The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-26

dian, seeing everything. hearing every
thing, If inspired.
Speaking of the natives scouts, Hoover
said TO me while ! was taking chow with
him and two OF the other young officers:
They have done excellent work. They
will stick to you and fight for you to the
limit. They fight fiercely. for they know
that they Will get no quarter from the
enemy, and in scouting work they are as
bright as could be expected.
He told me also OF some OF the methods
resorted 10 by the enemy TO trap and Kill
the American soldiers. A favorite bit OF
Samar pleasantly is a trap made by dig
ging pit in the ground across some trail
and planting here spears with their bust
ness ends up. The man who walks on
that trap has the pleasant experience or
having one of those spears run up
through him. and not infrequently that
spear point carries poison which means GER
tain death good many lives were lost
through these spear traps when our men
first came out here, but experience taught
the wisdom of sending ahead either cara
sends its trap springers on the trails ahead.
These are goo Coos the army name for
natives. and II they do not md az the
traps, they find themselves in all kinds or
trouble. Also IL may be said In passing,
If they do find them. It's no soft snap, that
OF trap springer.
DIFFICULT PROBLEM.
Samar undoubtedly presents the most
difficult problem of any of these islands
to-day. There is some trouble I'm Cebu and
also in Bohol. a small island near here.
but the physical conditions of Samar
make things worse here than anywhere.
Captain Tayman, who, not very long ago.
had to march through from the bottom OF
the island TO the top, tells me that he
and his men were in many places where
even Filipinos had never been. The Fill
pinos,' he explained, stick to the bar
rios. They are not hunters and they
have never penetrated these great forests
at ALL We found very many spots upon
which a human foot has never trod;
believe we know more about Samar than
anybody has ever known, for the Span
iards never attempted TO get into the in
terror and, as l say, the Filipino has no
interest in exploring his native land.
American soldiers started after them than
they ever did before. They are able by
going into the forests to get entirely
ting an end TO the troubles on the island
are anything but fiattering."
We were serenaded by a native band
| natives had battered and beaten old in
struments but made the sweeter music.
even IL the army band did make the most
noise. 1t seems We were not expected
! here until a day later than our arrival
and arrival took everybody unawares.
! There not a sign OF preparation for
our coming when we arrived, but we had
not been in town five minutes before evil
dcnces Of patriotism We're sprung on US
/ on all sides Some OF our party given
/ over to enthusiasms anent the patriotism
/ of the Filipinos pointed to the flags that
4 were being stuck from every house along
/ the Gale Real as meaning desire for
American sovereignty; L. having seen the
| courier who had been sent along the street
/ to order the flying of flags, was a little
/ dubious
There was a race on the part OF the
| bands TO see which could begin its sere-
made first. The army band is the larger
i institution, and as its men couldn't be
| got together as promptly as the little
/ crowd of natives, these latter got in the
/ first wind-jamming work; but they We're
/ not TO enjoy their triumph for long. With
| in two minutes the Americans struck up
some hot rag-time and the Filipinos had
| 10 quit because they could not be heard.
! Cathalogan is a closed port. kept so TO
/ prevent the importation OF hrearms Whicn
may reach the Lukban forces or some OF
their sympathiZers. One result of this
was that there was very little TO drink
/ I'm the town. Hoover had a birthday the
! Gay before we got in and had blown him
i self for all the champagne and almost all
! the other drink that the town afforded.
! To add TO our personal discomforts, the
| ice plant broke down-possibly staggering
| under the responsibility Of furnishing all
| the ice that was needed for the heads the
morning after Hoovers party. We didn't
/ STAY very long ashore. Instead we brought
| all the officers we could lay our hands
over To the ship and they In turn
| brought their band we had a concert and
dance The concert was supposed 10 be in
| compliment 10 Colonel Price, who was
going of with US. but we got as much OF
/ IL as he did and enjoyed IL more for
| have had no music since the Twenty-siXth
band left US. \ Southern boy who was IN
Georgia during the time when troops were
| at Columbus and Macon and who knows
a lot of people in Atlanta-Lieutenant
/ OF general charge OF things and was large
| ly responsible for our pleasure. Despite
his success and the good time they all
gave US, we are not sorry that we are
! seeing the last OF Samar. There Is not
| an American on that island who does not
! envy our privilege Of getting away