The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-08

soldados. A carabao usually seems 10
share the feeling Of his native master to-
ward white faces and foreign soldiers. The
cochero wound his guide rope around the
animals neck. temporarily TO all appear
anees, until he could adjust the yoke. rive
Of the sick soldiers took their places in
the forward cart. The cochero settled the
yoke in place and stepped back, giving a
peculiar click for the beast to go. The ami
nal took one step slowly forward till the
strain Of the yoke was fairly against his
shoulders, and then-a series Of shrieks
arose along the line Of men in front:
'Hell!' Get out of the way!" Hes
mad, stop him!' That huge, clumsy, slow
moving brute. in a single instant changed
into a veritable four-legged locomotive of
energy and speed.
The first jump and all but one of the sick
men were tossed out of the cart like so
many sticks of wood, while those on the
road in front went scurrying away like
flying fish from a steamer when a school
is struck.
stop him. shoot himl" yelled the major,
following on foot at full speed with re-
volver in hand. as there was really no time
to secure and mount his horse-"he's got
the money!
Two soldiers. one on either side. endeav-
ored TO throw their arms about the ami
mails neck, but were hurled off as if they
had struck an express train.
There was no chance to shoot without
hitting the sick soldier in the cart. The
road was full of dust which rose in a
streaming cloud in rear of that cyclone of
flesh. binding soldiers, Lieutenant. clerk
and major, chasing after the mad thing
and the cochero was sculling himself across
the river.
Everything so far had turned out to Val
erianos satisfaction. He had kept the big
bull carabao, that had previously killed
several men who did not know how to man
age him-had kept him eight hours without
water, which is sufficient to make the most
peaceful of carabaOs raging mad. Then he
had arranged a cunning contrivance OF
tacks and thin leather straps, fitted under
the animals yoke, so that when the yoke
should set firmly back on the neck, the
tacks would sink into the flesh for about
half an inch. Now the plot had been de-
veloped. the animal was making for the
ford to the river, where he could get water,
and the pain of the tacks would cause him
to keep going till he reached the other bank
where forty insurrectos with rifles in place
were lying fiat on their noses watching for
the denOuement.
Meanwhile, the carabao had distanced all
pursuit and was near the turn to the
ford. The one'sick soldier. Jack Downey.
a hero in his way, who was climbing to the
front rail of. the cart, took in fully the
desperate character of the situation. He
knew there was a large amount of money
in that box and the beast would get away
with it unless something interferred 'muy
p%ronto." He resolved to be that some
thing. Rising quickly he stepped on the
rail and jumped-fortunately landing as
tribe of the carabao's back. Working his
way forward he grasped the huge left
horn and threw his weight upon it, bal
ancing himself with his right leg over
the animals neck.
The brute thus influenced was an ex-
cellent illustration of the law of greatest
pressure and least resistance. His desire
for water impelled him to keep the road
to the ford, the tacks suggested tina he
go as quickly as possible; but the pressure
on his off horn was a detecting force which
insisted on his turning to the left so strenu-
ously that ne could not resist. Not two
rods from the turn to the ford the animal
wheeled up the bank, gained the top and
rushed ferociously for a clump of trees
near the river; he would rid himself of
his human tomentoT and then satisfy his
longing for water.
The soldier had barely time to drop on
the ground clear of the cart wheels when
the mad monster dashed between two stout
saplings scarcely separated enough to ad-
nit his horns. smashing the wheels and
body of the cart into fragments and drop
ping the pay box on the ground. Then he
rushed down the bank and swan directly
across the stream with his yoke clinging to
his shoulders.
ValerianO had not yet reached the oppo-
site side when the bull entered the water
The man had anticipated a cordial recep-
ton from the commander of the rihemen
but as he approached the teniente, who had
witnessed the smash-up on the opposite
shore, greeted him with a volley of Visayar
and Spanish oaths. concluding with the in.
Quiry as to why in hades and the names
of the holy saints he had not remained II
and driven the cart himself. To which
Valeriano replied meekly:
"AbsO casaquiti Precipitado mucho. NJ
Guiero." All grief! Very much speed. NJ
wish 10.
Then the arms of the forty were loaded
In carts containing truck of various kinds
efectually concealing the equipments, an,
the hombres in. working clothes moved OF
t by various routes to camp.
Ii was a number Of months afterward:
before another plot was laid for the paga
dor on that route. when the following let
ter was intercepted:
nth November, 1900.
, Mr.. Roman Ilagan:
My Dear Fellow have July receive,
your letter and am we'll informed of every
/ thing you say. BY order of the general
} tell you that we heard that the American
paymaster has left Capiz in order TO pa,
the troops, so you must do your best Il
prepare ambushes AND AXE all sorts o
measures TO fall upon him and grasp tn,
money. 1t Is very important to act in
cautious manner without making mucI
noise, but taking care not TO fail In on
? design, because you'know that we are YER
short of money. You will receive new IN
, stTuctions from the general about the cas-
I and will be helped by the detachment O
x
/, II repeat you the expression of my friend
ship and remain always your fellow.
"A. DECENA."
? "A true copy of translation OF original
the translation having been made by tn
official translator, Mr.. Rafael Rodriguez.
(. Z. ATC
= Captain Eighteenth United States Infan
try"
TIL American paymaster saw a copy fl
. Capiz a short time after ii was captured
bns For voaCNpu ofIor &b.D ~. -