Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-08-15
Camp near Pasay, Manila, P. l..

May "a. 1899.
My dear Aunt Maria: We have just
had pouring rain for about twenty
four hours. This morning, however,
it is clear, and the sun is trying its
best TO break through the clouds. 1t
is surprisinp how soon the ground in
our camp dries up. We are not far
from sea-level and the water soaks
through rapidly, but the roads become
almost impossible. Later on they be-
come entirely so, and it is simply out
of the question to think of getting a
wagon along them. The carrabou or
water buffalo is the only thing that
can overcome the situation, and we
are obliged to use him as pack ami
NAL. AT present we drive them TO
carts. and most of our supplies are
brought out in this way. I have had
such rig and driver with my compa-
ny ever since i have been out on the
lines. The native bull driver is quite
a character. We have given him the
name of Sport because he always
keeps himself looking so neat; in fact
all the natives, even the lower classes,
seem to be very neat and clean in their
persons. As they go about. in white
suits, with long shirts outside of their
trousers. they look very picturesque.
The shirt is usually made of Pima
cloth. very light, and thin as mosquito
netting. The women wear low-necked
saques, or shirt waists with very large
open sleeves coming to the elbow. The
skirt fits closely and is usually red.
| yellow. or some other bright color
with smaller skirt or cloth of black
coming down TO the knees. You never
see head dress unless it is on Sunday
i have noticed them going TO church
at Pasay with a clean, white cloth on
! the head, fashioned something like the
head-dress of a nun. The natives. as a
class, are exceedingly bright and deft
| in their work. They are great imita-
tors and quick as lightning. / have
never seen as intelligent lot of half
savages. But. they have no balance
rwheel. are very eXcitable and, fancy
very easily lead astray by vicious lead
ers. | guess they will lie and steal,
and they are doubtless very treacher-
Gus. 1t is wonderful how expert they
are in the manufacture OF articles of
every description out of bamboo. Their
houses, all articles of furniture. such
as beds, chairs, baskets and tables. are
made out of this vegetable, which
grows in great abundance. About all
the tools they need are a bolo. or large,
heavy knife, and a saw. Several OF
| them have been at work building a
large shack for six men in the compa-
ny. They worked all day yesterday in
the rain and did not sem to mind it in
the least. They did not have any gar.
ments on except white cotton trousers
rolled above the knees, and white
| straw hats.
I 1t seems strange to be here in the
trenches, with large force in oul
front, and natives, men, women and
children, Just outside of our lines. In
fact there are some families living be-
tween our outpos.s and the trenches
A party of them came up to my out.
post this morning and asked permits
sion to bury one of their dead in the
graveyard within our lines. 1t was
not granted. All natives are allowed
to come in with the understanding
that they will settle down quietly, and
they are not permitted to return be
yond the lines.
| G. nv NTason