The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1927, Page 104

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104

Americans for almost thirty years without being
aware of the fact. However, this will not seem so
strange to our readers when they remember that
probably half of the large island of Mindanao is still
unexplored. his island is about the size of the
State of New York, though its population is much
less. The southwestern quarter of Mindanao is the
province of Cotabato, the capital of which bears the

same name and is situated at the mouth of the river”

that is also thus designated. Cotabato, the town,
is an important port of entry and the center of trade

- A Moro Girl.

for that whole region. Cotabato River is a stream
of no mean size. The town Cotabato has about 4,000
inhabitants, while the population of the entire proy-
ince is about 25,000. :

Near the center of Cotabato province there is a
large lake called Buluan, and north of this lake are
large areas of swamps, which are generally over-
flowed. The natives living near these swamps use
flat-bottomed boats, with which they paddle over the
thin sheets of water. Northwest of Cotabato lies
another province, called Lanao. This region is a
plateau. A magnificent lake bearing the name of
the province is set in the landscape like a beautiful
diamond. This lake is about twenty miles long and

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

ten miles wide. It was probably formed by the sink-
ing of the land during an eruption of some of the
surrounding volcanoes.

The outlet of Lake Lanao is the River Agus,
which drops no less than 2,400 feet in fourteen
miles. This river has probably the most beautiful
waterfall in the whole world. It is called Maria
Christina Falls and makes a sheer drop of 800 feet!

Like the Nile, the rivers of Mindanao overflow
annually, thus renewing the fertility of the soil along
their courses from year to year by rich deposits of
silt, which they bring down from the mountains.
The wonderful productivity of the soil of Mindanao
is indicated by the fact that three crops of corn are
raised every year.

Of the people who live on Mindanao, the best-
known are the Moros, who for two hundred years
successfully held off Spanish rule. ‘These Moros
were wild and ruthless pirates and made the seas in
their neighborhood very unsafe, until the Americans
chased_and sank their piratical boats with swift
motor boats. Nominally they are Mohammedans.

In the southeastern part of Mindanao is the Gulf
of Davao, which penetrates the island in a north-
ward direction and is shaped much like a huge
tongue. A few miles to the west of its northern
extremity is an extinct voleano, Mount Apo, which
has the distinction of being the highest mountain in
the Philippines. It is over 9,000 feet high.

On the lower slopes of Mount Apo live the
Bagobos, of whom it is claimed that they are the
most picturesquely dressed people on earth. ‘The
men wear richly embroidered coats, which do not
quite reach to the waist, and knee-breeches, while
their long hair is held by a handkerchief elaborately
edged with beads and tassels. The women of the
tribe wear tight-fitting jackets, also richly em-
broidered. From one shoulder hangs suspended a
bag decorated with a profusion of beads and tinkling
bells. On their arms the women wear shells and
brass ornaments, and their lower limbs are adorned
with anklets and leglets, to which are attached a
great number of rattles and small bells. These make
a pleasant noise as they walk.

Males and females pierce and stretch their ears
to receive large plugs. These plugs are generally
made of wood and inlaid with brass or silver. But
those able to do so wear plugs made of ivory. In
addition to this, the warriors “beautify” themselves
by filing their teeth to sharp points.

The religion of the Manabos and Bagabos has to
do chiefly with ghosts. All their affairs are managed