The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1900-07-26
LETTER FROM rHk PH1LIrrISE.
A Friday Harbor Soldier Boy Writes an
Interesting Letter-Busy Keeping Down
Insurrectionists-Big Snakes and LIZ
Yards, and Monkeys Galore.

Below we give q letter from George
1 Thacker, a member of Co. l., 18th In
fantry, now u scout i'm the Philippines.
Since writing this letter tile scouts
have been doing considerable fighting,
and his family are anxious to hear
further FROM him.
Dear Sisters: -You letter of April 9Th
was received some time since, but since
being OIL scout service have not had an
opportunity to write but little. They
Keep us scouts out all the time. thought
we would get day off yesterday, but no,
we had to go into headquarters and have
our horses shOd, and this morning we
took the trail at the peep of dawn. Now
and am taking advantage to write this
letter. We will be off again at dark for
an all night ride, and so we 90 from one
day to another, so there Is not much time
FOR writing letters. For q change 1 will
give you u sketch of one Of our trips,
which we had a few days ago. We re-
ceived word that an organization had
been formed, and they were armed and
getting ready to take the field, in town
about ten miles up in the mountains. The
town Is called Pielan, and being quite
place, we took two squads Of infantry and
started at Daylight. After marching a
few miles we struck into tropical forest:
ouu IL yOu COutu OILY 0cdT THO SOuIluS
that our intrusion awOke, and see the
sights that we saw, it would do you good.
BIRDS OF every gorgeous and rich color
fitted and chirrupped and sang and
squealed on each side of and over our
trail. their gaudy plumage rejecting in
the golden sunlight the most beautiful
and brilliant hues. Monkeys, big and
and chartered and jumped, or swung: by
their tails from limb to limb in the trees
over our heads and threw cocoanuts
down upon us. Parrots of different
spe..ies looked down upon us with wise
and knowing looks, and winked, but said
nothing. 1t was indeed dreamland,
filled with a babel Of tongues that we
could not understand. Was it a greeting
to the star-spangled banner and the SOL
diers of Uncle Sam, or a cry in the wilder
ness against the coming of civilization?
The concert continued through the woods
for nearly five miles. When we reached
the town the infantry deployed, left and
right, around the outskirts, while the
scouts dashed through at full speed to the
further side, deploying, left and right, in
like manner, thus forming skirmish
line entirely around it. This circle of
soldiers then marched toward the center
Of the town, driving all the men into the
plaza, or public square, where some OF
the instructors were pointed out, the
lonuOIS Cuhcu duu tucIT dElIlS ucIlduucus
which of course was refused. The ring
leader was placed on his back, a hollow
bamboo put in his mouth and water
poured into it, which brought him to
time in short order. The arms were de-
livered up, the prisoners secured and our
work was done. The friendly women
cooked us dinner of chicken and rice,
eleven guns, we took up our march for
camp. where we arrived at nightfall.
This is our general procedure. But for
the scouts and friendly natives there
would have been general uprising, but
we got onto it in time and hope we have
them pretty we'll under. 1t seems that
every town and village had greater or
less number who were organizing and
arising and getting ready to waylay and
ambush small squads of soldiers and to
prey upon the friendly natives. We have
just got word Of band Of insurrectOrs
located on public trail. They are re-
ported to be quite strong i'm number; that
they are we'll armed and bad fighters, ami
we will 60 after them in Il few days.
The customs of these people have been
at II standstill for Il great many years and
it will require several Years tn chan. ,e
them. You would think you were in an
oven if you were here. The natives build
their houses six feet above the ground, so
AS to he high and dry when the rainy sea-
floods that it covers the ground before it
can run OFF. have seen snakes seven or
eight feet long and as thick as your arm,
and monster Lizards nearly three feet In
length. You ask me about the scenery rs
compared with the San Juan islands. OF
course, the tropical trees are very beauti-
full and the mountains are grand and ma
jestic, but, to me, there is no grander
scenery than:inlSan Juan. One has but
to take trip tn Mount Constitution, OIL
Orcas island, and he will at once pro-
nounce it the finest scenery i'm the world.
While it is grand here, there is a same
ness about it. miss the tall and noble
frs with their branches in the sky and
the rugged snow-capped SUBMITS of those
northern ranges. Here the mountains
are covered with foliage from base to
summit, their ruggedness absent or con-
cealed. Take the snow and the rugged
ness from the mountains and the grandeur
Of the scenery is gone.
My health is splendid, and with love to
all, am your affectiOnate,
GEORGE S. THACKER.
10 T. 10Th Infantry Manila p