Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-12

danao will be some day covered with plan
tations of coffee and tea The climate is
very similar to that of Java and Ceylon
and the soil fully rich.
All kinds of tropical fruits can be grown.
In the market today 1 picked up some green
leaves, and, wondering what they might
be. began to chew them. They burnt my
lips, and l found that they were from the
cinnamon tree. which grows wild in the
forests. The bananas here have flavor
such as you will not find in those of Cuba
or Porto Rico. There are many varieties,
especially of white. yellow and green. The
green banana has a yellow flesh, and Its
flavor is delicious. Then there is the du-
rian, a fruit which smells like Limburger
cheese, but which is so delicious that you
eat it. disregarding the odor. The man.
gostin is another delicious fruit. and in
addition there are oranges and lemons. the
breadfruits and the papaya, nearly all Of
which grow wild.
The Cattle of MindanaO.
On these farms Uncle Sam should make
some experiments in cattle raising. This Is
one of the chief stock regions Of the Philip
pines, but the animals are small and no
attention has been paid to breeding. The
cattle look somewhat like Jerseys. but here
and there you see trace of hump on the
back. They are said to be cross between
the Indian and the Australian cattle. They
seldom dress more than $50 pounds, but
they are so scarce that cows bring more
than s15 or $50 gold apiece. and bullocks
more. The cattle are chiefly owned by the
Moros, who ask all kinds Of prices. and
usually take much less than they ask. The
anomals are all grass fed and the meat is
excellent. The cattle are raised chiefly for
beef all over the Philippines, although in
some islands, such as Panay, they are en-
ployed carriage and draft animals. The
natives, rule, use no butter, and out
side of the towns but little milk. The re-
suit is that there are but few good mich
cows, although 1t is believed that such
could be bred.
Now the Time for Exploration.
Not only the Agricultural Department
but also the geological survey and the
Smithsonian Institution, should send parties
to the Philippines in the near future The
islands, as I have said, have not been ex-
plored. and scientific investigation should
be made of them at the earliest moment
The scientists should be here at the present
time. when there are plenty Of soldiers to
protect them, and when they can easily get
guard to accompany them to any place
they wish to go. This will make them safe
from the savages of the mountains and will
enable them to undertake journeys which.
In the times of an ordinary force, might be
dangerous to say the least.
This is especially SO in Mindanao. where
the land, as 1 have said, belongs almost
entirely to the government.
How Our Soldiers Live.
I am living with the soldiers here at
Zamboanga, and I suppose the average
man will pity me as he reads this. He can
save his pity for himself. With good
mosquito netting to protect one at night
you can get along comfortably here as at
any other army post that the United States
owns. The regimental headquarters building,
where / am staying, was built by the Span
ish officials. 1t is a big two-story house,
covering perhaps a quarter of an acre, with
balconies ten feet wide running around 1t,
all shielded from the rays of the sun by
oyster shell windows. The house is foored
with mahogany boards. some of which are
two feet wide and twenty feet long its
ceilings are from fifteen to twenty feet
high. 1t is right on the beach, and II IS a
stiff sea breeze which blows through it all
day and all night. In the morning and
evening we go out and take bath in the
sea, and I assure you that at this time OF
the year the weather is quite as pleasant
as that of any of our middle states in June
and July. We have an excellent mess pre-
sided over by Major McMahon, one of the
features of the breakfast being a glass OF
cccoanut milk fresh from the trees in the
yard. There are other good quarters In
different parts of the city, but SO far some
of the lower officers have not been able to
get houses and they have put up sheds or
bamboo and canvas the parade ground
not far from headquarters These nuts
have floors and walls of bamboo. but their
roofs are made of tents They are elevated
about three feet from the ground. and are
by no means uncomfortable.
I find the soldiers well satisfied with
their lot. They are excellent men, coming
chiefly from Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky,
with a few from Pennsylvania and Ten
neSsee.
Under Martial Law.
Zamboanga, like most of the Philippine
towns, is under martial law. The Moros are
not allowed to bring their knives into the
city, and no one can be on the streets after
dark without giving an account of himself
There are sentinels posted on every block,
and all night long these sentinels call out
the hours. They awakened me with every |
call during my first night or so here. The
man under the regimental headquarters had |
a voice like the traditional bull of Bashan.
He was number 4, and I could hear his |
heavy tones ringing out upon the night air.
Number 4! One o'clock! All Is we'll"
This sound would hardly die away before |
number s would break out in O shrill treble: |
Number s! One o'clock! All is well." and |
then number would go 1t on another key. |
and so on until number Z, and even the I'M