Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-25
AWFUL STORY OF SUFFERING.
Lieut.. Williams Tells of Inflated Elk
petition in Samar.

Lieut.. Williams Of the Marine Corps who
was with Maj. Waller on his Inflated expe-
dtion through Samar gives the following
details of the trip in an interview in the
New York Times of today:
Maj. Waller was in command of $50 ma
rines." said he, lat Basay. on the west
coast of Sanar. CSC miles south Of Manila
There was another garrison at Lenang. on
the east coast. almost directly across tn.
island from Basay. hard to supply bocause
of the long and tedious Journey across th.
interior from Basay. BY order Of zen.
Smith, Mai. Waller set out to find a trail
that was said 10 exist. leading directly
across the island from Basay 10 LcnanG
Maj. Waller set out with Capts. ID. Il.
Porter and II. /. Bearss. myself Second
Lieut.. F. Halford. Second Lieut.. Lyles OF
the 18th Infantry, fifty-five marines and
about forty native carriers. many OF them
enlisted scouts in the United States uni
form. We followed the coast line almost
around the southern end of the island and
reached Lenang without serious mishap.
although II was a wonder that any of uS
managed to come out of il alive.
AS il was. ten Of the brave boys sue
cumbed during the terrible marcf. All this
time the natives were living well on various
roots and berries that they found, bur
which they never divided with us. Th-
men became so weak that they crawled
along upon the ground instead of walking.
ana You can get some idea of the condition
of the command when ] tell Won that II
took US seventeen days to make the dis
lance that We could make in two DAYS
when in good condition. Then the native
guides constantly harrassed i Gid not
dare attempt to discipline them. lest they
fall upon us and murder the whole party.
AT the end of sixteen days they had all
disappeared. / went 10 look for them ana
found a party lolling under a protecting
bush and plainly in ugly temper L
called To them to come out and cut fire
wood, the rain chilling. One OF
them leaped to his feet. / drew my re
volver. not TO shoot. but to awe him. He
dropped his bolo and grabbed my pistol
hand in his. He sank his teeth I'm my other
hand and then the others made for me. /
yelled for help. and my men, who were POO
feet away, came crawling to my assistance.
dragging their rifles behind them. It waS
during this interval that one Of the guides
stabbed me in the face and chest nine
times, one of the wounds being near the
heart. My life was saved by rib. The ma
tives fled TO the woods when they saw the
men with rifles crawling toward them.
Some of them came back later. as they
afterward confessed. to await the time
when We were utterly exhausted and UNI
able to raise hand, when they intended to
butcher all.
IF / could have gotten them all together
I would have butchered them all as mat
ter of sef-protection, but | was afraid my
men were too weak to carry the scheme
through.
when at last We were Unexpectedly res
cued by the relief party the natives who
were with tried TO make friends al once.
and drew from their haversacks berries and
tubas galore. but which they had kept
from us when wa were starving. l think
about three of the lot escaped execution
when we got back from the expedition. 1t
was left TO me as to whether they should
be taken back to the coast and L said TO
take them back.
"The trip brought out the splendid disci-
pline and self-denial of the American ma
rine. During all that horrible time there
was not man who did not render to me-
the utmost respect and obedience. And
when by chance one of them found bunch
of berries piece of edible pith he never
failed to bring it TO me for division. This.
when we were living a berry two
day, means a great deal"