Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1898-11-03

40 Coiuuhd touHud, VI IlOly w S6h,
had arrived, with the prospect of sew
eral holidays in succession, the Anglo
American residents of Manila had de-
serted the city. They went out to
live In the surrounding country, partly
for pleasure and partly because no We
hicle would be allowed in the streets
during two days of the week, so that
anyone remaining in town would be
virtually prisoner in his house or at
the club.
Some of the migrants had gone up
the Pasig river to the lake at its
source aud some to explore the won
derful caves in the great southern vol
canic range; but /, with half dozen
others, had chartered a big steam
launch, loaded her with camping
outfit and native servants and steamed
across the bay and up the coast. We
were going to the wild north country
Of Luzon in search of deer and wild
pig.
We landed with our paraphernalia
on the beach at our destination; Or
aered the launch to return on the fol-
lowing Monday and began to shift for
ourselves in country as wild as it was
when Magellan aud Bilboa cruised
among the islands. 1t swarmed with
little Negritos, or aboriginal natives
whom the Spanish conquerors have
vainly tried for three centuries to sub
due and civilize.
These Negritos wander about the
poot 10 In c,,,oD 1o,,Io o1oa,1t,, rr
one night under few propped-up
boughs and the next, perhaps, among
the limestone rocks and caves of the
shore. Their language consists of a
lew bird-like chirps and whistles.
Their weapons are bows and arrows
and queer swords or knives, which
they can WELD with terrible effect.
They are cowardly and treacherous
TO the last degree. We had been es-
pecially warned against wandering
singly In the Jungle, for solitary
hunter would be apt to find himself
suddenly bristling with arrows, shot
from behind every tree and rock
around him. "This," said the grave
old half-breed huntsman, who had
given lis these particulars, would be
excessively disagreeable for your
grace" s"-and our graces agreed with
the opinion.
We accordingly took exceeding
good care to keep together during the
first two OF three days, but as no
signs of blacks appeared we became
less careful and occasionally made in
dividual expeditions along the shore
or into the forest in quest of Jungle
fowl or other small game.
Now species Of huge lizard-the
iguana = inhabits the rocks of the
islands, and I was very anxious to Sc
cure q specimen. So one afternoon
started off with rifle to stroll along
the shore toward mass of jagged
rocks where the beach ended. There
great bluff rose gradually from the
woods, terminating in a mighty spur
high in the air and far out at sea.
l soon discovered that was accom-
panied by Pete,a small fox-terrier, who
belonged to one of the men and had
been brought with us for some un-
known reason, for so far he had been
I nothing better than general nuisance.
Z. However, as Pete and | were good
n friends, he trotted along beside me
until we arrived at the rocks.
had little hope of finding an iguana
there and was wondering whether il
was worth while to go any farther
when Pete gave q yelp and dashed
forward. In moment more | saw a
big iguana flashing iu and out among
the rocks like lightning, with Pete
scrambling and dipping in pursuit.
AS it was hopeless to try shot while
the lizard was lodging about l ran
after Pete, shouting to him.
But Pete, perverse brute at all times,
4 having now an exciting and unique adj
venture in prospect, scrambled obsti
nately on, until he and the iguani
both disappeared in the low bushes
& and grass that covered the base of The
s. cliff.
NJ Having fought my way through
these, with wrath in my heart agains
the dog. I emerged beyond and saw th,
great lizard gliding up the side of th
bluff on zigzag path probably mad
by the black men. Pete, very bas
second, was pluckily toiling after tn
same.
fired despairing shot and missed
but the bullet must have clipped
pretty close to Pete's head. II
stoppcd--probably glad of an excus
81 to do so--looked back inquiringly snt
then obligingly waited for me to com
up, while the iguana vanished aloft
] felt angry enough to have wrung til