Arizona republican., 1899-11-22

They receive a good ration of fresh
bread and bareback, fresh beef which
comes here frozen from the states of
Australia, bacon, rice, dried fruits, po-
tato9s and onions; and men and Off
GERS fare mostly alike. Every one who
has been to Cuba says it is vastly bet
ter here. The climate is not insuffer
able. The days are hot, as hot as in
San Antonio or Tampa, but the nights
are cool and pleasant, and 1 have found
i blanket necessary covering.
Insects and vermin, L think, have
been much overrated as a nuisance.
This and mosquitoes right down here
in swamp lands practically cause but
slight annoyance. I have heard of
snakes, but seen none as yet. Lizards
abound, but they are a gentle, timid
beast, and are great destroyers of in
sects. The reaches are the worst thing
While absent from the nipa nuts, they
gallop all over your possessions in the
stone and plastered buildings. The
aunts are multitudinous and are very
destructive, especially to woodwork,
chairs, tables, beds, even the solid
frames of houses.
The water is vile. You see standing
pools thick with green confervous
scum: wells stone built and curbed:
but a look into its depths suf1ices to
turn the stomach. and you loathe to
use it, even for bathing. Fortunately
we catch much rain water, and a long
train of bull carts brings distilled wa
ter from the city every day for drink
ing and cooking
These water buffaloes or 'cariboas'
are unique; about three feet high and
as many abeam, with great, fiat, scim-
etar horns. lying almost on their backs,
as they hold their heads on the hori-
Zontal, a duh gray, almost hairless,
with holes pierced through their nos
trils for their rope reins. They drag
along the native carts, with moist pa
thetic eyes, and uttering sobbing pants.
going at the rate of mile or more or
| less an hour. They. however, need
| but little urging, and can traverse the
most hopelessly DOGGY and rutty roads.
/ When relieved they will bury them
selves up to the nose in some mud hole
or vile smelling pond and lie there for
hours, picture of perfect content
The ponies, not much bigger than
Shetlands,, are gentle, sturdy little
beasts, and can almost do horses
work. They are everywhere in the city
and on the roads. acting as mounts for
the heaviest or dragging little dog
carts C'carromitas'), or two seated
carts C'quelis'O, or victorias and tram
cars.
Prices We're reasonable, but Ameri-
cans are beginning to change all that.
as they always do to their cost Mexi-
can or Philippine silver sells for. sos
for American gold, and native prices
need to be cut in half when rated 10
our currency. So they charged for an
hours use of carromita % cents, for
quelis, IS cents. Street car fares are ,
cents a section; a ride of say two miles
costs but.4 cents. Laundry work was
) cents a piece. \ good course dinner
in the better restaurants costs 81 or
$3.50, and is well worth it. Service was
| 50 4 month, etc. but our foolish Amer
lean contempt for small things is rap
idly teaching the Fiiipinos to charge
double. And the unaccustomed ear of
our soldiers often mistakes Neiicanos
| for AmericanOs, and so he pays 50
where lNchould pay 81, thinks it cheap
and leaves the native impressed with
/ American guillibility.
l have been much impressed with the
tokens of a firm and kindly regime
/ (martiaD, especially in the city. The
trim native police. in their gay uni
| forms, augmented by a provost guard
of soldiers, armed with "billets," main
tain good order by day. While an armed
guard at night $500 clear the streets
and keep them cleared, none being al
/ lowed abroad without Il pass. And all
stores and saloons are closed. On Sun
day everything is closed but the drug
stores and restaurants. A sanitary pO-
lice is at work constantly cleaning the
streets and removing garbage. Justice
is administered with fairness and rig
or. Old residents tell me that every
thing is far more satisfactory than I'M
der Spanish rule. And Philippine gem
tlemen have told me the same. Cen
eral Otis has a very large task to per
form. and I believe is doing it well. 1t
is not all fighting in 2 problem like the
present Military occupancy means q
thousand other things, and Rome who
are unacquainted with its infinite de-
tails should presume to pass judgment.
There have been tremendous difficult
ties, and, as far as immediate activity
is concerned, the drenching. deluginS
rains are enough to bar ourselves as
well as the insurgents.
There seems, however. to be n move
ment in the air, and last night there
was q concentration here. looking to
something. And reports come of Skin
mishing at linus, one of our outlying
stations. twelve miles away.-Henry
Swift in New York Commercial Adver-
tiser.