I want you to mee

nform Terry that the Governor was closeted with the two

ecretary says that he expects you and me to go down to San Ramon with him to-night at seven sharp, to dine w

proved