Evening star., 1901-09-21
WORK WITHOUT PAY
How Filipinos Are Drafted by Our
Soldiers in Leyte.
A TRIP THROUGH The ISLAND
Natives Are HospitabIe, but Evi-
IDENTITY Through Fear.
TALES OF VOLUNTEERS

| Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
| CONSOLATION, Leyte, P. l., July 20, 1901.
1t is now nearly a month since the steam
| er Yruna came into this bay and contiscat-
| ed all the hemp, valued at many thousands
of dollars The owners are patiently wait
| ing and hoping that they will be paid bX
| the government. I cannot see how they
| can ever be paid, as the hemp was not
| weighed and no receipts were given, as l
| stated in my last letter.
| I have just returned from five days trip
over to Hinunangan, which is forty-five
miles distant. We were party Of five and
| our road was through what is supposed to
| be insurgent territory. We passed through
| many small towns, the Inhabitants of which
| treated us very cordially.
All persons saluted us by barring their
| heads and bringing their right hands to
| their foreheads noticed many old ladies
with loads on their heads we passed.
They would promptly remove the loads and
their headdress and salute.
| Generally they appeared to be in mortal
! fear Of The children and women would
| run for their houses and quickly hide. We
noticed many Of them peeping out through
| cracks.
AS we carried rations 1t was not neces-
sary to purchase any food, but we have ac-
QulTeu q great appetite 1Or the water III
cocoanuts, which makes an excellent drink,
| and we drank great quantities on the trip.
| It was only necessary to point to tree,
when a native would climb 1t and throw
| opened by another native. We offered them
money. but they would politely refuse it.
Pineapples were also given to us gratis.
We went twenty-five miles by rowboat,
| money was paid to the natives for this
| work, and / felt sorry for them, as they
| would have to return hungry to their
| homes, tramp generally Of about six
| antly until we would start with a new crew,
| and then, 1 suppose, they would call us
hard names. The quartermaster's depart
ment is not spending much money on this
island. One native who made the entire
trip with us was the only one paid, and he
| received 81,
Upon arriving at village the lieutenant
In charge would call for the presidente and
demand new crew, which was promptly
furnfshed-that Is, going; but we found the
villages deserted on our return and had g.
hard time getting the necessary number.
They evidently did not relish working with
| out pay. 1t took us about two hours get
! ting crew at one good-sized town. The
houses were searched, but the men had
skipped to the mountains. We finally mus
tered three old men and boy, whom I was
| solicitous at times, would die on our hands
Characteristics Of Catalan.
| the first day. This is fair-sized village,
with a garrison Of forty-f1ve American SOL
diers. The sergeant in charge had had the
| place thoroughly cleaned. and it presented
| healthy appearance. Business is at a
! stsndstill. as the port Is closed and the
store houses are bulging with hemp. They
| were very apprehensive that a steamer
would come and take it from them as at
Consolation.
The day we arrived the sergeant had is
| sued an order to the meat shops that In
| the future meat must not be sold for more
than cents per pound. 1t appears that
| the sergeant had purchased a calf at so
| much, and when he offered to pay for it the
owner had doubled his former price. This
| made the sergeant wrathy, hence his order.
| They have novel way of publishing an
order, as they have no papers. The presi-
| dente Of the city, preceded by two drum
mer boys, marches to the main corners,
| where halt IS made and the presidente
soldier guard. The order Is read three
| nights in succession. It is a novel way to
| regulate prices. but the cattle men say
they will not kill any beeves at that price.
| There is also a large cathedral at Cata-
| liam. which is the busiest place in town, as
| the people appear to be always going to or
| coming from 1t. There Is no doubt too
much church In this country and too many
| f1estas.
The cathedral has several large bells,
which, the sergeant says, were ringing
| night and day, as the ringers lived in the
tower and one was always awake. In order
to get some sleep, he says, he was COM
PEELED to issue an order regulating the ring
ing during the night.
Hiking Under Difficulties.
From Catalan we proceeded on horse
back to Hinunangan. It was a beautiful
ride, as the day was cloudy. The ocean was
generally in sight. and we would have thor
oughly enjoyed the trip had we good
mounts. The ponies were sorry-looking
steeds. They all had sore backs and no
desire for speed. My horse was evidently
| tired Of life, as no amount Of prodding
would change his pace. At the finish he
was much fresher than I. He had a heart
breaking gait that I bent myself in con-
tortions to conform to with Ill success
I lost my temper many times, and he
forced me to call him many hard names In
English which he evidently did not under
stand, as he gave no indications Within
came very boggy. At times our horses
would sink to their bellies in the mud.
In the middle Of one Of these mud holes
my horse suddenly stopped. and no amount
of persuasion would stir him. I told him
many times what thought of him. but he
cared not. I had to finally alight In the
mud to my middle and drag him out
At another hole there was a narrow log
on him SO I alighted and started to lead
him across. He had made up his mind
that he would not cross, as he planted his
feet firmly and got hunch on himself
He pulled harder than I did. The others
were waiting for me, so determined to do
or die. I got good foothold and gave a
tremendous pull and-the bride broke in
pieces. He knew at once that he was free,
as he Immediately turned and pulled for
home. with me in hot pursuit. He man
aged to keep aggravatingly just little
ahead Of me, and I could feel murder
creeping into my heart. His life was saved
by native appearing in view and who
headed him of.
OF all the natives we met on our journey
only two could speak Spanish and very
little at that. We tried in vain to find out
what the distance was ahead Of us, but
the answer was invariably "Zerbot," which
practically means 81 do not understand"
The sun was SO hot and we were so worn
out when afternoon approached that we
pulled into a pasture in village and lay
down to rest. We were quickly surrounded
by a curious crowd. who kept at re-
spectacle distance They brought us many
cocoanuts and tried their best to be hos
pitable
After an hours rest we saddled up and
continued our journey, feeling that we had
at least five miles to go. Imagine our sur
prise upon turning a bend in the road to
see quite good-sized village spread before