The Red Cloud chief., 1899-02-03

NnN NhI'It' ~ Wv
Thanksgiving on the China sea, eating
fried beefsteak for our turkey.
Manila, Nov. 26 We came IN Manila
Bay about o O'Clock this morning and
passed Dewey's fleet aud the remains
OF the Spanish fleet. We see the city
IT Manila before us. The bay Is almost
covered with English aud German gun
boats. After eight days of waiting in
| the ship we received orders To disem-
bark aud after getting our belongings
| together we boarded what is called
lighters or Baskets. They are long
fiat boats used to load aud unload
| ships as the bay is too shallow for n
ship to approach nearer than three
miles Of the shore. The baskets are
about 100 feet long and two families OF
natives live in each one We landed
amid a crowd of Nebraska boys eager
10 see some familiar face or have a
chat with some old friend. They gave
ms three cheers for Nebraska and then
we marched through town headed by
the Nebraska band playing "A Hot
Time" We found the boys all in good
quarters. Each battillion has a large
factory or some other large building.
Our battalion is quartered in the old
Spanish administration building, where
we have plenty Of room. We fare well,
much better than we have been. We
have a large dining room with real
tables TO eat on. The boys drill about
an hour each day, that being early in
the morning when it is cool. II you
wish a taste of hot weather just take a
stroll through Manila. The air is damp
but il is so still and the sun so hot that
you would naturally think that the
, town was on fire. We have met all the
bows and they seem in no rush to 60
home.
The natives here are all in tribes and
most of the tribes, except In town, are
barbarous. They do not know what
:. civilization is. But those that have
been In contact with the Americans
like American rule. When some tribe
!. out In the foothills makes-a dash into
, TIE city, plundering and stealing every
|, thing loose, then is when the fun comes
in. All the large buildings are built
; on the defensive plan. The sides are
stone, the windows barred with iron
4 grating, the doors all bolted on the in
q Size, the roof shingled with glass shin
q giles of all shapes, so there is no posi-
BILE show of forcing An entrance. The
a native dwellings are all made Of BAN
, boo poles and covered with hay Of
leaves. The streets are Of the CHINESE
4 style, being narrow and dirty. Th'
natives are dishonest and tricky ant
|. fight with daggers. The streets ar
lined with thieves and beggars. TIL
natives do not wear scarcely an
N clothing and hats or shoes. Tn
a horses here are from two aud a half I
ID four feet high and only n horse bul
-, gies of ancient style are used. A
"A heavy work 10 done with the waite
.. buffalo. They are used by the native
mo- to ride, a family going at a time. I'll
mt women carry all small articles in
~ large Hat basket on their heads. Ye
terday a party of us went out TO I'll
m, Paso burying ground to dig a grave Il
one OF the buys Of our company. III
90. grave yard is surrounded by a big
,st stone wall, the gate being guarded |
,od natives. Most of the bodies OF NATIVE
are laid in a vault, for which they ha'
AN been paying the Spanish a large sul
ed for rent, and II they failed to pay Il
rent the body was taken out ar
thrown in the bone pile. The Dol
on pile Is a pile Of human skulls and bon
rim about ten feet high, twenty feet loI
wo and ten feet wide.
Part Of the city Of Manila is 81
rim rounded by II great wall some fife
,ch feet high and covered on the top
is icicles of glass, and inside OF this WI
NJ Is a canal and inside of the canal is a
|, n o,her wall covered like the first,
~ there is no show Of forcing M G
tho trance. 1t is guarded by America
r;,. now. The principal occupation of t
natives here is raising tobacco. Y
.ve can get cigarettes at two and a hi
hat cents per hundred and cigars half
oyo cent each. ! went through a cigare'
factory where there were 500 perso
nd employed and they turn out 8 900 paC
COS ages daily. | also visited the oil, roI
md basket, Irvine, soap and canning fl
tories. The natives are very indust
cea Gus in these lines.
!, al We have Just received orders
m, move out on one of the outposts whit
the some danger is expected, as Aguinal
vet is uniting his forces.
,wo We are in the best Of health.
~ Kar