The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-05-25

1Or gun ana Tor the privilege OF mr.
ing revolver or rifle in the air he
would rausack the treasures of his
household.
OUR RECEPTION.
Hefore leaving Benguit we were
warned time and again of the dangers
that were before us. Experienced
army campaigners gave us pointers
on how to march and act in case we
were ambushed, and some very cheer
fully volunteered to bet that we never
would get through, and that the
"head-eaters" of the interior would
soon have a series of highly enjoyable
feasts unless we gave up the trip.
All men are towards. There was
not one in our whole party who was
brave enough to even suggest that we
defer our trip for few weeks. No
doubt it takes u sort Of bravery to
face danger, but it takes something
more to face the taunts and ridicule
Of one's fellows, and so we started.
We travelled with caution. We
scanned every bit of the country we
went over; we marched with pistols
loaded and rifles ready, and we never
stopped TO rest or sleep without at
least one man standing guard. The
most dang thing we have seen
thus far is wild carabao In every
village we have been given the glad
hand of brotherhood and everything
possible has been done for our con-
venience and comfort. We have been
told hundred times that all Span
iards and all Tagals are very bad
people, and that all Americans are
very good. We have been given to-
bacco rice and chickens, and villages
have turned out to serve us as
packers.
On approaching one of these mount.
ain villages we were met by a depu-
tation headed by the Presidente, lie.
splendent i'm two ancient coats, a
battered silk hat, silver-headed cane
anu VI TX ~ NVlplNh lOlh biObht anu
were given the beartiest kind of a
welcome. In the pueblo we were
conducted to the council amber, a
nipa roof raised on number of bam-
boo poles, and after a score of men
and boys had been dispatched to
bring us wood and water and rice
and nuts, we were given an oppor-
tunity of telling who we were and
what we were looking for. The only
piece of furniture in the council hall
was a rack, a receptacle for the canes
of the Presidente and head men, so
we threw ourselves on the floor and
proceeded to magnify and glorify our
Uncle Samuel. We told OF his gold,
his ships and his armies; his victories
and generosity. The eyes of our
friends of scanty apparel fairly
danced, and before the shades of
night had enfolded us they called us
their brothers and swore they would
fight for us. They also said that over
the hills three days was a very bad
tribe of thieves, who had committed
various depredations on their vii.
lagos, and requested US to join them
in war of extinction. Some of our
party promised, and far into the
night there was general rejoicing.
Next morning before breakfast three
score warriors, armed with spears,
wooden shields and sharp, murder
ous-looking hatchets, waited upon us.
THINGS LOOKED SERIOUS.
After breakfast we had a general in
spection, placed the spearmen in the
lead; put the unarmed servants in the
center, and with fourteen good rifles
brought up the rear In this formid.
able array we hit the trail. Goats, 4"
for as such the Presidente was there
after known, as gleeful aud happy as
boy with red eled, marched with
the rifles. When the sun came out
warm he shed his top coat and placed
it on one of the packets ahead, and
when the day got warmer he peeled
his undercoat and stood, with the ex-
ception of his battered silk hat and
loln cloth, as innocent of covering as
Adam before the fall.
We were In the mountains, follow
ing trail that went straight up, then
straight down, then straight up, and
then wound down and around q prec-
ipice. We followed 1t in single file
holding to roots and jagged bits Of
protruding rocks and, looking down,
down, down, saw sea Of terracsd rice