The Irish standard., 1899-02-11

swollen. We lost horse in the river
Carig. but crossed without further accl-
dent. In these streams, and particular
ly in the river Magat, and the Rio
Grande de Cagayan, there are many al
ltgators, of which the natives are in
great fear. No native will venture into
the water nor into the grass along the
bank until he has first thrown stones in
front Of him to frighten away any alli-
gators which may be in the neighbor-
hood.
"Echague is somewhat larger and
more pretentious than Carig. It has
guard of 20 soldiers. From this town
We went by boat to Illagan, sending the
servants with the horses by the road.
I'VE arrived at Illagan that evening,
Nov. /. This town is the capital city
of the province of Isabella. 1t has
population of between 10000 and $1,000
inhabitants, and has many large wood
en- houses, rooted with corrugated iron,
giving it rather European appear
ance. 1t is we'll situated for defense,
being at the junction of the Rio Pinaca-
nauan with the Rio Grande. 1t is pro-
tected from all points except the south.
To attack the city by land from the
south it would be necessary to bring
troops up the eastern side of the Rio
Grande, where there are no roads, The
site of the city Is raised, moreover,
about 40 feet above the level of the
river.
I'm this town we We're entertained at
the house Of wealthy citizen. The
first night after our arrival, a ball was
given in our honor, at which there were
over so young ladies, and an equal num-
ber of we'll dressed and gentlemanly
men. The ball was we'll conducted; the
dances were Spanish. The next even
ing we were invited to the theater to see
two one-act Spanish comedies, present.
ed by the society young people Of the
town. They were both excellently
given, and spoke we'll for the intelli-
gence of the players.
/ "Aparri was next visited. There are
many Spanish prisoners in this town
civil officers. priests, soldiers. Eighty
four priests were paraded in the street
for our inspection, only four or five of
them wearing robes Of their office.
Nearly all Of them wore long hair and
boards. They appeared in good health,
and we could detect no evidence of mall
treatment. These prisoners had been
assembled from different parts of the
province. They are kept under strict
er guard than either of the other two
classes of prisoners, for the reason that
I the native officials fear that, if permit
ted to 60 among the people, they will
use the influence they possess through
their position in the church to inclte
them against the Philippine govern
ment. We also met Don Jose Perez,
| Spaniard who had previously been gov
! ernor of the island. He was we'll dressed
and seemed to be enjoying all the ordi-
nary comforts.
I'm these two days we passed out of
the province of Isabella, and entirely
through the province of Cagayan. These
are the leading tobacco provinces in the
island An idea Of their wealth can be
obtained from the fact that, before the
Philippine insurrection, 100000 in to-
| bacco alone came yearly from the one
province of Isabella The tobacco of
this province is preferred for expectation
to that of Cagayan. Both provinces
raise also sugar, rice, cocoa and coffee.
Cattle also are shipped from Aparri.
1--WE were Hospitality entertained at
| Aparri; two balls were given in our
| honor. The town has population of
10000 inhabitants. 1t has many hand
some houses, and several we'll defined
streets. The military force stationed
here consists of 300 soldiers, in addition
to which the harbor has the protection
Of the gunboat Philippine, which carries
two guns Of a caliber of about three
inches. There are no spaniards here,
with the exception of two or three mer-
chants, one Of these representing the
company of the steamer Saturnas. we
have met. He is pursuing his business
entirely unmolested.
1--WE left Aparri Nov. 8 on the
steamer Oslo. Before leaving Col. I'll
rons provided us with letter directed
to Col. Tino at Vigan, in the province of
Ilocus Sur: or, in the event of his alb
sence from that town, to the comnnan-
dante. This letter was sealed
eve remained at vigan all next day,
| Now. u. 1t had rained during the
night rendering impossible part Of
the road to the next town. We walked
through the town and visited the houses
of several trades people. At one of
these houses we heard the first and
only definite complaint which came to
our ears during the entire journey, on
the part Of the natives against the
present government. These people COM
planned Of the taxes imposed upon them,
and even went so far as to state that
they preferred the Spanish government.
This statement was made in The pres
ence of party of six natives, and was
acquiesced to by ALL they were all, how
yer, of the same family.
"In going from Tag,ldin to Bangar