The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-05-01

them eschew Filipino pork; yet l have
seen soldiers munching bacon and hard
tack look with not little envy at Chin
csc bull drivers nndi cargadores gorginG
themselves on freshroasted pork So
much for the gruutingt and squealing scav-
enger of the Philippines.
The sweeping of the floor was done
with the native grass broom. This IS {.
shOrt-handled affair, the handle being
made by binding together the long stems
of the reed, or grass sof which the broom
part is composed. THE broom portion is
about 10 inches long and is given a
spread by twist in the handle at its
base and is very soft and silky. 1t would
be useless on carpet but on the highly
polished floor of bamboo strips, or the
still more highly-polished oiled floor of
hard wood in the better class of houses,
it is eStellently adapted to the purpose.
Sweeping is not difficult nor a-wearying
task with one Of these feather-duster-like
implements. l brought Il dozen of them
home with me, and my lady friends prize
them more than any other native curio.
since they are very odd and make a
graceful decoration on the wall.
Having swept the floor and spread out
the mats, and having put on each mat a
sort of pillow for the head and another
to use as a Dutch wife" to sprawl over,
and thus allow a free circulation of air
around the body as a means of keeping
cool, the women OF the nDuScnOlu us
appeared, and we were invited to retire
by ArevalO, who, already in his shirt
sleeves and barefOOted, was dressed for
bed. He pumped down upon one of the
patatas and motioned to the others for
us to follow his example.
We made Il similar toilet to his, and law
down. Then | investigated my two pill
lows. They were about three feet long,
eight inches WIDE covered with n cheap
Turkey red cotton cloth and stuffed with
the fiber Of the cotton tree. This is tree
that resembles n little our cottonwood
tree, and bears large bolls of cotton. This
material is used for such purposes as that
just described but is not woven into
cloth
With one of these for n pillow and the
other to keep nay limbs off the floor. and
with n free circulation of air through the
Sits in the floor, | was fairly comfortable,
notwithstanding a bed of bamboo strips
is not rs soft to the bones as the ground.
Toward morning it became chilly, and
then | found a patata mat far from per-
forming the duty of Il comforter or n
blanket.
THE PHILIPPINE MUsKETOs.
But the musketos made it warm for
me in their own vigorous way. Being on
low ground, and right on the bank of the
river this was regular breeding ground
for that little pest, who works both night
ana uay, ana KNOWS nOILlnS ABOUT LHe
eight-hOur law.
The Philippine musketo is much smaller
than the ordinary one of the United
States, but he makes up in yici0usness
what he lacks in size. He is fearless and
enterprising, and Il persistent singer. 1t
does no good To make false motions at
him, for he will not heed them. If he is
singing about the ear wave Of the hand
past the ear does not disturb him; he
lodges il and remains right there. The
only way to get MD of him is to kill
him.
The Spaniards and FilipinOs pay no at
ltention to him, having been bitten INTO
immunity; but year was not long enough
for Inc TO become recOnciled to his pres
ence. The Quartermaster' Department
issued head-nets for the men, Il sort of
"cnntraptiOn" of muskcto-nettinG on a
round hoop. and resembling bug
sharp's" butterfly net, without the handle.
The officers most all provided themselves
with about four yards Of mus6eto bar,
which they hung OVera canopy Of bamboo
hoops erected over their cots when in
quarters, or drew over themselves when
i'll the field. The cots used were woven
with cane on the bottom, just like the bot
tom of a cane rocking-chair. This con-
tributed to GOODNESS of the bed. but also
to the access of nIilsketos to the person,
for if the bar did not come clear down
to the floor all around the bed they would
get beneath it and come up through the
holes in the bottom. One officer became
so angry at the little pests for getting in
side his canopy in this way that he got
up in the middle of the night and under
took to drive them out by burning a
newspaper, with the result that he set
his canopy on fire and almost had the
guard turned ont with an alarm. and with
the further result that he put in most of
the remainder of the night swearing at
both himself and the muskctOS with com
mendablc impartiality.
If the Government desires to expert
mcnt with the theory that musketos are
responsible for the conveyance Of malaria,
there is a good chance to do so in Ma
Mia. This disease constitutes one Of the
most serious the army has to contend with
and adds enormously to the hospital re-
ports. My own experience was that while
in Manila there was a great deal of sick
ness in our regiment from malaria. but
very little while out on campaign. Con
currently we are annoyed to death with
mUsketos in Manila and suffered very lit
tie outside. Because Of the low, swampy
ground in the city and vicinity. and he
cause of the mOat running around tho
wall, and all grown up with grass, these
pests breed by the millions there. Let
the Government take measures to destroy
the musketos and prevent them from
breeding. and the cases of malaria in the
hospitals will fall off to n minimum
provided the musketO theory of its dis
tributiOn is correct. Some of the vas
sums expended upon hospitals, invalidin.
soldiers home, sending out new ones t.
take their places, and paying pension,
might well be devoted to a practical effor
to prevent malaria by destroying the mus
fetOS, with the final result of saving mucl
money and many valuable lives.
/ was awakened the next morning by
discussion going on between the pigs ant