The Newtown bee., 1902-02-21
Ten Pages.
COUNTY
WASHINGTON.
900
4O25
TIDINGs FROM LIEUT. FOIILOIS.


as member of a general court mar
tial and that kept me busy. Gen
Davis, our department commander,
was here yesterday and Maj Smith
came with him to pay the troops. In
my last letter I spoke about playing
ball with a team from the "New
York" Well, the next day, Wednes-
day, the launch from the "New York"
came up and took the baseball team
to Parang-Parang, the only town near
here that has enough level ground on
which to play. We left here in the
and had lunch abroad the
New York." then started for Parang-
Parang in the afternoon. 1t had been
raining all morning and did not look
very promising in the afternoon but
we finally decided to play. Chaplain
Chadwick umpired the game and he
knew his business. The first baseman
on the army team was taken sick
shortly before the game began SO l
played and helped our boys out. 1t
started to rain soon after the game
commenced and kept it up nearly all
through the game. The "New York"
team was too strong for us however
and beat us nine to two. That even
ing stayed aboard the "New York"
with some of the naval officers. The
next morning returned to Parang-
Parang and we expected to return to
Cottabato by launch that.afternoon,
but in the meantime the storm had
raised a terrible sea, so it was impos-
sible for such a small boat as our
launch to go out in it. That same
evening the "New York" left for the
Northern Islands. 1t was absolutely
necessary that we should be in Catta-
bato the next night as Gen Davis was
to be there, so the next morning as the
sea was worse than ever two Of the
other officers and myself with Is men
started for Cottabato overland. l
can assure you if we had known what
we had to go through we would not
have undertaken it. The country we
passed through was all jungle and
swamps and owing to the heavy rains
it was nearly all under water. For six
straight miles we tramped through
swamps in water up to our waists.
After we got out of this we struck in
to the jungle grass. The grass was
anywhere from 10 to Is feet high and
if the sun had been shining we would
have been overcome with the heat, as
it was impossible for breeze to pene-
trate it. But it rained nearly all day
so we managed to keep cool, although
the mosquitoes worried us at times.
During all this trip we had to cross
four rivers bv swimming and also a
number of small streams through
which we waded. When we had ar
rived within three miles of Cottabato
we had to cross one river 25 feet wide
and the current was running about six
miles an hour. The experience that
several of us passed through in getting
across will be remembered for some
time to come. All got across safely
with the exception of two men of my
company. They would probably have
crossed all right but the current in the
stream was so swift that they became
frightened and lost their nerve, con-
SeQuently they we're drawn under by
the undertow. Twas standing on the
bank when one of the men went I'M
der, so jumped in after him, while
another man of my company jumped
in after the other one. l managed to
catch my man by the back of his col
lar, and started to work toward the
shore but it was the hardest job ever
tackled. don't think would have
reached the shore had it not been for
a rope thrown me by one of the men
on the bank which l just managed to
catch. 1t took me ten minutes to get
all the river water out of my stomach
after we were. hauled out on to the
bank. The man whom | jumped in
after was unconscious but after work.
ing over him for while he came out
all right. The other two men came
off better than we did as they were
nearer shore and did not have SO fal
to swim. Although none of us ha(
much life left in us, after we had ;
good rest we started out again and ar
rived at Cottabato just in time TO-
supper and it did not take me long tt
get into bed after supper. We hat
some pretty good news to-day. Gu
regimental commander, Capt Rich
man, telegraphed us that he had reli
able information that the regiment i
to be ordered home in month or two
SO you can expect to see us in tn
United States next spring or earl
SUMMER Ben.
: GUNNERY NOTES.
: The Eta Phi society of the Gunner,
:: school will give four act play ent
c tied "Uncle Rube," next Saturda
{ night, February %, in the hall on tn
g Green. The following is the Cas-
c Of characters: A.
:. Uncle Rube,'' V. H. McCutcheO
G Deacon Smailey. &. Is. Finley. j
e Mark, his son, Chaplin Brinsmat
Gordon Gray, young artist,
Hamilton Gibst
. EUpson Asterbilt, dude, Mark V. One
= Ike, the hired man, II. P. Spenc
Bub Green a rustic, S. ID. FrisSe
Bell Tappan, constable, IL. ii. Clarl
Milicent Lee, pretty school ma'am,
Miss Brinsmat
Mrs Maria Bum, a charming widow,
J. Welder GoOdw
r Tags waif from New York. Miss Hartwe
- Tickets may be bought at Churc
Ford & Co. S Orat the door on eve
ing of play. Reserved seats 75c al
SOC. Admission Including seats -
The Gunnery Athletic Associate