# Under MacArthur in Luzon/Chapter 14

CHAPTER XIV
A JOURNEY OVER THE SIERRA MADRE
Carrying the cormorant between them, for the bird was as big as a turkey and correspondingly heavy, they lost no time in hurrying from the beach and plunging into the heart of the woods.
"The natives must have heard that shot, if they are within half a mile of the place," said Walter, "and the best we can do is to get out of the neighborhood."
Their walk brought them to a small brook, and following this, they presently reached a hollow where, between two large rocks, there was a spring of pure cold water. There was plenty of shelter at hand, and this they concluded, therefore, to make their temporary camp.
The cormorant was speedily picked and cleaned, and the young sailors tied the bird up in several big leaves, wound with the rope-like vines which were handy. Then a fireplace was made of stones, the ​bird placed on the bottom and covered with sand, and they essayed to obtain a light.
"We must get the driest brushwood we can find," said Walter; and this was by no means easy, for the light rain was very penetrating and had wet nearly everything. But at last they had what they wanted, and the pistol was discharged in some lint torn from the inside of Walter's jacket. The flash of the weapon was followed by a tiny blaze which Si nursed with tenderest care, and soon they had a roaring fire, which, however, they kept well hidden by the rocks and by some sods they had torn up. The fire made the hollow fairly dry and comfortable, and the rain kept the smoke well down among the trees, so that it was not likely to be seen.
It was an impatient pair of young tars that waited for the cormorant to be done baking, and Si wanted to get at the meat long before it was finished according to Walter's notion. The little fish had been put beside the bird and both baked together.
"Kind o' tough," said the Yankee lad, when the food was brought forth and cut, or rather, torn up, for they were without a knife. "And tastes kind o' salty, too."
"I believe only the young of the cormorant are ​generally eaten," replied Walter. "But we can be thankful to have anything, and I must say for myself that I am so hungry I could almost eat sole leather." And he fell to with a hearty good will on one of the drumsticks, while Si gnawed away at the other. The meal lasted for over an hour, yet when they were done, fully a half of the cormorant remained. The fish was more tender and disappeared like magic.
"We can save this for to-morrow," remarked Si, on finishing the novel repast. And the balance of the bird was wrapped in fresh leaves and rewound with vines. By this time night was again upon them, and they concluded to remain where they were until daybreak. The fire was replenished, and they huddled in the shelter of the rocks, to watch the blaze and talk over their situation.
"We are in a hole—no two ways about it," was Si's comment. "What to do I don't know. If I thought the Central would come back for us, I'd stay right where I am."
"It's quite likely those on board think us dead, or in the hands of the rebels, and if that's so, they won't come back."
"Then we are doomed, Walter!"
​"I'm not going to give up yet, Si. Remember, even if it is over two hundred miles to Manila, we've both got a stout pair of legs and our health—"
"Gosh, do you calkerlate to walk that distance?" And Si's eyes opened wide. "Across mountains an' all, and in the enemy's country? I reckon you'd have your hands full, an' more."
"Have you anything better to propose?"
"I must allow I have not."
"And you don't want to stay here, do you?"
"But think of it, Walter, a journey of which we know absolutely nothing," said Si, with great deliberation.
"We know we want to strike out south-southwest."
"And how are you going to do it without a compass?"
"We'll have to guess at it. I know how the sun and compass stood a few days ago, and I think I can hit it pretty closely."
"But there are mountains to cross, aren't there?"
"Yes, this range behind us, called the Sierra Madre. To the west of the mountains is the Cagayan River, and if we followed that, it would bring us about half the journey."
​"And wouldn't that land us right in the heart of the rebel territory?"
"I suppose it would."
"And how do you expect to steer clear of the enemy? Why, they'll gobble us up in no time."
Walter drew a long breath. "All right, Si, you can stay here if you wish. I intend to try my luck."
"Don't git mad, Walter; I'm only lookin' at the worst side on it," burst out the Yankee lad, hastily. "Of course I'll go along," he added after a pause. "Ain't nothing else to do."
So the talk ran on until nearly midnight. Then they heaped more wood on the fire and turned in, which was not saying much, since, as Si put it, "they hadn't no bunks nowhere." Yet they slept soundly until far into the next morning.
When they sprang up the sun was shining brightly and the storm was a thing of the past. All the birds were singing gayly, and this helped to put them in good humor. The fire had died low, and after a consultation they allowed it to go out, since it was doubtful if they could carry any along with safety.
A brief and scanty breakfast, washed down with a last drink from the spring, and they made certain ​the Central was not in sight. Then they set out on their journey, Si carrying the remainder of the cormorant, and Walter with the pistol, ready to shoot should anything dangerous show itself.
But all the morning and well into the afternoon nothing living came to light but a few birds, that scattered speedily at their approach. Once they fancied they heard human voices at a distance and went into hiding for several minutes. But the alarm proved a false one, and they went on more confidently than ever.
When they rested that night both calculated that they had covered fifteen miles,—a goodly distance when the roughness of the country was taken into consideration. They halted at the top of a small mountain, at the base of which they made out a native village located on the bank of a winding stream.
On their journey they had come across some nuts which were sweet to the taste, and had eaten considerable of them, regardless of the fact that they might be poisonous. They realized that they were in desperate straits and must take many risks. The cormorant had been "sampled" several times, and they knew that the following morning would see the last of the bird.
​"We'll keep a little of the flesh," said Si, "and a bone or two out of which to make fish-hooks, and then, when we get to a stream, we can try our luck at fishing."
The journey had made them sore all over, and the next morning Walter was so stiff he could hardly start out again. "That comes from being cooped up so long on shipboard," he said. "It will take us several days to get our walking legs."
Passing the village they had seen from the mountain top, they descended to the valley on the west of the Sierra Madre and began the journey toward the Cagayan River, making sure, however, to continue in a southwest direction. The country was still very hilly and rough, and several times they found themselves in a "pocket," and had to make detours through jungles and swamps, and over rocks which were back-breaking to climb.
"I don't wonder the soldiers can't get at the rebels when they take to the mountains," remarked Walter. "An army in a place like this couldn't do a thing, unless each man went on a hunt to suit himself."
"My idee is that the Filipinos will keep up their guerilla tactics long after the leaders surrender," returned Si. "The half-civilized ones are like our ​Indians, and this jest suits 'em. Well, they can do as they please, only I don't want to stay among 'em."
And he struck out faster than ever. They were hungry again, and glad enough to stop at a stream which presented itself, and try their luck at fishing. For lines they used threads torn from their clothing and baited their bone fish-hooks with the cooked meat previously mentioned. But though they fished long and patiently, not a fish came near them.
"Hang the luck!" cried Si, at last. "I don't believe there are any fish here." But even as he spoke he saw a specimen of the finny tribe leap to the surface, catch an insect which had dropped there, and disappear like a flash.
"There's an idea!" said Walter, and forthwith began to hunt up some of the insects in question, which were not unlike our native crickets, excepting that they possessed a double set of wings. With one of the insects on his hook for bait he crept to the stream again and threw in exactly where the fish had appeared. Swish! up came the fish, eager for another such dainty morsel, the line grew taut, and in a second Walter had a beautifully speckled prize, weighing all of a pound.
​"Hurrah, first blood!" shouted Si. "Give me one of those critters." And soon he was baited in a similar fashion. Walking up the stream, he too threw in with care and was rewarded with equal quickness, his catch being even larger than that of Walter.
The young sailors had now learned a secret well worth knowing, and they kept at the spot until they had sixteen fish to their credit, all squirming and twisting at a lively rate in a hollow into which they had been thrown.
"I fancy that is more than we need," said Walter, as he brought up the last, as plump a catch as any. "If we bake these and pack them in leaves, they will last us for several days. Probably we'll get tired of eating them before they are all gone."
"Humph, it will be better nor nothing," was Si's comment. "Come, I'm hungry for some already."
And then they moved to a ravine which was not far away, where they spent the whole evening in preparing the fish and in getting a substantial supper. The day's journey had proved even harder than that of the day before, and in consequence the boys upon retiring slept, as Walter afterward declared, "like tops."
Daybreak found them making their way around a village with extreme care. They could plainly see ​the villagers as they moved about in lazy fashion, smoking cigarettes and doing the little work which seemed necessary. They were now in the territory inhabited by Guinaanes, a tribe not so dark as the Negritos and taller. This tribe numbers probably ten thousand souls, and it is said that they were among the last to take up arms in the rebellion against Spain and, later on, against the United States. They were deadly enemies to the warlike Igorrotes, who inhabit the seacoast to the westward, and could not be induced to fight side by side with them under Aguinaldo or any other Filipino leader.