The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1900-05-31

| Here WIS luIOIAeu, WEIteS
Lieutenant Gilmore, ''that General
Tho had intended to kill all American
prisoners, but the presidente of the
town interceding for us, the General
had changed his mind. He, however,
issued strict orders that no one should
help US, or communicate with us, and
he then placed US incomudicado-th
men being placed in one cell by them
selves, and being placed in the up
per story OF the Jail with the jailor's
family. Here, owing to the poor food,
and our allowances being cut down to
ten cents (Mexicau money for the
men, and twenty cents for myself, and
want of exercise. most of us became
i'll with the prevalent diseases of the
country, some having to be sent to
the hospital. l wrote several letters
to the presidente and also to General
Tino, to allow us exercise in order to
keep the men in health. I also re-
quested them to allow me books, so
that L could occupy myself in some
way. None of these requests was
granted"
On September 5 they were hurried
off to Bengued, in the province OF
Abra, and they were kept in strics
confinement there for six weeks, but
afterward they had the liberty of the
town as the Spaniards had until Gen
eral Tino got there and had them
closely confined again. After the bat
tie of San Quentin Pass on December
5, where Tino was defeated, they were
again hurried off to the north to be
hidden in the mountains.
Then began an exciting chase. Al
though Gilmore and his men did not
know of it, Colonel Hare and Lieuten-
ant Colonel Howe with 40 picked
cayalrymen were hot in pursuit of
the party. Hoping, however, for res
cue. Gilmore and his sailors left
signs behind them and Hare's men
found now and then, chalked on a
cliff or the face of rock, such mes
sages as "Gillmore" or "Gillmore and
party" to gnide them.
''IYe travelled at night" writes
| Gilmore, ''by torchlight, through
water-grass up to our waists, through
| jungles where we had to cut our
paths at times, and canyons, with
very little to eat but rice and at times
a small quantity OF pork. AT this
time we were allowed pack-horses to
carry the effects OF the party, and L
was allowed pony, which [ used to
ford the different mountain streams.
| The country, however, became so
rough that we could not drive our
horses further-even the Tagalog
Lieutenant in charge Of the party had
to abandon his. We then killed the
horses for food, as we had not had
meat to eat for several days.
'"Ihen we started for the real climb
ing of the mountains, which are any
where from three to five thousand
feet in this portion of the island.
After having gone over two or three
mountain ranges, we came to the
source of a large river, and, being
RATED across. camped for the night
about three miles below the mouth.
Here the Tagalog lieutenant came
to me, and, through an interpreter,
informed me that he had orders from
General Tino to execute us. After
hesitating for about minute, he told
me that his conscience would not per-
nit BIN to do so, but that he would
abandon us in the mountains. AS
we were then among the savage tribes
Of the island, whose hand is against
every mans, told him that it would
be better for him to execute us rather
than leave US to be killed by the saw
AGES or to starve to death, as we had
been starving for four days at that
time. He said he could not do so.
then requested him to give me two
rifles and ammunition, by means of
which we could protect the party
from the sayages. He refused, and
went off with his men, leaving us
alone on the rivers bank.
"We then kept strict guard that
night in our camp against the savages
and in the morning followed the trail
of our former guard down the river
for about three miles. When we ar
rived on the bank of the river we saw
in the distance the savages with their
war bonnets and their shields. There
was big open space here, covered
with large stones very much Ike
cobble stones, aud here we camped,
Judging that if we had to fight the
savages we would fight them with
these stones, try to disarm them, and
then fight them with their own
weapons. I divided the party into
halves, sending ten men across the
river to get bamboo to make RATS, as
it was my intention to raft the party
down the river
"The savages, on finding that wa
did not intend to fight them, allowed
three of their number to come, without
arms, toward us. We made friends
with them and they assisted Us in build
ing seven rats. We needed three more
and the sayages assured us that they
would come around early in the morn
ing and build them for US. However,
the next morning they showed warlike
signs and We were expecting to be at
tackled that day, when, to our Joy and