The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-25
GOETZ'S GREAT TRIP
ST. PAUL BOY DESCRIBES AN Elk.
CURSION INTO MOUNTAINS
OF LUZON
RAINED MOST OF THE TIME
Scenery Described as Magnificent
All Along the Way-Tribes Sore
because They Are Not Al
lowed to Fight.

A highly interesting letter was received
by II. C.Goetz yesterday from his son
Carl GoetZ, who is now serving with the
United States troos in the Philippine ISL
ands.
The letter is dated at Manila, July IA,
and in it Mr.. Goetz states that he has
been in the mountain service for twenty
days.
only twenty men were detailed for the
trip, and Mr.. Goetz was assigned to do
the cooking. During the trip it lained
almost all the time, and while crossing
the country the troops were compelled to
ascend mountains eight miles IN height
one way and four miles on the reverse
slope.
The trip is described as delightful by
Mr.. Goetz, who gives a graphic account
of the scenery, of the country, but at
the same time he declares that no in
ducement could make him do the trip
over again.
In his letter Mr.. Goetz says:
Il must tell you little about this trip.
as it was a great one, indeed. There was
detail of twenty men ready to go into
the mountains for fifteen or twenty days
l was to do the cooking for them, as
We were to have a pack train of twenty
mules, and We took our rations along on
them. We only took change or two Of
ing, the command consisting Of Gen. Dell.
two majors and a lieutenant, and three
ladies, the latter being out for a pleasure
trip.
We had rain the frs. day were out
and it rained every day, you might say
during the trip.
The first day we went sixteen miles,
crossing one river fourteen times in
about ten miles. 1t ran through a val
ley with mountains on each side, with
some of the finest little waterfalls
have seen. 1t rained until about o'clock
that night and let up the next day. We
went twelve miles over mountain trail,
which was so narrow at points that two
horses could not pass at the same time
without being pushed off. 1t was eight
miles up and four miles down. and you
could see the last man under you, one
hundred feet and more, and you could
look up and see where you would be
in a half hour on the mountain side
1t was up and down, every day we were
out and the country was something fine
to see. We always had a good place
to sleep, and the general had some town
to stop in every night. We went to a
place called Bontoe, the home of tribe
of lgorrotes or head hunters, as they
are called, and the only clothing worn
by the inhabitants is a breechcIout and
a little hat stuck on the back of their
head. A tomato can cut in half is about
the size Of it, and, in fact, I saw some
with tin cans stuck on their heads
They all carry spears and shields, and
they fight great deal among them
selves-that is one tribe against the
other, and they leave the bodies where
they fall after cutting the heads Off
After killing their man, they take the
head to their town and put it up on
pole, when a feast and dance is kept up
Until the lower jaw drops eff. Recently
the United States government has put
a stop to this proceeding, but as they
practiced the horrible rite under the
Spaniards, they cannot understand why
the privilege should be shut off under the
government of Uncle Sam.
There is some of the finest pine timber
in the forest I ever saw, but 1t
cannot be used TO any great extent, as
it is impossible to get it out of the noun
tains. 1t is probable that the Ameri-
cans will soon find a way of getting
the timber from the mountains These
people live on rice potatoes, hogs and
dogs, and at intervals they come to the
towns and buy up all of the dogs, which
are fattened, after which they have a
big feast The Inhabitants are dirtier
than the most degenerate American In
dian.