The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1898-09-16
AS Told by viii Merrill.


From Cavite letter TO Lis mother:
The decka OF our vessel were cleared
on Juue "a as there were many indica-
tions of q big storm. This however
passed us not far away making very
rough sea. must not fail to note here
that we had piece of giuger cake as a
side dish for supper on the evening Of
the -. Sunday following was spent very
pleasantly in attending church eervices
on the hurricane deck, and according to
chaplin Gilbert's report AIS of the boys
in the regiment are church members,
much needed,
Fatigue uniforms OF brown duck were
issued the following day and as the heat
was becoming intense, they were very |
welcome indeed.
1t daylight on June IS. land was bare
ly visible to the south of us. and at 2 p NJ
we were surprised by the appearance OF
smoke ahead of us, and learned is wac
the Baltimore coming out to meet us
We stopped long enough for her to send
officers to the Chsrlston, then continued
our journey and at 5PM passed the
"heads" entering Ballingion straits.
All the next day and night we were
thrown around the chip by the notorious
China Sea, it being so rough we could
neither stand mp or cit down. Dishes
we're broken, the floor was covered with
water and many of the boys were dump
ed out Of their hunks during the ri.n'.
We thought We were going through q
terrible storm but the sailors said 1t was
nothing but q little blow" on the
China Sea.
At4PM on the following day June so
we papsed between the high mountain
Gus shore and large high rock stand
ing some distance from the opposite
main land, which forms the entrance TO
tie pretty Manila harbor. A German
cruiser escorted US from the email city
just inside the entrance 10 Cavite, where
it saluted Dewey ard then retained TO
its station. Salutes were exchanged by
the Charleston and the fleet on meeting.
At last at about 5P N the Australia
drcpped anchor near ths a.s- ship Olyn-
pia, while the men Of Doth were cheer
ing heartily. An hour later We had the
pleasure Of seeing Admiral Dewey as be
came aboard our chip. The next day
We went ashore, which We had no sooE.
! reached than we were awed almost aweG
: by the beauty and grandeur Of this his'
toric place-0ld Cavi;e, the Spanish
fort and arsenal. The buiIdings neal
the landing, (outsiue the wall. are com
Z parstively new. They are very neat anC
!. pretty having flower gardens arounC
them aud running fountains near.
A But this beauty is surpassed by scene
n inside the great gale TIE crumblipI
8 o.d wall bnilt 4lO years ago almost tell
N us history as ~ LOOK ~ it. The equain
. old building With their tile roofs an,
!. shell windows too, take US back IT
memory down all the years the Span
isrds have controlled the poor native
10 making them work or throwing them iu
. TO the long prison seen in the distance
q As soon as arranged in our quarter
e We started out to zee this ancient hom
e Of oppressors and visit their many build
is ings. Almost at ever, step we fOun
Il something new and among the fri
m things the result OF Dswey's victory
" From the old wall grand view of tt
A bay may be obtained and almost at one
r. teSt the eleven masses OF twisted iEo
steel plates and the hulks OF ships, q
is, that remains of the once honorable 81
ot powerful Spanish feet Thirteen ste
bulks only q short distance apart, near
70. every one with its bow towards shor
il Movements that will tell Of Spanii
,at cowardice as long as they lie ther,
oil Next We visited the dungeons and sa
in the stocks and other implements OF TO
ureth been in use for years.
Only one other OF the many places '
visited can be mentioned here for wa
OF room, and that IL she prison. As '
- SeSoA ~ hSHA Va thO eAAtcA NsAAORs "a
looked at the shrunksn faces of the DO,
prisoners as they begged us for brel
I thought o. the words: "Whatsoev
. man soweth, that shall be Also reap
For theee poor dogs and the beings on
" dressed 90 neatly and Nho guarded III
prison ouly few monIhs ago are Il
same people. Then, proud Spanil
guards; now, the prisoners OF their fol
= mer subjects. And Dow 10 closing
~ may speak Of II ese subjecu-.he natiy
a.. OF the leland. They are small of statu
~ not very intelligent but rather indu
trious, look something like q Jap, al
always seem jolly. They are easily il
fu.need and raiher timij Both nj
ne and women dTess yerv peculiarly; q
mt women wear wooden shots, while q
to men go oare-footed. These uativ
hs seem &c be very brave and determin,
re fighters for they havs 5000 Spanil
III prisoners They do most OF their figh
III ing with knives which they say scar
IN the poor Dons TO cesih. They are We
~ friendly to US and ike 10 be in compaI
% with our boys ever anxious to tell {
'ee they know and teach Us their langua
'se and in return learn ours.
ae Will V. MERRILL.
m
II. FroD the World. On Wednesd,
sd Mr.. Mckinley visited his home iowr