The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1899-10-07
THE PHILIPPINES.
Some Quaint Folk, Their Man
ners, Customs and Char
acteriSticS.


for the ST. Louis Mirror. 1t con-
tains valuable information rela
tive to the Philippines. the Filinos
aud the war. The article is dated
Aug. I6, 1890, and was written in
an old Spanish house, twenty mile S
from Manila. 1, is addressed to
the editor Of the Mirror:
My dear Sir:--When last we me, in
Goods County, i promised to write some
day and tell you about Manila, the people,
etc. In compliance with this promise, it
affords me pleasure to spend this afternoon
in having with you ga conversation on
paper, the first topic being.
OUR ARRIVAL.
About 10 O'Clock a. IN. July "a, after an
uneventful voyage of 1000 miles, the
U. S. A. transport Sheridan passed Cor
regidor Islands, and then entered Manila
Bay, an hour later anchoring three
miles from Manila.
a hundred bags of mail were at once sent
ashore in steam launches and the following
day nearly all the 1860 soldiers board
were landed IN lighters.
The morning of the 10th we rode out to
Caloocan in the rckety of the Manila
Il Dagupan Railroad, two box cars jumping
the track while running al speed of about
four miles an hour. Reaching destna-
ton, part of my company made camp
the very ground where was fought 1.-The
Churchyard Battle delapidated tombs ex-
posing to view human skeletons.
Here floundered around in mud, water
and rain, drilling twice day in sub
merged rice field, until the afternoon of
July 20, when we struck camp and started
for this place, San Juan de! Monte, where
we are now doing outpost duty of most
highland disagreeable-nature.
Inspecting outposts dark, rainy nights
about the only kind have-working
ones way through high, wet weeds and
underbrush, plodding through mud and
water, now and then stepping slippery
rock-these things are, indeed, sufficient to
make one lose all his religion.
HOW WE LIVE.
The soldiers are in tents (some floored),
and live very we'll. Fresh bread and re-
frigerated meat daily received from
Manila. Battalion Headquarters Qike all
other headquarters in near settlements)
in old Spanish house, whose sur
roundings tell the tale of recent events.
The officers have trouble in getting
from the Sales Commssary in Manila,
canned goods, pickles, crackers, etc.
TYPICAL MANILA HOUSE,
In building a house here, three things are
always considered: Typhoons, earthquakes
and the heat. Consequently nearly all
houses are two-story affairs, the walls of the
lower being of stone brick and that the
upper of wood, with thatch roof.
Plastering is unknown, being replaced by
cloth or straw mating, on which painted
pictures and designs of various descriptions.
For hygienc and other reasons, the lower
floor is occupied by servants, dogs, cats, etc,
the family living in the upper
The attics of the older buildings are filled
with immense rats, and some are inhabited
by harmless house hold snakes ten to twelve
feet long.
SICKNESS AND DISEASES.
There is comparatively little malarial Or
typhoid fever, suffering mostly
from dysentcry and darrha,, a great deal
of which could be avoided by being more
careful to what they eat and drink.
\ great many natives have Il kind Of itch.
Indeed, the men, women and children spend
most of their time smoking and scratching.
Some of also troubled with.
this itch.
There is, of course, small po< also, and
it is not uncommon thing to native
the streets of Manila with his arms, legs
face covered with pustular small pox
eruptions.
The Philippines undoubtedly much
more healthfu than Cuba, and with due
care, there is reason why one should not
enjoy good health.
INSECTS, BUGS, REPTILES, ETC.
Bugs and insects numerous, but SO far
l have not been able to find anyone who has
poisonous reptile of any kind
Lizards attain the enormous length of
three and even four feet. Mosquitoes and
flies are troublesome, but not as much so as
in the Southern part of the United States.
MANILA.
From distance Manila reminds one of
Santiago, Havana, or any other Spanish
City, but its cosmopolitan nature and the
American hurry-hurry that is EVIDENT
are anything but Spanish.
The population of Manila, in round num-
bers, is generally estimated at $4,000. OF
this number about 500 are Chinese, 6, 900
Spanish, 500 American, German and
English, and 293, 500 native.
The natives divided into two classes:
Pure natives and mestizos-mongrels of
Spanish, Chinese and what not origin, of