The Portland daily press., 1899-02-02

five feet long and about six inches IN
diameter ut each end.
In the villages Of Humingan and Lupao
thsre are y few Spanish prisoners, priests
soldiers and civil officials. We have seen
representatives OF each Of these three
classes In these towns. We could detect no
| signs OF ill-treatment nor OF undue re-
stri elton. On the contrary, they appeared
to possess the freedom OF the towns IN
which they lived.
The President and other local
officials are native Philippines. Most OF
them have received certain amount OF
education at religious aohools In MANILA.
They are Intelligent men and are ex-
tremely eager to learn news from the out
side world. Their knowledge of modern
history and geography Is extremely limit
ed, and their Ignorance OF current events
is surprising. We brought them their
first definite information with regard to
Cuba and TO their own present status
One or two of them had heard of the
Congress at Paris but no one had any
idea as 10 Its object, nor as 60 Its relation
! to themselves. They were well grouD ded
on only three points-ths destruction OF
the Spanish squadron in Manila harbor.
the surrender Of Manila, and the dclara-
ton by the Philippine government OF
Malolos, of the independence Of the Is
lands and the establishment OF republican
form Of government with Sn, Aguin aldo
as President. kven on these points the
details they had received were very IN
accurate.
| We had been warned by the officials OF
the last town that San Jose must inevita-
bly, provv the end of our journey. There
is no road for 30 miles beyond this point
and In this season the natives consider
the trail impossible 10 white men. Very
| few OF the native at San Jose, however,
| ten men willing to accompany US as
pack bearers, and with these We started
the next morning. The trail proved to be
little better than represented. Twenty
| four hours more Of rain would have made
Mt least three mountain streams impassa-
BILE The trail moreover Is extremely In
tricato. 1t leads for half mile along .
shoal in n small river. and follows the
| beds OF mountain streams for many times
that distance Rushing water frequently
| knee-deep on the horses, covered these
stretches Of the trail at the time we
| passe1. On land, gras, and underbrush
grew thickly over the trail and concealed
| IL for considerable distances Our guide
had srent his life in this district, and
had travelled the trail very often. he
| deviatsd from It twice that day however,
and had much difficulty In regaining IL,
During the instruction a company OF
Spanish soldiers had been sent over this
trail. Our guide pointed out many spots
where numbers of them had been atn-
pushed and slain. According to che state
ments of our guide very few of this
Spanish force lived to reach the town Of
Carranglan. IL is undoubtedly trail
that a few men could hold against heavy
odds; 1t IL the first of this nature we
have seen 1t is very billy. and the as
cents are steep, crooked and surrounded
by heavy trees and underbrush. Numer-
Gus rapid streams were crossed during the
day. Tho packbearers at first refused to
cross two streams that were deeper and
more rapid than the Others. They re-
before they could be induced 10 make the
attempt Il rsined Hereby all day.
The river Barat was swollen to such a n
extent that our horses were carried of
their feet before the bed of the stream
was reached. Not being able to get our
freight across the stream with the means
at hand we attracted the attention of a
native on the other bank by discharging
our firearms, and sent him to the town
of Car ranglnn TO procure buffalo for our
assista nee. The buffalo did not arrive
that evening, however. and we spent the
night In camp on the bank of the rivsr.
Next morning we found that the river
had gone down considerably. Buffalo
arrived from the town, and with their
help we crossed In safety with all our
freight"
The American officers were received
coolly by the Philippine military officers
at this town, owing TO their lack OF pass
ports, but were permitted TO proceed after
drying their moulhy baggage, in the face
OF the predictions that they had worse
rivers TO cross, and other obstacles as
well. 1t was plainly impossible for them
to accomplish their journey in the month r
leave they had taken, SO they mailed back
letters asking extension until November
Goth.
Leaving Carranglan the Presidente
Local insisted upon their taking guard
of le soldiers with u sergeant ito protect
| us against the lgorrotes, or savages, that
are said to infest the hills between this
| town and Aritno"
We arrived Mt Aritao shortly before sun
down. broad branch of the Rio Magat
separated us from this town. There was
''banoa" or native dugout canoe. how
ever, in which men and baggage were
taken to the other side, while the horses
| were swum across at II point higher up
| the stream. These facilities for crossing
| streams were always available, when nee
essary, during the remainder of our jour
| ney. In the mountains and highlands
| through which we passed IN the last two
| or three days, there are extensive forests.
| The forests are not homogeneous but con
! tain many different classes of trees, the
| timber of winch Is in many cases valuc
| less. or the tim Der whion we have seen,
the most valued on the island is the
"mulawe;" so-called in both Spanish
and 1egla. This is IL tall straight tree
with very few branches; the bark is very
light In color, but the wood ID very dark
ana close grained and resists water and
weather. IL Ia much nsed for boats and
for the floors and exposed uprights OF
| HOUSES There Is also much BAN boo,
some of which has been cut. The heavier
trees are as yet unmolested. We SAW no
signs of savages nor of poisonous snakes
against which we had been warned by
the native of the district. In going from
CarraDg lsn TO Aritao. we went from the
province to Nueva Leila to that of Nueva
| NiZcaya.
We spent the night at Bamhang. We
were accompanied by several soldiers and
Lieut. AgIinaldo. This was tho first
time that commissioned officer had
formed part OF our escort. This town is
the capital of the province, and has pop
ulAtion of about IL 00O Inhabitants. AT
| this place we met the first formidable OPP
position to our progress
From BagaRag to the next town, Cor
| don (called kstella ON the map there Is
only a mountain trail This trail is In.