Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-06-28
LIFE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Wilmington Soldier Gives an Interesting
Account of His Experience.

A wilmington Soldier Gives an Interesting
Account of His Exper,snce.
Willard Hall Mcdowell of this city,
who Ia a member of the Sixteenth
United States Infantry, now in the Phil.
ippiues, has written most interesting
letter from Province Isabella, Luzon
Of which the following is an extract
Just at present most of the men,
bers OF our regiment are in good health,
but nearly all of us have had touch
Of the mountain fever. We lost ons
mar last week with rheumatism of the
heart, and the three companies across
the mountain have lost 10 by disease Of
some kind.
"Aguinaldo is supposed to be within
60 miles of us, nenr the mouth of the
CagAyan River, not far from the First
battalion, but as yet they have not
been able to get up with him and they
believe he is travelling round In some
Disguise. In fact, We do not know who
is who, as they all look alike. Some of
the boys north of us are having some
PRETTY warm work, but they manage 10
Kill and do not get touched. ! was in
brush about three weeks go IN the
mountains, with a band OF Igorrotps,
who run around wearing no clothing.
When we first passed them they offered
US some rice, but when We were coming
lack they laid for us in ambush Va
let them shoot all of their arrows and
ijarelins and then we opened up. There
were 10 Of us In the scouting party, and
we had quite good deal of target prac-
tioe for a while. When we got through
we counted 25 dead and 81 wountied
and only one Of our men received
scratch, which did not amount to much.
I'VE have Just returned from trp
with Col. Hood. l was in the next 10
the last fight with Gen. Lawton before
he was killed at San Mateo. We were
sure at the time that we were going TO
the south lines, but instead left Manila
on three coasting steamers, battalion
on each, and after a sail OF 4S hours
landed at Apart, Province of Cagayan.
q seaport town at the north of the
island, from which place we went 10
Laioo. 10 miles south, after leaving Is
battalion there, the place being guarded
by gunboat. After remaining ut Lalo,
Tor some time and seeing cock fights
galore, besides being sersnadcd every
day by the band of the town, we took
eascoes and started up the Cagayan
River, We were towed 30 miles the first
day, after which we were poled all tho
rest or the way, the side wheeler not
pelng able to go on any further. 1t
took us just five weeks, on account OF
the many rapids in the river, to make
tho trip of 100 miles. where we had to
land, not being able to go any further
on account of shallow water. One of
the peculiafities of the river is that it
always flows north.
iva stonpad nuer n;nht ~, eo,,,a fpa
towns, the largest one being Tegegaro,
the headquarters of the Second batlai.
ion. After We left the boats at a place
called Cagayan our troubles begar.
We were going out in squads all day
looking for caribous, and the squads
we're making an effort to SEQ which one
could bring in the most carts. cara.
Doug and hombros (natives). Afte- q
week work we succeeded in getting
about 800 OF these articles IN our col
lection, we started again and ON the fol-
lowing night stopped at place called
Erhague. where we remained for u
DAY. One more days travel tuok us TO
Garig, and the next day we arrived at
Gordon, which is at the foot of the
mountains. Three companies have gone
over the mountains, but will be brought
Dack as soon rs they can be relieved by
the Forty.ninth regiment, which is on
its way here.
The way we are stretched out now,
there is distance of lao miles be.
tween the first and last companies. We.
are now about 400 miles south of
Manila and can hear nothing at all
about what is going ON. We cannot buy
any newspapers here. The country
from, APART to this place ia about as
hne as i ever looked at. TcbacuU Ia
growing all about us. The river is full
OF alligators and when we were coming
up. We passed away some of our timo
firing at them.
Good cigars can he purchased here
at the rate of 25 cents per 100 and We
can get them made to order for that.
Most of the large tobacco warehouses
are owned by Spaniards.
The country is alive with parrots and
monkeys. We have two of the latter in
the possession of our company MS pets.
The mountains are alive with deer and
We often go out after them and as a
general rule come back with three or
four. We also kill Australian cattle,
which We dress ourselves. The natives
watch our mules with wonder. Most
of the scouting is now dons on horse
back, native ponies being used
We all sleep In bamboo huts and
the hoors are not at all inviting. The
weather is exceedingly warm and We
90 not go out of quarters, If not on
special duty, between IL and 8 o'clock