The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-27
LET TER FROM THE
PHILIPPINES
CoporaI sydnor Jones Writes From
Far Away San Mateo to
His Mother.

Mrs. J. L. Jones, Of No. 500 Jessaliiiiio
Street, has received a letter from her son.
Corporal Syunor Jones, of the I"eillS
seventh Regiment, United States Hoiuii-
teers. now in the Philippines. Inc letter
is quite interesting anu reads III par.
San Mateo, Z. l.. OCTOBER 2i' l9Vs
The rainy season is ABOUT over now
and everything looks nice and green -
is something NICE to go in the carry
morning on some mountain and look down
the MarquIna Valley and see the rlce
fields. For mics, just as far as the eye
can see, are great iicIds OF green rice
about knee deep. 1t looks like wheat
We were up in Malt.epan a few days
ago. That town Is Sarrisoneu by the
Twenty-seventh Regiment, and is on
little higher elevation than we are. we
stopped there ABOUT two hours, and While
there / got PERMISSION from the tlllplno
priest go Up in the church tower, ana
what | saw no painter could ever portray
on canvas. Just one long valley, about
hve mics you can see, with high noun
tains on either side. and the San Mateo
river running through the centre. From
Il distance it looks like a big snake
winding its way down. The whole val
ley is planted in rec, so you may kno"
it is beautiful.
At the mead of this valley is the town
Of Maltleban. down just few miles IS
San Mateo. and then comes Marqulna;
the valley then runs almost into Mania
before you come TO level ground Look
ing down, You can hardly see the towns
at all. They are laid off nicely, with
banana groves all around. The houses
are of one-story buildings. generally one
room, sometimes two, but very rarely. The
shacks are butt OF bamboo. and the roofs
are covered with npta grass. AS rule
the native is all right If you give him
his carabou and sled. and boio, his only
tool. with which he can make his house,
his sled, his wooden plow, and everything
he uses.
They have here small ponies. They are
very useful little animals and very endur-
ing. They have caremetoes, to which
the little ponies are hitched The careIn-
etoes resemble very much a tWo-wheel
buggy, and are only used for transporting
human beings.
The United States now use a great many
of these little animals, because they are
better for the country than big horses
Very nearly all the United States cav
airy use these ponies as they can go
into almost any place a man can
Since | wrote You last we have had
two political fights: that is, the -Alnegos
say that they only did this so as it might
reach the States in time for the pres-
Dental campaign We were notified of
their intentions in time to be prepared for
them. They made q desperate attempt
on this town and Maltleban. They had
about 200 men in both places. We only
had 800 in each town. but we had one
cannon in each. We have but one more
big man to get out of the way. He is
Geronimo He sent a letter TO our colonel,
telling him if this had been any other
regiment he would not have had any
trouble taking both towns.
This regiment has been twice recon-
mended for doing gallant service | do
rot think that this instruction will last
much longer, but I do not think we will
leave this island until our two years have
expired I think We VIII put in our full
time down here If so, hope
| will be home to eat my twentieth birth
DAY cake next June any way.
SIDNOR.