Adventures of Piang the Moro Jungle Boy Read online

  Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online DistributedProofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net/ from scans madeavailable by Google Books.

  The Adventures of PiangThe Moro Jungle Boy

  A Book for Young and Old

  By Florence Partello Stuart

  Illustrated By Ellsworth Young

  New YorkThe 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 PIANGTHE MORO JUNGLE BOY

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

  When I returned from my life among the natives of the lowerPhilippines, I was appalled to find that America was not only ignorantof, but entirely indifferent to our colonies across the seas. Thegeneral impression seemed to be that Manila was a delightful Spanishcity, and that Manila was the Philippines. That there are severalthousand little islands in the Philippine group, each harboring itsdistinct tribe, each with its own dialect and religion, was entirelyunknown. Impressed by the nobility of the Moro in contrast to theother tribes of the archipelago, by his unfortunate treatment and hispossibilities for development, I found myself taking up his cause,and was repaid by intense interest wherever I launched forth on mypet subject. I was so successful that gradually I began to idealizethe 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 amongthese pages the army and navy will recognize stories that have longsince become history. I am indebted to Dean Worcester for statisticsand a great deal of information on the origin and development of theMoro. Indeed some of Piang's adventures are actual incidents of DeanWorcester's travels. Robinson and Foreman have given me much material,and I find their books authentic and true chronicles of the Malaypeople. But most of all I am indebted to that great and wise man,Colonel John P. Finley, United States Army, who during his term ascivil governor of the Moro provinces, did more to help a down-troddenpeople than any Christian who has ever attempted to bring them tothe true light.

  Anticipating carping criticisms from geographic purists, the authoris ready to admit taking liberties with longitudes and latitudes,juggling lakes and mountains to the envy of Atlas, in order to servethe 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 reprintedthrough the courtesy of the editors.