Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1902-06-13
;; A Visit h The
!; !; BQTTi0S 0I SOTOSQOD :
By a. Ralph EASTMAN.
CONTINUED
By a. ralph EASTMAN.

The next morning Mr.. Reed and my
self prepared 10 visit the barrie of Abu
yog about six miles distant, which could
be reached only 10y water Armed with
letter of Introduction from the presi-
dent 10 the lieutenant of that barrio, we
secured a large row boat from the cap
tain of the p IT, Mr.. Judd. and hired
four big natives 20 row Us across.
1t is not very often that we fully com
prehend the beauties Of this tropical eli
mate Today as we were pulled along
by eight brawuy arms we enjoyed an
hour and half of relaxation from the
cares of our work and took in our sur
roundinCs.
To the northwest and TO the southeast
rose high, almost incalculable noun
taihs, covered with dense growtls OF all
sorts Of tropical trees and vegetation
Above them and along their sides were
banks of clouds, looking almost like the
smoke from volcanoes Nearer we
could distinguish clustcrs OF cocoanut
trees, from fifty TO several hundred IN a
grove, and dotted along the shores were
the barrios of the pueblo Of Casigman
across the bay from SorsogOn. Some Of
the antique salboats with their single
~
some distance from US. and as We neared
the shores OF our destination we passed
near several Of the native row boats
made from a single LOG of tree, hollow
eG out with the adj III "A ski!ltul man
ner. some OF these were - feet and
others 10 feet long and feet wide with
room for fifty men. / was at the rud-
der and followed the directions of the
l..ff L.. L.
of the port The tide was going out as
we came near shore and AT half mile
out We were aground. No sign of
town appeared. We soon found that
we had missed the river bed up which
1t was necessary TO 20 at least mile.
The stroke ordered his men ont and
they pushed US along for some distance,
all the time looking at me as if 20 say,
1t is ali your fault, for / had told
them ! understood the rudder. We had
no difficulty after we got into the chan
mel in passing up the river. The banks
ranged from 40 70 IL feet apart and over
them hung low trees, and sometimes
they were covered with growths of the
nipa weed, about six or eight feet high.
Most of the Filipino houses are made
from bamboo poles, sided and rooted
with this weed
We saw several long legged birds and
many lizards summing themselves on the
banks, some of the latter being two and
three feet long. The natives told us
there were monkeys in the trees and
aligators in the water, but we saw none
of either.
About half way up the river we came
to branch which flowed through a
leper settlement not many miles away.
In the past 1t was the custom of these
lepers TO come TO Sorsogon every Fri
day, row up the river and receive the
aims of food and clothing dropped down
from the bridge above. Now this prac-
tice has ceased
We landed on the steep grassy bank
in neat, clean little town and went at
once To see the chief official. We gave
him our letter. He sent for the two ma
tive teachers whom We Interviewed and
after a short all round lit, our hospit-
able host served Reed, myself and mu-
chacho with large plate of rice, fresh
pork, eggs, fried bananas and drinking
water of excellent grade while our boat
men sat IN the kitchen on the floor and
showed the rice into their mouths with
their fingers. We were obliged to leave
Immediately after dinner in order to get
home before dark, and so we said good
bye at three O'Clock, with promise
from the teachers and teniente to be
present each Saturday in Sorosgon to
study English.
Owing TO the heavy rains we put off
visiting the one remaining distant bar
rio, Buhataux, until the last Saturday
of vacation. The roads were in terrible
condition but it was not raining, and
under the protest of the president and
Reed as TO the impossibility OF making
the trip, started on foot after dinner
Two of my trusty schoolboys accom-
panied me and directed the way for the
first two miles, where a carromata could
not have been used, and one could pick
their way more easily on foot than on
horseback.
At this point we came to the build
lngs and home of Cyrano, rich Fill.
pino. His buildings were of stone and
wood with iron roofs. lie has large
retinue OF servants and keep in trainings
a band which furnishes music at all
events Of iuportance in Sorosgon, and
entertain their benefactor between
times. He ALTO pays bright Filipino "a
good salaryt teach the youth Of Sipac,