Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-03

offer me? 1 would like something a
little easier" But the night passed as
all nights do, only this was about three
times as long as the usual breed, some
thing like an Arctic night in length it
seemed to me. Early we were off
again in the rain for the mountains.
We rode our ponies a number of miles
till the ground got too rough for them
and then we mounted cariboaS, huge
urwieldy beasts, about as sure footed
as goat, then we went up and then
down, but mostly up. Once however |
went down in good earnest / was go
ing down d little place where it was
so steep that 1 had to hang onto the
bCffalO's tail to keep from sliding for
ward over the pOmmel of my saddle.
All at once something broke. l don't
know just what did happen except that
| suddenly found myself on the ground
rolling and tumbling down the hill
with the caribou kicking up the dust
as he disappeared in the distance.
picked myself up, found / was just as
good as new, and then | started after
the cariboa picking up pieces of my
outfit as | proceeded. l soon came up
with him, and in a short time we had
my saddle patched up again.
About the time of my accident with the
saddle we passed Il peculiar barrio /
wish | could reproduce it for the readers
perhaps Il hundred feet or more in the
air and the people got to their homes by
ladders. Evidently the inhabitants We're
not very much used to seeing viii e men
for the roofs of the houses were covered
Tith People WHO wanted t. get Il sight
Of us. KS we went on we saw few pooplt
but the few we saw were probably
ladroncS or members of ladronc barriOS
as indeed WAS the barrio we were to visit.
These people We're rather inclined to be
Surly, for the country was very broken
and driven back column OF American
troops, and evidently they thought them
selves of some Importance on this ac-
count.
From this point our ascent was rather
steady, and i'll Il short time We began to
catch some magnificent views. Far awa%
To the southwest stretched away the
the ocean. 10 the south was a. winding
river at our feet: little further on, Il
lofty Cliff sheer up and down for
hundreds "f tcot; I" the west the blue
mountains stretched Away till their peak
were lost in the distance; Ia the nurt!
across ii gardcn-likc valley WAS one OF
the highest mountains on the island. sur
mounted by Il huge boulder, while down
its side flowed SlVcry stream of water
which about half way down made oH"
awful leap of perhaps POO feet, casting
lIp its spray on the lodges below. " hc
ahead of Ia the east stretched away that
never ending trail. Riding. walking.
clinging to the tail of the patient. slow
moving ,arboa We at last gained the top
of the mountain and going down through
a little valley came to CabuSao. the object
Of our ride.
Here we found the people very little in
cincd to be hospitable. but we stated the
object of our approach. ana with our
rifles in hand and revolver holsters UNI
Inn tnu,J In To the house OF inc
.'tcnicntc" or head man and ordered dIn-
ncr We did not like the looks or actit II ;
of the natives, many OF whom came anu
pccrcd at us from around the corner, COR
this was the first sight of white men Tor
many of them. White men had been
there once before, they told us, but as
they were soldiers very few OF the people
waited for them. The policeman who had
come with us from lgbaras was diStinr.-
~ worried as time went by and the cattle
which we had sent out for did not APP
near. and at last he asked Huhnstock If
we had got to stay there all night HUM
stock talked with me and we agreed mat
it was best to go If the cattle came 50 we
could but otherwise we should stay nii
morning In the meantime dinner Wa
served Perhaps the menu might interest
the good housewives of the old Pine IRE.
State There were bougas, manook, ana
tubig which interpreted means that we
had rice chicken and water, ana we dli
good justice TO it too. Soon aiter catihS
the cattle came in. were quickly bought
most excellent time getting into Igbaras
about o'clock in the evening after a
| three hour march over the IL miles of RAJ
road ] took charge Of the hompreS with
| the cattle for the first few miles walking
behind them till we were OIL the man
mountains. and the way l kept them
going was evidently surprise to them.
| for every stop they attempted was in
| terrlpted by my sharp "panau' Quickly.
That night we passed in the convent ;
at Igbaras. setting out again the next
morning which was bright and warm ior
| the afternoon with the cattle, after a
| 7e-mile trip. having fordcd rivers 30 times
and going Is miles into what is perhaps one
| of the toughest places on this island.
| Rut while the trip was by no means an
easy one it was well worth the cfiorf,
and | felt well repaid for my sore
! muscles. and indeed the ride was no,
| nearly rs hard on me as had expected
| II woi,ld he +. ID. SAWYER.