The Globe-republican., 1900-06-14
Philippine LETTER.
From Our Own War Correspond

let me tell you. and erybody sending
mail to the Philippines. to direct TO the
company and regiment, Via Manila
There il goes into the general post of
flee where record is kept of the location
of each regiment, and from regimental
headquarters, of course, companies and
detachments are accessible.
This week we hav MT been very busy
and have nothing to do but study mill
tary tactics and read the Scientific Amer
lean and GLOBE -REPUBLICAN. Oh
course. take our regular turn in detail
for patrol duty, otherwise it is as unwar-
like hare as il is in Dodge. On the night
of February 20, we went on one of these
reconpoiterings into the country, from
Saravia. Next morning as we came into
town from a nights tramp after ths
..bogie men, we found the detachment il
hustle of excitement. We were te
leave at 2 p. m! Where were we going
No one knew, but all were guessing. and
no two of our guesses hit the same mark
All that day the turmoil aud uproar KEEP
up and at O'Clock we left camp, escort
ing train of nine carts, each drawn By
caribou. and when we got unravelled and
straightened out, we looked like cali
thumpian 4th of July parade. Our pets
were not forgotten and the parrots ant
to the general effect. The parrots want
ed to drive the teams but they were mos
of them too profane.
We made the ten miles to Silay II
about four hours and there were Joined
by the detachment of Co. B, which haG
been stationed at Cabo nkaIon. The mex
morning on opening our eyes we were
struck by such display of American
flags we little expected in hostile
country. All the shapes and forms OF
which the easily worked bamboo is cap
able had been used support for flags
and other decorations of all designs. Al
first we wondered, then somebody said
sSWashington' Birthday, which was
explanation enough, although this was
the first celebration of the day by any
Philoppino, L guess.
The chief attraction was the plaza
a square of about two acres. entirely sur
rounded by fence of split bamboo poles
about ten feet apart, arched from one to
another and from each pole and arch
doated a bright American flag, always
and at all times and in all places beau
tiful sight to the eyes of an American
soldier, but here it was just thrilling
There were three grand entrances to this
sQUare-east. west and south-the latter
in front of the church. At the east side
of the plaza were fixed the various ma
chimes for the amusement of the visitors
creased pole. jumping johnny, a
rack on which are placed horizontal bars
of bamboo, going higher and higher un-
til it is all a good jumper can do to clear
them. On framework above all, hang
the Etpesos'' prizes, one of which is
grabbed by the jumper he clears the
bar if he gets high enough. But the
which was a bamboo (of course). about
twelve feet long swung about three feet
from the ground by long ropes at each
end which hung from a stout frame above.
the trick being to walk the length of the
pole turn and walk back, where the prize
awaited the balancer- Needless to say
the supply of these prizes was not much
reduced, for unless the man was very
skillful and had his hair parted exactly al
the middle, he wouldn't make it. His
awful twists and squirms before the pole
would fly out from under his feet alway:
brought shouts of laughter. Horse rae
hurdle-rac cling, cock-fighting, foot-rac-
ing, wrestling and jumping. kept the peo
pie busy for three four days.
March ? we again broke camp, to the
deep grief of some of the few seniorita.
of the old Spanish families of that neigh
ROrnOOQ. ana DOaIOcO the steamer IA
Cano which took to Monople, where
we picked up the remaining detachmen
of Co. B, making our force two full com
panies aboard the vessel. TheHce We
steamed to Iloilo. thence TO Jaro (the
| same in La Junta)- Jaro is yer,
nice place and we were quite s.stuck Oh
it, But no, Back to Iloilos where WI
| loaded up two days rations and began
our most notable sshike''. on the 10th o
| March-gOing to San Jose, island of Pa
| nay, thence to the province of Antique, Il
a small town on the coast. from Ifoi1'
| about thirty miles by our route. Her
we slowed our haversacks with two days
| ratIons and started straight across tn
country which is very mountainous-oul
| desti nation was unknown but our objec
was ''scrap''- That night we campe.
/ high up in the mountains, holding our
selves in constant readiness for any litt1
| sssurprise party that might be anxiou
to get . few specimens of our cartridge
for keepsakes. In the morning we re