Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-09
Moves Into Barracks.

August %, 1S9S.-I don't believe you can
imagine how much good letter from
friends and relatives does for a SOL
der boy DOM here nearly three thousand
niles from home.
There were so many sick on account of
our last camp that we have been moved
into barracks-an old, unoccupied store
house in nice condition, with plenty of
air, whitewashed, and with hard cement
floor, which we call our bed. Night before
last l hung up a hammock, made by tying
up the ends of my half of the tent, and, as
true as l am here l could not Sleep being
used to hard surfaces. Finally L gave it
up and went to the floor where l slept
as sound as a log.
There are great many rumors to our
staying here and doing garrison duty in the
different towns. The latest rumors are:
First that will be in Washington Sep
tember Is, and the other is that we will
stay here for the remainder of our two
years of enlistment. This morning, which
is a good example of our daily routine, was
passed as follows: Roll call, BIB; break
fast, $50 to $50, consisting of bean SOUP
one-haif cup to a man, with five hard tacks.
The boys have offered reward to the one
finding a bean in his soup. This is follow
ed by one drill in the morning that lasts
about one hour; dinner at II m, which
consists of one-haf cup of rice. a little
sugar, and five ''tacks;' one drill in the
afternoon, lasting one hour; retreat, lower
ing the colors, and roll call at 5:15 Supper
at g. consists of one piece of bacon, i've
''tacks" and one cup of coffee.
An Odd Sight.
Five funerals of natives have passed our
barracks today, and odd sight they
we're, too. They have no procession except
when a wealthy person dies, then there is
very small one. The only procession
the common folks have is the pall-bearers
The coffin, or rather box, is strapped to
two long pieces of bamboo and L. carried
on the shoulders of the pall-bearers and
has no lid. When they reach the ceme-
terry they take the corpse out of the coffin
ard place il in small tomb, put a shovel
of earth over 1t and let 1t remain there
until the worms eat the flesh from the
bones, then they take the bones out and
pile them up in a corner and put another
body into The hole.
The wealthier class have a common black
coffin like ours, and are buried in it and
never removed. 1 saw three corpses yes
terddy OF victims OF starvation. They were
children about five to ten years of age,
and their throats were very little bigger
than my two fingers. 1t was a frightful
sight. The cemetery here has a high, thick
wall around it, and the Spaniards had cut
little portfolios in it and used them as a
sort OF breastworks or fort.
If these Spaniards only had courage they
could have annihilated us thousand times
before we got into this place. They would
see US coming, fire few shots and then
run for dear life. The mountain passes are
very narrow, and the mountains quite high,
the peaks being filled with rife pits So
you see what destructive work they could
have done If they were only brave as
they were in Cuba.
There are quite a number of stores in this
place, and no matter what kind of store 1t
is they have a large quantity of fEm
brandy and wine for sale. They are great
drinkers down here, the women as well as
the men. and we seldom see woman
without a cigar, cigarette or pipe In her
mouth.
1 have begged an envelope, and it stuck
together, so l will have to cut one end and
sew 1t up again. Hope you will excuse the
same, as paper and envelopes are very
rare here.