The Adventures of Piang the Moro Jungle Boy A Book for Young and Old

Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ from scans made
available by Google Books.










The Adventures of Piang
The Moro Jungle Boy

A Book for Young and Old


By Florence Partello Stuart

Illustrated By Ellsworth Young


New York
The Century Co.
1917








Copyright, 1917, by The Century Co.

Copyright, 1916, by David C. Cook Publishing Company Copyright, 1917,
Boys' Life The Boy Scouts Magazine

Published September, 1917






To "Buddy"




CONTENTS


    I         The Charm Boy   6
    II        The Floating Island   32
    III       The Hermit of Ganassi Peak   51
    IV        The Fire Tree   78
    V         Riding the Cataract   108
    VI        The Jungle Menace   129
    VII       The Secret of the Source   157
    VIII      The Juramentado Gunboat   193
    IX        The Bichara   223
    X         Piang's Triumph   251







LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS




    Slowly he swam downward, conscious of a large body moving near
    him   _Frontispiece_
    Rising to his feet, spear poised, he waited   17
    His hands closed over something   36
    On its neck it supported a weird creature   70
    "The boom! We must cut it!"   87
    With hands outstretched above his head, he waited for the great
    moment   122
    Piang reached up on tiptoe to pluck a ripe mango   139
    Gracefully the little slave-girl eluded Piang and Sicto   149
    Over and over they rolled, splashing and fighting   167
    A shrill whistle echoed through the forest   210
    "Juramentado! Gobernado!" faintly whispered Piang   227
    The water spout caught the eggshell praus in its toils   261









                "Do you know the fragrant stillness of the orchid
                        scented glade,
                Where the blazoned, bird-winged butterflies
                        flap through?"






THE ADVENTURES OF PIANG
THE MORO JUNGLE BOY


Piang is a real boy. Dato Kali Pandapatan is a real Moro chief. The
Moro is not a Filipino.

When I returned from my life among the natives of the lower
Philippines, I was appalled to find that America was not only ignorant
of, but entirely indifferent to our colonies across the seas. The
general impression seemed to be that Manila was a delightful Spanish
city, and that Manila was the Philippines. That there are several
thousand little islands in the Philippine group, each harboring its
distinct tribe, each with its own dialect and religion, was entirely
unknown. Impressed by the nobility of the Moro in contrast to the
other tribes of the archipelago, by his unfortunate treatment and his
possibilities for development, I found myself taking up his cause,
and was repaid by intense interest wherever I launched forth on my
pet subject. I was so successful that gradually I began to idealize
the Moro, weaving around him, not the "might have beens," but the
"might be's." Hence, "The Adventures of Piang."

Many of our military heros of other days share the honors with Piang;
their exploits and privations are a romance in themselves, and among
these pages the army and navy will recognize stories that have long
since become history. I am indebted to Dean Worcester for statistics
and a great deal of information on the origin and development of the
Moro. Indeed some of Piang's adventures are actual incidents of Dean
Worcester's travels. Robinson and Foreman have given me much material,
and I find their books authentic and true chronicles of the Malay
people. But most of all I am indebted to that great and wise man,
Colonel John P. Finley, United States Army, who during his term as
civil governor of the Moro provinces, did more to help a down-trodden
people than any Christian who has ever attempted to bring them to
the true light.

Anticipating carping criticisms from geographic purists, the author
is ready to admit taking liberties with longitudes and latitudes,
juggling lakes and mountains to the envy of Atlas, in order to serve
the picturesque and romantic purposes of Piang.

Some of the stories in this volume appeared in the juvenile magazines,
"St. Nicholas," "What To Do," and "Boys' World," and are reprinted
through the courtesy of the editors.




FIRST ADVENTURE

THE CHARM BOY


In the warm Celebes Sea, four hundred miles south of Manila, lies the
romantic, semi-mysterious island of Mindanao, home of the Moro. For
three centuries Spain struggled to subjugate this fierce people,
with little or no success, and she turned them over to America with
a sigh of relief. Perpetual warfare is the pastime of the Moro; it
is his sport, his vocation; and the Mother Jungle hurls a livelihood
at his feet. Food, clothing, shelter are his birthright.

One of the most powerful tribes of Moroland is ruled by Dato (chief)
Kali Pandapatan. Far up in the hills dwells this powerful clan,
arrogant and superior in its power.