The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-08-25
5elert Misrrllnnq.
A Soldiers Letter
from Manila.
MANILA, April 2Sth, 1899.

MANILA, "A l'til -oth, iS''-
My DEAR MoTnER:-W When I wrote
you last we were just ready to leave
on our expedition to the lake, Lagnna
de Bay. We marched down to San
Pedro Macati, of which you have prob
ably read, that afternoon, and embarked
on board cOscoos, which are large hargcs
used hv the natives for lighters and
freight boats. The boats were few for
our fifteen hundred men, so that with
a hundred and thirty or more men on
ours we were reduced to ust enough
room to stand up or sit down, but not
to lie down. And away we hied for
the lake in tow of tngs. The Pasig is
swift stream and the tugs were small,
particularly our own. which. betwo' n
wind and current, did not make more
than abont two miles an hour. Once
or twice during the trip up the river
we heard shots fired, but received no
attention from the natives ourselves,
and, finally, We came ont on the lake
and anchored for the rest of the night.
1t was fright, and for supper we had
can of tomatoes for every three men,
and as much hard tack as we could eat.
They are always generous with their
hard tack. but ones stomach has to
realize that there is an emergency be-
fore it can be downed. Few of us got
any sleep, and the next day we weighed
anchor and went on up the lake. In
all the world do not suppose more
beautiful sheet of water can be found.
In many places the mountains rise
stee,, from the waters edge. precipi
tous with craggy, barren rocks, so that
it seemed as though some part of the
scenery of our Idaho lakes had been
taken to these distant shores. In other
pats low lands would be along the
shores. and back Of that the lower hills,
small mountains green from foot to
summit with the waving verdnre of
the palms and all the foliage Of Il tropic
cline, and still ha * of these the clouded
peaks, grand enough in their immen-
sity TO he the signet seals of God.
However, we were out for 4 scrap, and
| don't think that that occurred to me
at the time, because in war only the
ones wronged have any right to think
of God. and if He had to consider
every ybody's wishes He woull have to
| 90 out of business. When, at last, we
were within five miles OF Santa Cruz,
all the boats stopped. A ma jor in our
tug forty feet away, took IA drink OF
whiskey four fingers deep and bottle
cf soda as '-chaser'', which WAS cruel
and since supper we had had il can OF
! beans and can of salmon for seven
men anu All laltl tttti> W Z
The boats pulled in and out, and the
soldiers said there was council Of war,
cursed the government and each other
because they were hungry and sleepy
and the sun WAS hot on the water with
no shade. But all things come to an
end. The gun boats took some cosrocs
| in tow and started Oft toward town
The maj or on the tug who drank the
wIiiskey took another drink and threw
the bottle to our captain. Some en-
listed man caught it, but before he had
time to get two drinks, A lieutenant
grabbed it and the captain was glad tC
have a little left. The soda bottle hit
a soldier on the pose and became a tOta
loss for tie commissioned officer. The
tue man told rs to drop our anchor
then cast loose and moved away leav
ing the Idaho battalion ald a campanN
of the 4th Cavalry floating at large ol