The Ravalli Republican., 1898-10-26
FROM MANILA.

FROM MANILA
Dick Wells Writes interestingly Of That
Far orr Land
Eil;tira:ii Wells, a Stevensyjlle boy
who is now in the Philippines as
a corporal in the Dillon company Of
the First Montana, writes the follow
ing to the Dillon Tribune:
Cavite, Philippine Islands, Aug 81.
--Dur long sea voyage is ended at
last and the 1st Montana is now in
quarters at this point. Our voyage
from Ionolalu was practically rep
etition OF that from San Francisco.
At Honolulu IS of the California re-
cyuits we're taken Off the Pennsyl-
vania and put on board the Rio
Ianciro. This gave us more room
than before, but the Improvement
was SO slight as not TO be notice
able. The quantity of food was in
creased slightly on the latter voyage,
bat the quality was enough worse to
more than make up for it. None Of
tho men were we'll for the last week,
so the hunger was not SO great as no
one had any appetite. A comparison
Of notes shows that the troops on The
other transports suffered more or less
in this respect, but none so badly as
on the Pennsylvania. Howard the
latter end Of the voyage: when the
meat and potatoes had got thoroughly
spoiled, it was pretty bad. Part Of
the 4imc the companies refused to
draw their rations, prcforring to 90
without them TO eating thc rotten
provisions furnished. On the other
ships the officers seem to have tried
to do the best they could for the men,
but in cur case such intention was
noticcably absent. / do not mean
the company officers, many Of whom
tried their best but 'wc~c perfectly
helpless.
We landed here Il week ago tonight
and came ashore after dark in Il little
sidcWllccl steamer and carnpcd for
the night III the court yard Of the Old
Spanish barracks. In the night ou!
captain came and called for youn-
tccrs to 60 out and capture some in
surgcnts who were robbing the hulks
OF the vessels sunk in the bay by
Dewey. Practically the whole com
pany volunteered. Out Of aN these
a dozen were picked and started out.
They found their men ut work and
called on them to surrender. Instead
of doing SO they tried to escape. We
fired on them, killing one and NOR
tally woundiny another. This has
has been the only incident SO far
since we landed to break tho monot-
Ony Of barracll life except that a
couple Of soldiers were shot by the
insurgents Just about the time we
landed. We were close enough &c
; hear the shots. From all that can
; be learned the men were drunk and
; the insurgents were not much tC
blame for killing them.
, We are now Comfortably quartcrcd
in the old Spanish barracks here. II
is Il quaint old pile buildings nearly
1900 years old. The walls are built OF
gray stone and brick. whitewashcd
or plastcred inside and out and the
roofs are Of red tiles stained by tho
hand Of time to many harmonious
shades ofrcd and green The win
, dows are made OF little plates o
j translucent sea shells. Thcyare quite
j fiat and about two by three inches in
size and set in a wooden lattice
: There is not Il glass window to be
: seen in the town. This makes M
difference, however, as doors stanC
! open the year round.
, Cavitc pronounced Cah-ycc-tch) is
an old, oriental, narrow -strcctcd towr
, and the most abjcctly poverty strick
7 en- town that could be imagined. Tho
t natives are as poor rs they look an(
, seem to regard the white man as al
5 powerful / a white man wants /;
house or store, occupied by one o'
them. |ic simply takes possession ant
$ The native makes no objection. The
/ INSURGENTS seem to be peaccably dis
, posed toward us. They have head
quarters in several different places il
I the town. They like to have Us com
| around to sec them and it make
: their officers feel pretty proud whcf
an AI!lcIltiu SOlultI Sd uLtS uIlCt1l
(, \ good many Of the insurgcnt officer
: are quite intelligent men, Writin;
: and speaking several languages. Som
, Of Of them, too, have Travelled a 600!
: deal. In fact. all the natives ar'
+, quite Intelligent, and if they coul
], have a goot, government for a fc>
;, years would make arcaNvtine people
:, 1t will be a shame TO turn them Owe
! again to the ''tcndcr mcrCies' g
;. Spain.
y The climate is beginning to te
|, on the health Of the men Il little
:. although the MonlanAns still maiF
!, tain their representation Of being tn
hcalthcst regiment in the service
l. 1t was the only regiment that di
S, not lose one or more men on the Vo'
|. age.
5: We are within 50 feet Of the ba