Evening star., 1901-07-30
Eleventh Infantry Reaches The Island
Of Leyte at Last.
DISLIKE AND FEAR OF AMERICANS
interesting Recital Of incidents and
Impressions.
D e RTH OF OCTOR s

to be our station for at least twenty days,
on the night of May 2S. We were anxious
to reach almost any old place to call a
temporary home, as we had been en- route
two months and two days from Washing
ton barracks. having left there March 20.
We were on the transport Fitzpatrick
f1fty-three days from San Francisco. and
glad we were to go down the gangplank
for the last time. The bill of fare on the
boat had become so monotonous that the
ma jority Of the men had ceased to pa
tronize the mess and subsisted In various
ways from individual means. For this
long period the meals were the game. For
breakfast there was unseasoned cornmeal
mush and stewed dried apples unsweet-
ened; for dinner, meat, potatoes, soup and
hard bread was served; for supper there
was always a weak stew. Stewed beans
were occasionally served, and on Fridays
stewed Goldfish was served In such a salty
condition that there were few takers, and
1t was generally thrown overheard
Since our Decentralization we have been
living good the government ration
alone, which clearly demonstrates that 1t
ts sufficient II properly handled. We have
a change each meal. and everything tastes
good.
Difficulties of a Night Landing.
We made landing in the night. and
such time we had digging out our freight
from the bowels Of the transport and load
ing it on the transports small boats. One
freight was piled in confusion in two sep
arate matches. together with the freight
Of several organizations. The first COM
pany out got the cream Of the freight
which left poor picking for the last COM
pany to disembark The quartermaster OF
the transport had no representative to see
that the proper freight was taken, es no
check was taken at San Francisco. The
goods were simply piled on the transport
masters department kept an accurate
check on the freight until it's arrival at
the wharf, and then abandoned 1t to its
fate.
We have quite a number of boxes miss
ing which may possibly turn up some day.
The crew handled everything as though it
was pig iron with the consequence that the
boxes reached land In bad condition. MY
valise was thrown from the deck to the
freight below, thereby ending It's useful
ness forever more.
The boats could not approach closer to
the shore than 100 feet. and we were com
pelIed to jump into the surf and wade
ashore. The commanding officer had gone
ashore with the advance boat, and had
rounded up about twenty natives and COM
PEELED them to unload the boats, assisted
by the soldiers. The natives did not take
kindly to the task, and 1t was necessary to
keep UP a continual yelling at them in or
der to accomplish anything.
A box of hard bread was opened for their
benefit while at work, and this proved
mistake, as around that box they made
their headquarters. from which they could
be moved only by force. The alcalde. or
mayor, of the village received the Amer
leans with open arms, and did all In his
power to assist u.s. He was ably helped by
a number of policemen who l am inform
ed, serve without pay, being content with
the doubtful honor the Office affords.
An Omnipotent AIca1de.
The alcalde is tall. mummified old FIJI
lpino, who speaks excellent Spanish, and
never loses sight of his own interest. He
owns nearly everything in sight, and every
other man appears to be his son. He con-
fesses to being a widower with two wives
in the cemetery, and thinks possibly he
may take another shy at matrimony in the
near future. All our dealings with the ma
t1ves are transacted through him.
We gave him an order for thirty chick
ems several days ago. which he accepted
with many misgivings. claiming that the
country was almost chickenlesS. He has
been four days on this commission, assist
ed by his many policemen. with the result
that he has fifteen miserable specimens
picketed out around his house. He has
several times entreated the Quartermaster
sergeant to relieve him OF what chickens
he has gathered, but the sergeant tells him
In all seriousness that he could not pos
sibly accept less than thirty chickens, and
the old man now carries a heavy heart.
This town Of Consolation Is at the head
O. Lion bay, which Is the most southern
on the Island of Leyte It Is about fifty
miles from the Island of Mindanao. which
Is reported to be in q bad state of insurrec-
ton. 1t is bamboo hut town Of probably
a thousand inhabitants. The houses are
widely scattered. The bay has been closed
to commerce. by the authorities for over
two years, causing the country to be in
bad straits financially. There are about
dozen small business houses that exchange
dry goods, &c, for hemp. Their ware
houses are overf1owng with the latter pro-
duct which they will ship to Manila when
the port is opened up.
large number Of the inhabitants are
engaged in fishing. but with poor success,
as l have never seen any evidence Of
catch The a1calde ordered them to catch
some fish several days ago, to be paid
for at the market price, but none have ma
terialiZed as yet.
They show plainly that they do not like
us. as the alcalde alone greets US with
smiling face and a helping hand. AS 1t Is
unhealthy to live In tents we appropriated
several houses for our use. In the yard of
one the foliage was very thick and the
majority of the small trees were cut down.
The next day the owner appeared with q
$500 claim for destroying his cocoa trees.
It seems the trees were really valuable but
all trees look alike to the soldiers.
The natives apparently have no inclina-
ton to work, at least they have had none
since our advent. The women, with q few
exceptions, positively refuse to wash for
us, and then only at fabulous prices, with
the consequence that we are doing our own
washing.
An Unusual Predicament.
The boys all have money, but no place to
spend it. as the stores have nothing for
sale that Is desirable. We have tried to
get them to bring in cocoanuts for sale,
but with poor success. They apparently
have no love for money, simply wishing to
exist. Their wants are few and easily
gratified They have large numbers OF
pigs, goats and dogs
They tell us there Is no more insurrec-
ton in this section, but we do not accept
their word as final, and the guard is al
ways on the alert General Mojica who
commanded the insurgent forces on this
island was on the boat which brought us
here. He lately surrendered with about
thirty men, which was small command
for 4 general. The officers on the trans
port treated him as q great parsonage and
evidently made him believe he was some-
We relieved the asa Volunteer Infantry
on this island and wonderful were the ad-
ventures that they related to us. They no
doubt saw some fighting on the island Of
Samar when they first arrived In the Philip
pines. They have had quite a number
killed and wounded.
Stories OF Suffering.
I met a sergeant, named Tony Carson. on