The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-01
IN THE JUNGLE OF LUZoN
AN INDIANAPOLIS BOY IN MANILA
TAKES A -FOUR DAYS JOURNEY.
A Primitive Wilderness, with Birds
and Animals in Full Possession
Land Of Beauty and Promise.

Upon the 10th day of September, after
long days of anxious waiting L was finally
granted leave of absence for four days and
directed, in compliance with my applica-
ton, to sele t seven men and proceed, as
soon rs L saw fit, as far into the interior of
Luz0n as time and circumstances would al
low. The men selected III accordance with
the privilege granted were among the most
stalwart of a regiment composed largely of
those accustomed to hardships of mountain
and plain, and all were skilled in woodcraft.
We hastily planned to allow no delay TO in
tervene, and accordingly fixed upon the fol-
lowing morning as the date Of our departure.
Active preparations were at once begun;
our Springhelds We're cleaned and oiled, our
depleted cartridge belts rehlled and an army
pistol piece secured. We were supplied
with four days rations of bareback, canned
beef and salmon and roasted coffee. Our
kitchen ware was limited to one coffee pot
and our haversacks, beside our frying pans,
contained extra ammunition for gun and
pistol. A single blanket and a rubber
pouch we deemed sufficient for protection
and covering. Our pouches, when filed,
weighed no less than forty pounds.
The question Of transportation was by far
the most serious confronting US. Like ''po-
tatoes in Kansas" horses grow small in the
Philippines, and to secure eight good sad
dIers with eight good saddles, was a prob
lem not easily solved. The stables of Ma
Mia, sadly depleted by the purchases OF
American officers, must be searched from
one end Of the city to the other The men
divided themselves into pairs and our scout
ing began. BY evening, after a full half
days search the dimnutiye animals had
been secured. 1t certainly looked doubtful
at first whether these beasts could carry
such a burden as our weight and the
packs combined would infict upon them;
but. be it said in their favor. they never
faltered during the hard and difficult jour
ncy of the next four days.
We left our snug quarters long before
sunrise on the morning of Sept. r. pushing
as rapidly as possible in the direction indi-
Gated to us by several of the natives as the
one leading to the most accessible portions
OF the range Of mountains Having passed
the American outposts surrounding the city
before daylight. we cantered rapidly in the
cool of the morning toward the distant foot
hills. As the darkness gave place to the
gray of early dawn and the sun rose higher,
we could dimly discern the vague purple
outlines of the higher hills lying in the dis
lance before us. Just as the red of a fair
sunrise was fading in the east we struck a
narrow stream, whose rapid current, rather
precipitous fall and general direction seemed
to indicate a source in the highest of the
mountain ranges. Here while we watered
our horses and readjusted our packs, we
held q council and, as the plan seemed most
feasible ana the clearing along the streams
banks, packed with sand, presented a fine
road we determined to follow Up the creek
as the quickest and surest means of reach
ing the range. The continuance of a good
road and other subsequent events proved
that we could have selected no better route.
TROPICAL SCENES.
BY 1850 we had gone more than thirty
miles from Manila. and, indeed as we had
every reason to believe, close on to forty
We rested our horses aud prepared dinner in
the grateful shade of satan lrees.- The sur
rounding country was Lilly and covered with
Il dense forest of logwood, gum and cedar
trees. Monkeys. attracted by our fire and
the savory odor of our coffee and frying
fish, approached with little fear, and chat
tering and chuckling to one another. grave
ly watched us Birds of fancy plumage
beautifully cOored, fitted among the boughs
and sang in the nearby trees. More than
once there was general stampede among
the monkeys, occasioned by the presence of
a wild dog, a beast somewhat resembling
in roughness of hair, at least. the American
coyote, but whose facial features and ears
were foX-like A crocodile, the first we had
seen in the Philippines. slowly showed his
head above the quiet waters of nearby
pool and winlled longingly at the dog when
ever the animal put in appearance. The
ponies munched the long, tender grass or
rested quietly in the shade. 1t was scene so
and so situated in the very midst of natures
paradise that all life and energy were taken
from us and we dreamily smoked a good
two hours away. The morning journey had
been % long one. however. and we deemed
it best to rest our little beasts well before
proceeding.
The afternoon journey was scarcely over
ten miles in length Resides the monkeys
and insects and curiously colored birds we
saw no other living thing until close on TO
4 o'clock. when Il mountain goat was sight
ed "a good thousand yards away. The best
marksmau in the party, burly~mountaineer
from Colorado, made the shot AT 400 yards,
but missed. L think l shall never forget
the effect of that first shot The monkeys
ceased their incessant chattering, and for
d moment the silence was CHASTITY and I'M
cauny. 1t was perhaps the first time a shot
mad been fired in that primitive forest AS
We proceeded the forest became more dense,
the fertility more rlotous. The value of
these jungles is without estimate. They are
rich i'm an the most valuable and scarcest
woods and gum trees. while many camphors
abound. While examining a tree of giant
proportions we discovered white monkey
which. upon being shot, proved to contain
uo black hairs and whose eyes were of
pnkish cast. The animal was somewhat
smaller than the gray or brown quadrupeds
of the same family.
AT o'clock we paused for supper, having
done that day, from early morning until
our halt, at least, fifty miles. This could
never have been traversed, however, had it
not been for the condition of the mountain
stream we were following. The water was
low and the banks on either side, by many
q flood had been washed fairly clear of I'M
derbrush and dead limbs. A small clearing.
some ten feet wide and surrounded on all
except the water side by dense jungle, was
selected AS the site of the nights camp.