Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-18
EIHAUSfLESS SPRINGS OF RICHNESS
Temperature at Eighty Degrees
and Breezes Blow Constantly.
COOL WIND AT MID DAY

something to say regarding the fertility of
Philippine soil and the possibilities there
for the profitable employment Of muscle
and means. He says:
We left Reina Regente about o'clock in
the afternoon. Crowds of natives were
seen the river banks everywhere. eager
to catch a glimpse of boat the re-
turn trip. The launch darted away through
the eddying whirlpools and swift currents.
in the midst of a land Of infinite riches.
which. in the declining rays Of the after
noon sun. offered a surprising aspect with
its exuberance of life, proper to the fertile
and rich tropical soil. on all sides were
forests OF gigantic trees and splendid lands,
at sight of which civilized men are lost In
admiration, little used as they to ma
ture adorned with such exquisite beauty,
showing in admirable disorder the most
precious woods. surrounded by the richest
fruits of the soil like coffee cacao. CHINA
mon, tobacco and cotton. offering to the
enterprising man splendid returns for a
small amount of labor. The flora of the
Philippines. like the mines and the soil it
self, is full of exhaustless springs of rich
ness, and with mute but eloquent language
calls continually for capital and labor to
open up and develop the treasures which
here with so lavish a hand have been cast
by nature.
Rain Falls at Night.
We reached COttabato shortly before sun
set. This is the rainy season here. but it
rarely ever rains in the daytime. The
temperature is always close to eighty de-
grees and soft breezes blow constantly. The
sweet odOr of flowers and fruit fills the
air. Instead of feeling tired and debili-
taLed upon awaking. one gets out of bed
refreshed and full of energy with keen
enjoyment Of living. This is practically a
land of eternal spring and autumn. 1t is
never too hot. except in the direct rays of
the sun, and it is in the middle of the day
that we get our coolest breezes.
Inc morning sun, with a glowing hand.
touches every object, adding deeper shade
of green to the trees and lending a few of
It's own red rays to the crimson flowers of
the "da2-dap, or tree of fire, as the ma
tives call it. because it's bright blossoms
grow SO thickly that the tree stands forth
conSpic'. uSy in flaming color from the
surrounding foliage of polished green The
mornings here are glorious. All the world
Is fresh and sparkling in the sunshine 1t
Is never uncomfortably warm. even in the
middle of the day. and though | eniov an
occasional ''siesta, l find can do my best
work right after dinner. or '.tifn' as we
say out here in the East Indies. The sky
clouds up about an hour before sunset and
1t commences to rain shortly after dark
often raining all night long Last night
the darkness was SO intense that | actually
could not see my hand before nv face and
WaIklng IN the street was like going it
bllndly. Before morning however tbn
ciouds all disappeared, and the sun rose in
spIeHdof, as usual
tropical Full Moon.
IL rains nearly every night: but this
evening was conspicuous exception A
fun moon arose. The effect of the tropicaI
moon, rising in unspeakable grandeur upon
such scene of beauty as 1 have witnessed
tonight, was in sharp contrast with the
l-ky bIachnesS of the nights we have had
4 shall not dilate on the poetic emotions in
splred by the scene nor daily with plati-
tudes about the pale yellow moon" as L
saw 1t: but truly the man who fails to ap-
preciate such beauty as that afforded by
moonlight night in the tropics must be
lacking IN some of the great harmony
chords of nature. To man coming from
the activities of the day the effect was
truly startling. Every object in nature was
TRANSPORTED and toned down in the rich
mellow light of the full moon The night
was SO beautiful that 1 determined to climb
to the top of the hill and view the scene
from the artillery barracks. The hill Is a
great round knob or mountain set down
here in the lowlands of the delta 1 have
no doubt, to guard Cottabato. Its summit
Is several hundred feet higher than the rest
around, and the way is shaded by dwarfed
palms, which form a shady arcade with
their long fan-like branches interlacing
When the moon first rose, 1t brought into
bold relief the tall cocoanut trees and steep
matched roofs of the native houses. while
here and there a mango tree full of ripe
fruit was surrounded by a myriad of fire.
flies. undulating over and above it. like a
magic veil of pale blue flame.
Symphony of Insect Life.
When the nloonbeams reached the darker
crannies. the grand symphony of insect life
commenced. 1t would require an acute ear
to distinguish the multitude OF sounds that
arose on every side. 1t was marvellous.
The like OF it was never heard outside OF
the tropics. 1 truly believe. Anon a night
bird would call. and in the rice fields far
below a nlud-hen or heron would splash
about and rise screaming, doubtless fright
ened by some prowling alligator But the
great volume of sound came from the In
sects. 1t was like carnival of jingling
sIelghbells The similarity was striking
and the distinctions marked. There was
the merry jingle of silver bells and the
deeper tones of iron. mingled with the rich
melodious notes Of chime of gold; here a
dainty tinkle hardly audible there a
braZen clangor loud enough to wake the
Seven Sleepers; in one place a sweet strain
OF music, in another place a strdent note
like a wild alarm But discord and har-
mony all blended together and gradually
subsidized as the moon rose higher and high
er, until nothing more could be heard. save
an occasional call from this strange world
SO far removed from the ken of man.
Once at the top could hardly contain my
admiration. The sky was clear and blue
with a remarkable depth. and the moon
seemed as large as three. The great south
ern cross cleaned in unwonted splendor and
our own familiar dipper shone in the north
ern sky. All the considerations glittered
Looking up the valley of the Rio Grande
and facing the east, every prominent OBJ
ject in the landscape for forty miles was
plainly visible. The North branch wound
in and out among groves of tall cocoanut
trees and rich plantations OF rice. hemp
and sugar cane. while of to the south
ward chain after chain OF mountains
arose casting dark shadows over the val
ley.
An Extinct Volcano.
At the mouth of the South branch far
below lowered the bold summit of Pico Co
gOnal. extinct volcano. sentfnei-iike,
above all the other mountains, and throw
ing sinister bar of bIackness far out to
sea beyond the Island of Timaco. Here
arises high out of the ocean mass of
green foliage and huge trees. clear and
vell-dehned In the bright moonlight Close
at hand the tortuous channel of the Man
day approached the foot of the HILL then
crawled away toward the south like a great
serpent. Here and there could be seen the
fire of some hardy fisherman at work in