The National tribune., 1898-08-11

extreme when, from a window, ex-
amined the disasters produced by the
typhoon. There was no viilagei Every
hut was levelled to the ground. The
church was thrown down-my stores
houses, my sugar factory, were entirely
destroyed; there was then nothing more
than heaps of ruins.
My fine cane-fieids were altogether de-
stsoyed, and the country which previ-
ously had appeared so beautiful seemed
as If it had passed through long, wintry
season. There was no longer any YER
dure 10 be seen: the trees were entirely
leafess, with their boughs broken, and
portions of the wood were entirely torn
down: and all this devastation had taken
place within few hours.
During that and the following day the
lake threw upon the shore the bodies of
severh unfortunate Indians who had
persisted The first care OF Padre Miguel
was to bury the dead, and for n long time
afterwards there were to be seen i'm the
graveyard Of Jala-Jala crosses with the
inscription: AN unknown who died dur
ing the typhoon." My Indians began
Immediately tn rebuild their huts and /.
as far as possible, to repair nv disasters.
The fertile nature OF the Philippine
Islands speedily effaced the aspect OF
mourning which it had assumed In less
than eight days the trees were completely
covered with new leaves and exhibited
themselves as in n brilliant Summer,
after the frightful Winter had passed
over. The typhOon had embraced a
diameter OF about two leagues and like a
violent hurricane, had upset and shat
tered everything il met during its course.
But enough of disasters; / return to the
epoch when the death of poor Bermigan
| caused affection to us all.
NOCTURNAL RENDEZVOUS.
All was prosperity in my dwelling: nv
Indians were happy; the population Of
IL Ala 4 he
loved and respected. had rendered GREAT
service to the Spanish Government .e
Incessant warfare / carried on agains
bandits; and | may say that even am
them l enjoyed high reputation aeg
looked upon me, indeed as their en- my.
but IN the light OF a brave enemy, in
capable OF committing any act OF base
ness against them and who carried on
an honorable warfare; and the Indi
character was so well known to me .Er
did not fear they would play me srv
low tricks, or would treacherously at
me.
Such was my conviction that arc
my house | was never accompanied ~
day or by night. / traverSed without
all the forests and mountains. and
even treated with these honorable ban
dts, as one power does with another Hr
not dlsdaining the invitations someti
sent to me To come to certain pL
where, without fear of surprise they d. n
consult me- or even invoke my assista
TINS sort OF rendezvous was always
in the night, and in very lonely pla
On their side, as well as on mine -
promise given Of not doing any iniuT
each other was religiously observed.
In these nocturnal conversations, le
without Witnesses, often brought baC
life OF peace mistaken men, whom
turbulence of youth had thrown in
series OF crimes, which the laws We
have visited with most severe pun -r-
ment. Sometimes, however ! failed Fl
my attempts, and especially when / has
to do with proud and untamable C
acterS, such as are to be found an z
men who never have had any other ia
but natural instinct.
One day among others, / receive =
| letter from half-breed great Grim nal,
who infested the neighbo provint 81
Laguna; he told me that he wished te see
me, and begged me to come alone in
middle OF the night to a wild spot. "
he would also come alone; | did
hesitate to go to the place appointed.
| found him there as he had promised me.
He told me that he wished to change his
| mode of life and to dwell on my estate.
He added, that he had never committed
any crime against the Spaniards, but
only against the Indians and the half
breeds. 1t would have been impossible
for me to have received him without
compromising myself. proposed to place
him in the house of a friar, where he
might remain concealed for several years,
until his crimes were forgotten, and then
he could enter into society. After a
moments reflection, he replied:
mo, that would be to lose my liberty.
To live as slavel would prefer to die"
/ then proposed to him to go to Tapuzi,
place where the bandits, when hOtly
pursued, were enabled to conceal them
selves with impunity. The hah-breed,
with an insignificant gesture, replied
NO: the person | wish to take with me
would not come there You can do moth
ing for me, adieup
He then pressed my hand, and we
separated. Some days afterwards, a hut
in which he was seen, near Manila, was
surrounded by the troops of the line. The
bandit then caused the owners OF the hut
to quit it, and when he saw them out OF
danger he took his carbine and began
firing upon the soldiers, who on their side
returned the attack on the hut.
When it was riddled with balls, and the
bandit had ceased to defend himself, a
soldier approached the hut and set fire to
it, so great was the fear they entertained
of then finding him alive.
These nocturnal interviews having LED
me to mention Tapuzi, / cannot refrain
from dedicating a few lines to this re-
markable retreat, where men, when pro-
scribed by the law, live together in sort
of accord and union of a most extra
ordinary kind.
ITO be continue