Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-05-11

people, and | have been in places which
"ouiu De more pleasant for any kind of
people myself included. War of any kind
70 Da1 enough, but this guerilla warfare is
SIMPLY uetestable. Expecting to get a round
any tlihe, and from a place that is we'll
nlgh inaccessible is more than irving, and
! everyone is getting very tired and more
Vhah angry. The coast towns are all o. X.
ana business is furnishing; but back here
III the mountains it is just what it is.
| March 10.
| Have written several letters the last two
days and have tried to read; but the events
OF the last 10 days and the anxiety and un-
certainty for and of the immediate future
are uppermost in my mind, and the little
time have is mostly spent in scheming to
cireumvent these fiends. l have orders to
make no further aggressive movement out
side OF this deserted town, until REINFORCE
ments arrive. The horrible fate of the
missing man l wrote about before is still
,resh IN my mind. He was separated from
ms squad, and while lying on the ground
| hrlng to the front was struck with a bolo
from behind, and was still alive when his
head was cut off and taken to the noun
tains Ito the same Lieut.. Hora, who wants
mlne), and his body thrown into the river.
The country around here is full of them
I and since this time yesterday three have
been shot within 1000 yards of the church
and their weapons now lie on the top of a
| good-sized pile that have been taken from
the dead dogs and brought to the church.
| They always open fire from the front and
attempt to rush the rear with bolo-men.
who wont rush into good hot fire, but are
usually in excess of the rilemen, and are
bad medicine in large numbers at close
quarters. One has to be continually on
the nerve and have his eyes on all sides.
A native who had been acting as guide was
captured at the same time, and was to be
hung in the morning, but managed to make
his escape. He is badly tattered and cut
| up, but got in and brought the news From
now on niger who gets in range will be
4, out of luck. There are many intelligent
Filipinos, but the mountain tribes are not
| as intelligent or human as the dog or hog.
l haven't the slightest idea when we
shall be paid and don't much care, for l
have no use for money. We are a rather
rough looking lot and l am as bad as the
rest; clothes faded and torn, mud stained
and worn. l have not had on a blouse,
sword or cap since we got into the island.
| Shoes, leggins, Khaki trousers, blue shirt
and campaign hat with big army colt and
belt full of ammunition is both dress and
the larger part of the timO-undress. 1t
| sometimes happens that the belt is not full
of ammunition when we come in from q
trip. The men are all sharp-shooters now,
and some mighty fine shots we have, too.
usually take along rifle when l go out with
! a few men as every one counts and think
| can make fair shot,
| 1t may be that you will get several let
ters at the same time as | know nothing
about when the mails leave from head
| quarters. l may have no chance to write
for some time, but you need not worry for
it will do no good and l will write when l
can.
| March IA.
1t is a bright, beautiful morning and
would that everything were as peaceful
as it looks. You would enjoy the scenery,
the luxuriant vegetation, going through
this grand old church or cathedral, exam.
ming the embroideries, and silk and satin
and velvet church robes, and in fact
your eyes would glisten as you gazed at all
the things that have become so distasteful
to me from their associations. There is
some very handsome gold and silver plate
communion service which l wish wa
somewhere else, as l am responsible for il
and have to keep guard over it continual
ly.
While we are often short of government
rations, 1 manage to get along on fresh beef
chicken, sweet potatoes, though they arr
not very good ones, and cocoanuts. WheI
we are in the mountains, which is thu
greater portion of the time, it is quite an
other proposition to find a substitute fo
the field rations There is absolutely nj
game on the island unless you call mos
quitos game; they are numerous and OF
goodly size. 1t is said there are severa
varieties of poisonous snakes here, but
! have seen but few of any kind.
1t is growing warmer, no, hotter, ever,
day. and | am in hopes we may soon finisl
! this campaign and be at rest for time
As soon as we have more troops, it will b
rapidly pushed and cannot think they wi
! hold out long with large force surround