h their followers,
cut off the head of the Filipino _presidente_, served a few other
leading officials and citizens in the same manner, and proceeded to
set up a government of their own which was the only government that
the place had prior to the arrival of the American troops.

Dato Djimbangan promptly caused the Filipina women of the place to
be stripped and compelled to march before him on the public plaza in
a state of nudity.

At Zamboanga the Moros could have taken the town at any time after
the Spaniards left had they desired to do so. On the arrival of the
Americans Dato Mandi offered to take it and turn it over to them,
but his proposition was declined.

He subsequently swore to an affidavit relative to conditions under
Insurgent rule. It reads as follows:--

"We always had peace in Zamboanga District; except during the
revolution of the Filipinos in the year 1899, when for seven or eight
months there was in existence the so-called Filipino Republic. During
that time there was much robbing and killing; the life of a man was
worth no more than that of a chicken; men killed one another for
personal gain; enemies fought one another with the bolo instead of
settling their differences before the law. It was a time of bloodshed
and terror. There was no justice. Because of this the Moros were
opposed to the Filipinos. There was conflict between the better class
of Filipinos and the revolutionists, who had gained control of the
local government." [336]

Elsewhere throughout the Moro territory those Filipinos who did
not promptly make their escape were murdered or enslaved. In short,
the lion and the lamb lay down together, with the lamb inside as usual.

Thus it will be seen that this first and last attempt of Filipinos
to govern Moros did not result in complete success.

Baldomero Aguinaldo made a subsequent attempt to open communication
with the Sultan of Jolo, authorizing him to establish in all the
_rancherias_ of Mindanao and Jolo a government in accordance with a
decree duly transmitted. The Sultan was requested to report the result
of his efforts and to give the number of his forces with their arms,
and was advised that, "if in this war, which I consider to be the last,
we secure our independence and with the opposition of our brothers
in that region, with yourself at their head, we are successful in
preventing the enemy from gaining a foothold, the grateful country will
always render a tribute of homa