The Press., 1900-04-19
1t is something terrible In the wet season.
The fighting on Panay is confined to one

The fighting on Panay is confined to one
province now, and Cebi and Mandano are
peaceful, and in few weeks civil govern
ment will be re-established in Negros.
We had quite hard battle at Ginigaran.
We were completely led into trap, and
would have been numerically slaughtered
had we been caught off our guard. We
were surprised about midnight by band
of rebels firing into our quarters. You
can imagine the spirits we were In to be.
called out at midnight. Well, we finally
drove the rebels off and went back to bed,
but of course there was no sleeping, as
everybody had to tell his story about the
scrap. The leader of those rebels was
one of the richest Nigge1s on Negros Is
land, and was captured that night and
has since died from Krag bullet.
These islands are very level along the
sea coast, and mountainous in the inte-
coast trade with the islands since the be-
ginning of hostilities, until couple of
weeks ago, when few ports were opened
and things begin to look as though the
rebellion was about finished. The princi-
pal products of the islands are sugar,
rice and cocoanuts. The natives, as near
as can learn, are mixture of Spanish,
Japanese and Cinnamon, and in reality
next door to nothing, miserable, low,
treacherous and degenerated race. l
must acknowledge that there are a few of
the so-called upper class that are all
right. The natives have great deal of
respect to- day for an American soldier,
and take off their hats to us as though
we were kings. Their habits are of a
very indolent nature, and the dress of the
lower class is nothing more than cloth
girdled about the loins, and they prefer
the savage life of the mountains to civili-
zation. There are great many China
men here, who transact most of the busi-
ness of the islands. There is the worst
kind of feeling between the Cinnamon
and the natives, and believe Gas the ma
jority of the soldiers do) that the Chinese
laws of the states should be applied here
to protect the natives. The islands are
all under martial law, and no one, wheth-
er citizen or soldier, Is allowed on the
streets after eight O'Clock at night with
out a pass from the provost marshal.
The insurgents are no good as fighters,
but they certainly do know how to build
trenches, but don't know how to hold
them. They can't understand American
tactics little bit. We have been out
with detachments of 25 men and whipped
800 Of them. If they would only stand
their ground, and stop that Internal run.
ming, we'd finish them up in jig time, but
we're not as good sprinters as they. The
principal modes of transportation here
are by bull carts in the dry season, and
by using water buffalo as pack animal
in the rainy season. In the mountains
bridges are scarce article, and wher
marching we were obliged to swim the
| rivers, which are very numerous, ano
| drowning accidents we're quite frequent
We have lost SO men out of my regiment
so far and there are agreat many sick in the
hospitals. The hospitals here are good
and have lady nurses. The insurgents
use all kinds of weapons, such as Mausel
rifles, bows and arrows and spears, but
the worst and most feared weapon is the
bolo, which resembles the Cuban ma
chette. A boloman will crawl in the
woods and brush right on to man on
outpost duty, and cut him all to pieces ii
no time. We have lost three men in my
regiment in this way.
The people are very religious, and know
of no other religion than the Catholic
They have peculiar customs in regard tt
burying their dead, and will try ane
give you description of their marriage
ceremonies. The groom goes to the house
of the BRIDES parents, (Which is generally
a bamboo shack, and asks for the hant
of the bride. The bride is very uneasy
and generally runs away for few hours
On her return Qf the parents consent il
granted) she is caught in the arms Of th'
groom, and together they climb the lad
der into the shack, where they are greet
ed by the father. Then the whole famil,
becomes seated on the floor, and thu
father annoints the BRIDES head with OF
of cocoanut, and they are man and wife
The married couple then 60 to the noun
tains and hide for five days, and nothing
is seen or heard from them during tha
time. They then come back to the bride'
home, and resume ordinary life again.
| The houses here are mostly built o
bamboo, woven together, without mai
in the whole shanty, and no glass is uset
for windows. They use shutters alto
fine palaces to live in, but there are yer.
few Spaniards on this island.
I don't know much about the island o
Luzon, only what l read in the Manil,
papers. There is considerable campaign
ing there yet, but not much fighting
Aguinaldo is being hard pressed, we sup
pose, although his whereabouts are un
known to US, but we will surely get hin
sooner or later, as his principal leader
are playing into our hands every day.
There are vast resources here for com
merce, and great forests of the fines
kind of lumber. Experts here tell m
they think the mountains here are full O
mineral products and some gold. Mexi
can silver has been the standard of tn
islands, and we get two dollars Mexican
for one American.
Il There are all kinds of rumors that W
will return home next summer. Most O
us would be contented to return.
JAMES KENNEY, Co. E, 26th Inf, q. s. v.