The Holt County sentinel., 1900-12-28
From the Philippines.

Kind FIIend:-l will write yuu ii few
lines. We landed here yesterday eve
nIng lust at sunset, and went INTO quar-
tcrs IN some old Spanish hui dings where
We slep. all night We will start for our
regiment Tomorrow We go on the
train to Coiumpet, then finish by boat.
This is Il much nicer place than Maya
saki. Japan. will tell you little ton
cerning that city. 1t has population
of 10000, streets very narrow, being
from d feet To 20 feet in width. dirty,
and give oil very unpleasant odors.
Some of the streets are as high as LIFT
above the olh-rs and are reached by
climbing a flight Of steps. We remained
there five days and took in the city.
Their means of conveyance over the city
is 10y two-wheclcd concern. resembling
buggy very much, only that Il con
tains but suificeu room for one person.
There are a feA stylish residences there,
all owned by foreign ministers
The city has no wharf ,andwe were Ian
ded by small boats. The harbor is Il
fine one and in it are ships from all over
the world. 1t was real amusing to
watch the boys trv-to converse with the
natIreS::S neither could understand the
-ether. triei It myself, IN attempting
10 buy a tooth brush and il took me a
long time for me To make him under
stand Just wat | w"nta I. After sue
ceeding in finding out what | wanted,
the next thing was to find out the cost.
| did SO by hol ing some japanese coins
out il my hand, and he counted out ID
cents. | shook my head and told him
that Vas too much, then handed him
one o: Uncl- Sans five cent pieces and
ie srabb' Il it eagerly, and gave me a
box of tooth poA der To boot. On our
way to Nagasaki, We came via Coboa,
Japan, where We secured Il pilot. We
canie through IN inland sea, which
was, at times, nO more tran a channel.
not over u Il half of mile wide. Some
of 'e finest scenery was presented t ere
that | ever saw. | cannot describe it.
| did wish for ia camera then. here
Here mountains on both sides, but they
were covered Aith tea plantations and
gardens that looked almost impossible
to cultivate. | never did see aS many
fishing boats in o.e place,in my Life.
One of the boys remarked to me that it
was the land of million boats, thou
sand isl ,nds and five millions of people,"
and L think he was about right, for it
seemed To me that | saw tn It many.
1t was treat for our eyes.
Aryat, z. L.. Oct. 81, 1870. We arrived
here Monday evening. Your letter dated
Sept. p, was handel TO m4 | am as
signed 10 Co. C. | will have to 90 on
up the river to San Rosa, 81 miles from
here. That is Mountainous country,
and they are having some fun up there.
Aryat is the rrgimental headquarters.
The regiment is scattered all over the
country. The Filipinos captured a
tug on the river the other day and took
all the guns and money, and two of our
boys prisoners. They kept them two
days, then released them. They had no
Use for the boat, So turned it loose, also
1t did not belong TO the L. S. but was
Use to carry provisions and soldiers up
and doxn the river | will not receive
any pay till January. On our journey
here, We had no rations. and were in the
enemies country We expected to arrive
here b fore nightfall, but the uneype cted
had to happen. ThA engine broke down,
50 We padded ashore, where we Remain
ed all night and nearly all next day, till
an boat came along and picked US up.
We were nearly 81 hours without food
except few chickns we secured without,
asking for. 1t is very Pile ,sant here.
How about thu election: There is great
talk of it over here. Send me the SEN
TINEL can't get along without it
Must close. by wishing everybody a
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Ernest l.. Payne.
Aryar, +. |.
October 26, 1900
a ~