The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1902-02-07
The NewtOWn Bee
600
1000
LITCHFIELD COUNTY
WASHINGTON.

L received your letter of September
3 on October u, but this in the first
chance | have had to answer it. For
the past two or three mails have been
getting all my papers that have been
travelling around Cebu. Although
they arrived late they were very ac-
ceptable. For the past two or three
weeks after office hours, Van Horn,
one Of the officers here, and myself
have been having great deal OF fun
in our canoe. A few days ago we went
up the river about mile and were
swamped four times before we got
back, but as both OF us couldsswim we
did not mind it. The next day when
the water was not quite so rough we
went up again and saw an alligator
We decided after we saw him that
hereafter we would take our rides
when the water was smooth. This
alligator was about 10 feet long and
would have made short work OF us ii
we had run into him. / am kept aw-
fully busy now with my Internal Rev.
enue work, besides collecting taxes on
forestry products. have started in
collecting taxes on houses and indus
tries. There is not one man in hun
dred here that can show a clear title
TO the property on which he lives.
For a long time after the Spaniards
left this island, the Dattos, or head
men, had possession Of all the towns,
this one Included. Datto Piang, a
half-caste Chinese, drove the Spanish
out of this town and with his follow
ers kept possession of this town until
The Americans came. He saw he
could do nothing against the Ameri-
cans SO he Withdrew. The original
,wners of most of the property were
nearly all killed, when the Spanish
we're driven out and Piang divided
heir property among a lot OF his fol-
lowers, mostly Chinese. These Chinese
are naturally sharp and crafty and
nave tried every possible way to evade
paying their taxes. But as l have
)een ordered to collect them by the
department commander, they simply
can't help themselves, but have IT,
Jay them. None of them have very
much love for the officers of the 18th.
because we have never overlooked
natives. l know they are not very
Ger Of them trying to smuggle gutta
percha. Undoubtedly the Chinese
would try to stir up war if they
dared, but they know they would be
the first to 60 under and as for the
| MorOs, although they have the reputa
5ion of being savage fighters, they are
afraid of the American rifles. There
are great many savage tribes back in
| the mountains who have never seen 4
white man. Yet they never would be
IDLE to do any harm, as they have nc
guns. There is tribe of these paganS
lbont so miles from here occupying
the mountains. They are not war
like and every little while the Moros
make raids and take them as saves
1t is Moro's nature to steal any thing
Two Dattos in the guard house now
for kidnapping several natives. They
will probably get years con tinement
| [ had a little experience with MOrOs ;
few days ago. was up the river il
ny canoe with one of the soldiers il
,ur company. We landed near a littl
Moro village to get some water. A
we started to return to the canoe 81!
MorOs came running toward us, armed
With ugly looking bOlOS, so l though
the best thing to do was to get bacI
into the canoe. We showed off an
waited In mid stream to see what the
would do. They ran down to the edg
II the river and stood there wavin}
their bolos and reckoning us to come
back. They acted as if they wante
to fight, so pulled out my revolve
and fired over their heads. They di
not like the whistle of that bullet
Judging from the way they got out o
sight. When we returned I reported
the affair to my commander and de
tachment was sent with me to inveSti
gate the village. We could not find
single person when we arrived ther
so returned to town. Well, we go
our tennis court finished yesterda
and will soon be able to play. Jus
imagine us playing tennis at Christ
mas time, as this will probably reacl
you at that time. / wish you all
Merry Christmas.-[Ben.'