The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-02
Two Naval Officers
Explore Island,
INTERE STINGST0RY
Difficulties Of Military OPP
erations There Shown.

Washington. Jan. GA clear and &C
curate picture Of conditions as they ex-
list today in the interior of the great
island OF Luzon, the largest of the
Philippine group, with an area equaling
that OF the state of Virginia, has been
presented to officials here in a report
made to the navy department of the
tour OF two young American naval Of
ffcers under Dewey. Paymaster W. B.
Wilcox and Cadet r. L. Sargent.
This recital of hitherto unknown
characteristics of the islard beyond the
limits of Manila and few of the more
important of the Luzon ports, with it's
glimpses of the military conditions, the
difficulties that lie in the way of the
explorer, the habits OF the people and
finally the modest recital of the almost
insurmountable obstacles that We're
overcome by the shrewdness and nerve
of these young naval officers, has
earned for their achievement not only
the praise of Admiral Dewey, but also
of the officials here in Washington to
whom IL mas Deen submitted.
Being granted leaves of absence last
October, Paymaster Wilcox and Cadet
Sargent chose to employ their leisure
time in making an exploration Of the
interior of the island of Luzon, about
which very little was known by the
American army and navy officers. At
the outset they We're warned that they
could not pass the lines of the Philip
pine forces without permission of
Aguinaldo.
Upon application to this leader at
Malolos, his headquarters, he first re-
qnired formal sanction of their re-
quest by Admiral Dewey, Gen. Otis or
Gen. Macarthur and later, when this
was produced. declined altogether to
issue a passport, although he assured
the officers that they We're free to pro-
coed without molestation from his for
ces. Accordingly, a start was made
October 5. with five servants. eight
horses and between 800 and 400 pounds
of baggage, including a camp outfit,
two rifles and a shotgun, with ammu-
milton.
At the town of Bayambang, where
they took horse, they met two Ameri-
cans, who had been turned back to Ma
Mia because they had no passports
from Aguinaldo. A squad of Filipino
soldiers was at the station, but through
NilG 1HllutiCt VI ali IilSlioAl lCSlOEllN
Wilcox and Sargent were enabled to
proceed toward Rosales, the next town
on their route.
Continuing, the report reads:
From Rosales to Humingan an6
thence to San Jose, our experiences OF
travel were much the same as thost
already described. The road led through
the low rice region of the province OF
Nueva Icaja. 1t rained almost con-
CT dc III
passable. We went on foot much of the
distance. The pack horses We're unable
to carry their loads, and we We're forced
to engage natives to relieve them.
d. Labor was cheap. Ten men could us.
ually be engaged for a day for the sun
of 81 in Mexican silver, or less than i
cents in gold per man. We Travelled
slowly over this distance; the labor o
walking through mud, frequently owe
our knees being excessive. The horse
grew poor rapidly, and we We're forced
to husband their strength. They wer
occasionally Frustrated in the road, AM
our progress was delayed until the,
could recover their strength. Moreover
we could seldom find proper food TO
them at night.
Throughout this part of the PROVING
of Nueva Icaja almost the only form o
agriculture encouraged at present b
the natives is rice growing. A littl
sugar is also raised. The land is YER
rich; we encountered no barren or un
fertile spots, Theields at this seaso
Of the year are several inches deep i
water
The principal labor of the natives a
this season of the year is the threshin
of rice This is done very primltively
with implements that resemble on
large scale the peste and mortar of
chemist The mortar is replaced by
section of a log of hard wood, holloWe
out to receive the grains; the pestle b
hard club from four to five feet lon
and about six inches in diameter a
each end.
We brought them their first definit
information with regard to Cuba and [
their own present status. One or tw
Of them had heard of the Congress a
Paris, but no one had any idea as to ii
object, nor as to its relation to them
selves. They We're well grounded o
only three points-the destruction {
the Spanish squadron in Manila harbo
the surrender of Manila and the decIal
alton by the Philippine government .
Malolos of the independence of the is
lands. and the establishment of a re
publican form of government with Ser
or Aguinaldo as president. Even q
these points the details they had r.
ceiyed We're very inaccurate
we had been warned by the officia
of the last town that San Jose must il
evitably prove the end of our journe
There is no road for 30 miles beyond tn
point, and in this season the nativ
consider the trail impossible to viii
men, We found of the natives at S.
Jose, however, ten men willing to a
company us as packDearers, and wi
these we started the next morning
During the instruction a compal
i'll INA. l.. 4