Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-01-10
FROM FRED LUCKIE.
In a Letter the Mexico Soldier Tells Of
a Trip Of Inspection in the Philip
pine Islands.


anu was budblOiicu ~ dnlSt vi
: Christmas we had a fine ball game
and a good dinner. Since that time
| have been transferred TO the Hospit-
al Corps, U. S. A., and have been
orderly for Maj. Kulpeverslnce.
Manila has been very quiet since
McKjnley's reelection.
| have just come back from the
southern ports, where an inspection
I was made of all the hospitals.
On Oct. 5, at 6:24, p. m, the United
, States transport Pennsylvania left
Manila for various southern ports.
The vessel contained a small cargo and
, quartermaster's supplies for the troops
which are occupying these places.
she had accommodations for the re-
turn of one hundred and sixty sick.
The ships hospital was arranged on
the main deck, which is well adapted
for the purpose, and consisted Of an
office and a large dispensary. There
were apartments for the crazy and
nervous patients; four wardso OF forty
hunks each; dining oom and store
room. Everything for the comfort and
convenience Of the sick was furnished
by the medical supply department at
Manila. The hunks were pipe iron
frames with woven wire mattresses.
There was a three foot aisle on each
side of the hunks. This hospital was
managed the same as the large hospit-
ais in Manila.
On the ship there were about
seventy state rooms, a large saloon,
smoking room, quartermaster's office
and captains cabin. The crew, with
the exception of the ships officers,
were Filipinos, and they made a good
one. The ship was built for a colder
climate than this and the state rooms
are not built upon the upper deck as
in most vessels, but are built inside
and the saloon is between decks.
Among the ports which we visited
probably the most important was
Ilollo, on the island Of Panay. lloilo
Is the next in size to Manila Of the
cities In the Islands Hemp and
tobacco are the chief products Of Panay
and ship building and tobacco facto-
ries are the main Industries of Iloilo.
The town was mostly destroyed by the
~Spaniards several years ago and many
OF the ruins are still standing. The
people of Panay are brighter and
more clearly than those Of the island
OF Luzon. The hospitals were in good
condition and all the patients were well
treated. We found that we had
seventy-hve patients from there to
take back on return.
We left Iloilo for Zamboanga, which
is a mixed settlement Of Moros and
FilipInos. Each tribe has a town and
the Moros won't allow a Filipino to
enter their town, which is ruled by a
Moro Chief, who is next In rank to the
Sultan.
The S~paniards held zamboanga for
several years, but the Filipinos cap
tured it from them. The Moros o
ship idols and are very superstitious,
They are ruled with an iron hand by
the Data" or chief. They are of
red skin, have straight black hair and
wear costumes of a grey color.
The Sultan, some time ago, offered
his services and those of his followers
to the Governor-General who declined
the offer, but they offered them again
and we're accepted. The title of Data
Mandanas was given him and he holds
tho position Of Sultan, by the rights
of the noble deeds he has performed
since the Americans arrived. He
lives in a very beautiful place-it
might be called a castle. 1t is Of
white stone and was built in 1885 by a
Spaniard and is situated in a beauti-
full green valley between two noun
tains. A river with beautiful Span
ish bridges spanning it, passes near
by.
We stopped our horses, which the
Sultan had sent TO us, in front Of the
castle, where the Sultan stood with a
bodyguarl Of one hundred MoroS. We
were usheredi into a long room, so dark
we could not see a thing before us. In
the meantime the Sultan had left us
to entertain ourselves the best way we
could. But we were o o to have a
surprise, for the most beautiful music
was heard; two curtains we're then
parted and torch bearing servants
marched in and lit all Of the candles.
There we're one thousand candles in
the room. Then came the Sultan, led
by five small boys in grey costumes,
each carrying two candles. The Sui
tan had on a fine robe, which trailed
far behind him. He went to the
center Of the room and tapped the
floor once with a cane. At the tap
his attendants knelt around him and
he murmured something; then the
attendants got up and led the Sultan
to the throne, which was embellished
with gold. When he was seated the
dignitary gave a tap with his cane
and the servants left the room. Then
came a beautiful creature who danced
for us. She was dressed in a charm
ling costume, and was n of the Sui
tan's wives. She then bowed to the
Sultan and left tue room. So on until
his seven wives had each performed
her dance. In all this time we did
not see their faces. But the next
time they came out their wells went
down for a minute, and to say that
they were beautiful does not express
IL. They bowed to their lord and
master and then to us and left the
room. That was the last we saw Of
the wives Of the Sultan. The Sultan
then gave a command in his own
language and the same number that
lighted the candles put them out;
then the room was opened, the draper-
les separated and we were expected to
depart. After thanking the Sultan
for the most enjoyable afternoon we
have had since we have been in the
Philippines we left him smiling and
saying goodbye. We stayyd in Zambo-
anga a few days, enjoying ourselves
greatly. The hospitals we're all In
good condition and there were very
few sick soldiers.
Ioln vVaS fha noxt tu,rf IL fe cftn.