The evening times., 1899-07-20

he tried to make 1t as easy as possible
for us, bringing us some rice and fish
to eat. We saw many wounded here from
the front.
Next morning we were woke up by the
natives throwing stones through the win
dow at us to see US move. Hundreds came
to gaze at us through the door, including
priests. AT about 8 o'clock we were started
on the march again without breakfast.
Many of the Spaniards were so sick that
they could hardly walk but the native
guards struck them with their guns to
make them move faster, shouting ''sigee"
as the time. That word / shall never for
get for it runs continually in my brain,
'sigee. sigee, sigee' Ithis is 'sige. mean
ing go on'], like man driving cattle.
We were in better condition than the
Spaniards, SO they put us ahead, but every
once in a while We had to stop and wait
for the CaZadores. A certain class of
Spanish soldiers.] Eleven months of hun
ger and hard treatment had left them in
poor condition to march in dusty road in
a broiling hot sun. three hours march
brought US to San Rafael [captured by
Lawtons column April 28 and again on
May II, right in the foothills They fed us
here on dry rice. without salt or anything
else. At this place Brown and, / had our
hidden away in a caromato, and recovered
it for me, but everything was stolen from
the pockets. Brown never found his again.
"At We resumed the march again, and
the woman had TO tramp the same as the
men. We took a road to the northwest
now, parallel to the mountains, and now
came into a rather rough country without
a house in sight. At about that evening
We arrived at a small village, Boolack
[Bulocl, and here all the Spaniards and
ourselves were crowded into cellar about
20x20. This makes it evident that this
was not the main body OF Spanish
prisoners. In the morning we tried to
, persuade them to give us something 10
eat, but even the officers told us that wind
and patience was all that we could get At
about eleven we resumed the march again
for San Miguel. On the way 1t was found
necessary to procure more carabaos and
two soldiers went into somebody's field
and took them without saying word. The
whole family came out crying for their
carabaos, but it was no use. The OK was
impressed into service. AT about three In
the afternoon we reached San Miguel leap
tured by Lawton's command. May 13l. quite
a large town.
I'VE were halted on the plaza, while the
people thronged around to Sc US, nearly
smothering u.s. Insults of all kinds were
heaped upon US, the more SO as being des-
! perate with hunger, we returned some OF
them. One kind hearted native at length
| gave us a turnip apiece. We We're taken
| up into a convent at last and lay down on
| the floor, trying to rest, but hunger kept
! us awake. AT last another kind hearted
| Filipino offered us some cold rice in a
basket, but there was only enough to irri-
! tate our hunger. AT about We were
taken across the plaza to a prison, where
| our friends, the Spaniards, were confined
We were kept outside the door, so the
| populace could see us. We saw a cart
pass with a wax figure representation OF
| the Last Supper on it, and l thought how
we'll We would feed on the price of the rich
robes which these wax idols wore.
I'VE must have been rdlooking
crowd there dusty, dirty, ragged, and sun
/ burned AS we sat here wondering how
much longer We could be starved, a Span
| lard motioned to me and asked me if
wanted drink of water. He said one a
a time could come. l was really mo-
| thirsty, but he looked as if he wanted tC
speak to one of US privately for some rea.
son, and, therefore, l followed him. HI
/ led me into the prison, into cell where
| two Spaniards sat at a table. AS i came
in one jumped up and gave me a piece
of paper, and / could feel that there wa!
the guard put in an appearance, and / wa!
| Obliged to leave the room. On opening
| the paper secretly we found nearly TIVE
dollars in silver, enough to keep us il
n food a week. We dared not thank then
openly before the guard, but l have NJ
doubt that they could read the gratitude
in our eyes.
THAT evening the spaniards brought u
rice fish, cigars, two chickens, biscuits
! W. Of nf
Spaniards was a merchant for seven year
in San Miguel. He told us that there ha
been a meeting Of the native Parlamen
the day before (the Assembly had been con
voked to meet at San Fernando May 5, s.
the prisoners must have been in San Mi
guel May 5, at which time our column wa
at Maasim. seven miles distanD. and al
but one were in favor of surrendering t
the Americans. Next morning at abou
IL o'clock we took the road again, afte
eating a good breakfast. Many of tn
ISpaniards were obliged to ride in ox-carts
as they could no longer put one foot befor
the other. We marched all that day a
good gait, and at o'clock in the even
ing found ourselves = - Adro (San ISidrC
the capitaI. The population turned out
meet us, and proved to be exceedingly hos
tile One would dig US in the ribs and the
Jump back into the ocrowd to hide.
least uIUy DOXeS VI uittcuSS were CouSuulS
in lighting up our fades SO they could &c
| a good view of us. The cut-throat sig
was made to US by every sane of them, an
the popular indignation ran high. w
stood about two hours before We were re
moved to a large brick building, prison
eve were put into a cell which was com
Portable enough but secure. They gave U
a pot of rice for supper, then barred tn
door on us securely. Next day the Span
iards were prohibited to speak to us, bu
In spite of that we managed to find ou
that an armistice of two days had been de
l clared. This was an error, as no nego
tiations were in progress In the evenin
procession passed u.s.. Four or five cart
gayly decorated with wax representation
Of the saints on top passed. and priests
choir boys, ETC., dressed in black and rec
with a band following playing a deaf
march. 1t seemed to us like the funeral {
the dead republic. The five days passe
slowly and heavily, although we had plent
to eat, all donations of the Spaniards es
cept four motos a day each, one and tw
measures Of rice apiece given by the Gov
ernment. This alone would just about hay
kept body and soul together. We san
songs together to show that We were
| good spirits. On the last day of the arms
tice about 300 Spaniards marched into
There the record closes, though from til
best information we can get the prisoner
were not sent away for several days NOR
The first and last pages of the manuscriI
appear to have been torn off, possibly afts
being left in the prison.. by some one VII
had no idea what the writing was about.
L