The present population of Jolo is less than 2,000. This includes all
the natives and foreigners living in Tulay and Busbus; but the United
States troops are excepted. The bulk of the inhabitants is made up
of Filipinos, Chinese, and Moros.
The census statistics give a full and clear idea of the composition of
the resident population of the town in 1903. The Chinese and their
offspring, amounting to 600^ undoubtedly* form the preponderant ele-
ment. The Filipinos come next, amounting to 483 only. Considerable
change has, however, occurred since the census was taken, and neces-
sitates a revision of the above figures. The increase of the garrison and
the construction of many new buildings for the military post has caused
an influx of Filipinos from Zamboanga and Kotabato, and more Chinese
have undoubtedly come in since 1903. The census figures again do not
include Moros, some hundreds of whom live at present in Tulay and
Busbus.
The inhabitants of the town are more or less migratory in character.
The population is constantly changing. Few are property owners. The
majority are traders, carpenters, and domestic servants. The Filipinos
were originally "camp followers" and still feel as strangers in the land.
Manyof the Moros living at Tulay and Busbus are of mixed origin. The
mixture is chiefly of Sulus and Samals, with each other and with Chiifese.
The Jolo type of Moros is by no means pure Sulu and has consequently
misled many authors and ethnologists. A large number of Samals fre-
quent Tulay and Busbus and often temporarily reside tliere, but because
of their strong migratory habits no estimate has been made of them.
A few Arabians, Malays, and Indian traders are married in the country,
but their proportion is small and insignificant at present.
