The times., 1899-07-24

handsomely in these bamboo arrangements.
for every native in Luzon keeps a goodly
supply of bamboo furniture on hand, and
if this has been pre-empted the soldier
takes the next best thing, which is the
floor. The floor OF a hut is constructed of
thin bamboo strips nailed or tied to cross
stringers.
The bed constructed. up goes the pup
tent v hich is pitched as if the bed were
the ground. the ropes being fastened to the
Stats Of the bed and a piece of bamboo
pole from the thicket ingeniously used as
a ringpole. Now the soldier house has its
nucleus. II begins to grow and il increases
in size and comfort according TO the length
OF time camp Is maintained on that spot.
1t is a common maxim in the Army. and
such was also the case formerly, according
TO the accounts Of the humorous side of the
Civil War. that to clean up or to improve
camp is TO invite an order to break UP
and move. On many occasions one may
see thoroughly disguised pairs of men rail-
ing against an order to break camp. These
men probably tugged and perspired all the
day before in erecting leaf roof over their
tent In the Army blue book there are
strict rules for building camp, but the
officers have generously neglected to en-
force these rules in the Philippines. The
soldier in the field is allowed to follow his
prescribed line. He may dig cellar be-
meath it If he chooses, or he may erect a
miniature Eiffel tower for an airy sitting
room.
a soldier seldom inhabits his tent longer
than a day under a burning sun before he
begins 10 skirmish around for more pro-
tection> If the country in the vicinity OF
the camp has been recently cleared of
Filipincs there is plenty of material. A
rf ina hot cd Will mol
at each corner heads of some Of the sun
when it is hct and rain when it is wet.
Probably next comes q piece of bamboo
mating some Filipino has used for his
bedclotiles. A cast-off piece of corrugated
iron from Manila is considered quite
prize. It can be bent into a contrivance
TO shed water from the ridge of the tent
and il can be used as the roof of a front
porch. Often these camps are left in one
spot long enough to allow the men to set
up housekeeping with all the accoutre-
ments. But there is always that order to
move hanging over ones head. and it de-
stroys ambition. One of the direful
things of war in the mind of the private
is to build a camp for another organiza-
tion 10 occupy. The disgust at being COM
PEELED to leave camp has often eliminated
in burning of the gathered building mate
rials 10 the further disgust OF the next
set of campers.
Having sport with the rockies is one of
the pastimes Of the volunteer soldier serv-
ing at present in the Philippines. 4 rocky
is a recruit. The regular regiments, which
have been transported TO Manila since the
trouble with the Filipinos began are full
of rockies. In many instances not more
than 200 of the cid members OF the regi-
ment, the men who went through the trials
of the Santiago campaign. came to Manila
The remainder of the regiment usually
consists of bran new boys from the farm,
and this fact the volunteers soon discover
ed The majority of these new men took
the course of living up to the reputation
their regiment had before they enlisted
To hear one of the new men Jrag about
the dangers the regiment went through in
Cuba, and then let out the fact that he
was cnly plain citizen when that cam
paign was In progress, is too much for the
volunteer. On the other hand the ROCKY
regular entered Manila with the PROPOSE
ton in his head that volunteers were an
inferior class of soldiers. And thus the
small rivalry grew until it has eliminated
In several incidents decidedly humorous.
The recently arrived Ninth United States
Infantry saw its first Philippine service
in the trenches near Caloocan, which had
been vacated by the Kansas and Montana
men when they went forward on that fear
full up-country drive on March %. By the
time the Ninth Infantry arrived to take
charge of this section OF the lines the place
was worth little more than a reserve the
Filipinos being well cleared out from the
front. a battalion of Colorado volunteers
had been despatched from the waterworks
to hold this place for ten days
The companies of the Ninth Infantry,
with their nice new khaki uniforms and
shelter tents, arrived for duty at dusk one
evening. To effect the change of bodies
OF troops at point involves several Hours
OF work between the non-c0mmissiOne1 of
ficers and commanders OF the two detach-
ments. Just to make the time pass hap
PLY for the rockies OF the Ninth the
Colorado men laid themselves out for their
entertainment while the changes of out
post squads were being made. A new man
who had never heard war bullets sing sug-
gssted the plot ez unwarily asking whether
the rice ridges, the little embankments
which surround each level rice plateau TO
keep the water in place during the grow
ing season. ad which he saw all around
him. were Filipino earthworks from be-
hind which they fought. The Colorado
men assured him that he had guessed right
and then waded into some long lectures
on the fighting qualities of the insurgeat.
''Ye see they paint their bodies just the
color Of the ground. and ii Is impossible
to see one ct night until he has wrigzleI
right under her nose" said a former ore
HEAVIER from Leadyille Then yer want
TO watch out. for all Filipinos carry razors
just Ike other coons.''
Another related how sentry after sentry
had been abducted during the night by
these stealthy marauders. and advised that
the head should never be poked above the
trenches. The rockies gathered round Il led
hard to remember all the advice offered
them. while their eyes bulged and their
breath came hard. Some wanted to know
how far 1t was TO the front. They wan:ed
to get into the struggle at once The
obliging volunteers pointed out the direc-
tion to get the best fighting. and also the
dark streak of woods where they declared
there were 500 unburied Filipino corpses