The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-05


TRAVEL BY DUGOUT.
Exchague Is somewhat larger ana more
nrotentlu,s tuau Cars. il mas BuaIu
~ twenty soldiers. From this town We
went by BOAT 10 llagan sending the ser
wants with the horses by the road. Ihe
boat was a uugOut twenty-five rect iohB
and three feet Wide with "A grass can
opy amidships eight feet long. III was
rowed BY six natives. There are many
oddies and whirlpOOls Ia the river rem
derlng IL for some distance below Zen
ague almost unnavigablc. even Tor pan
cas-. We shipped water repeatedly ahc
were twice nearly swamped. further
down. particularly below the mouth Oh
the Rio Magat, the stream Is deeper ana
quieter, ana cascoes and pangas come
I'D 10 this point With freight recelNeo
from the steamers at Aparri
We arrived at 1lagan that evening 70
vember Isl. This town is the capital
city Of the province OF Isabella. II has
a population OF between ten ana hitcen
thousand inhabitants and has many
large wooden houses rooted win cor
rugatcd from. giving II rather Euro
pean appearance. IL is Wen sl'u'''u
for defence. being at the Junction OF
the Rio Pinananauan with the hlo
Grande. IL Is protected by these Wiae
streams from all points except the SCUM
To attack the city by land from the
south. f. would be necessary TO Drlns
troops uD the eastern side Of the ilo
Graade. whore there are no roads
The site of the city IS raised moreover
about forty feet above the level OF the
river In this town we were entertained
at the house of wealthy citizen. Inc
first night after our arrival, ball was
given i'm our honor. at which there were
on "a n
Der Of well-dressed and gcnuemanly
mon The ball was we'll conducted, the
dances were Spanish. The next evening
we we're invited 10 the theatre 10 see
two one-act Spanish comedies. presented
10y the society young people of the town.
They were both excellcntly given, ana
spoke well for the intelligence Of the
players.
We desired TO continue our journey
from 1lagan 20 Tuguegara0, and from
that point across the mountains TO the
western coast. This request was wired
by Sn Villa 20 Col Tirona at AparrL
The officer replied that IL would not be
possible 20 make the proposed trip az
this season OF the year lie repeated
his invitation to visit APART, take a
steamer from that port disembarh az
a northern point on the western coast.
and continue our journey south 10y land.
This arrangement was accepted as the
most satisfactory one left open TO MS.
SPANISH PRISONERS
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 an Of them wore long hair and
boards They appeared I'm good health.
UH va Cd
treatment These prisoners had been
assembled from different parts OF the pro-
vince They are kept under stricter guard
than either Of the two other Glasses Of
prisoners. for the reason that the native
officials fear that. II permitted 90 go
among the people. they will use the in-
nucnce they possess through their posi-
ton I'm the Church 10 incite them against
the Philippine government. We also met
Don Jose Perez a Spaniard who had
previously been governor Of the island
lie was well dressed and seemed TO be-
enjoying all the ordinary comforts.
I'm these two DAYS we passed out Of
the province Of Isabella. and entirely
through the province of Cagayen. These
are the leading tobacco provinces in the
island. An idea OF their wealth cam 90
obtained from the fact that, before the
Philippine insurrecti0n. three million dol
lars I'm tobacco alone came yearly from
the one province Of Isabella The to-
bacco Of this province is preferred for
expectation 20 that of Cayagan. Both
provinces raise also sugar, rice. cocoa
and coffee Cattle are shipped from
Aparri
The steamer Saturnas which had left
the harbor the day before our arrival.
brought news from Hong Kong papers
that the Senators from the United States
at the congress of Paris favored the in-
dependence of the islands. with an
American protectorate.
INDEPENDENCE ASSURED
Col Tir0na considered the Information
of sufficient reliability 10 justify him 81
regarding the Philippines Independence as
assured. and warfare i'm the island az
an end Tor this reason, he proceeded
10 reluqush the military command he
held over the provinces, and 10 place this
power IN the hands Of a civil officer
elected by the people. This officer also
made q speech in which he thanked the
disciplined military forces and their
colonel for the service they had rendered
the province. and assured them that the
work they had begun would be porpet-
| uated by the people Of the province;
where every man. woman and child,
stood ready 20 take up arms 10 defend
their newly-won liberty. and 20 resist
with the last drop Of their blood the
attempt Of any nation whatever 20 bring
them back 90 their former state Of de-
pendence. His speech was very impas-
stoned. lie then lNnelt. placed his hand
on an open Bible, and took the oath OF
Office.
We were Hospitality entertained &C the
| Aparri; two balls were given i'm our
/ honor. The town has a population OF
70 900 inhabitants. IL had many hand
| some houses. and several well defined
streets The military force stationed here
| consists Of three hundred soldiers. in
addition TO which the harhOr has the
protection Of the gunbOat "Philippina,
which carries two guns Of caliber OF
about three inches. There are TO Span
iards here with the exception of two or
three merchants. one Of these represent
Ing the Company Of the steamer Satur-
mas. we have met lie is pursuing his
business entirely unmolesfed
We left Apart November oth on the
steamer oslo. Before leaving Col. Tir-
ona provided rs with letter directed
"a Col Tino az Niean in the province
Of locus Sur: or In the event NJ his abb
sence from that town TO the command
ante. This letter was scaled. The oslo
remained outside the breakers. while we
we're put ashore In a ships boat. We
passed several native canoes going out
70 the ship, the leading one having OF
! board a sergeant with a squad OF 90.
diers We landed on the beach and I'M
mediately sent the boat back 10 the ship.
4 few minutes later two OFFICIALS from