The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-02-26
HIKING THROUGH SAMAh
Hardships Of American Soldiers
Fighting Filipinos.
MARCHING IN ENDLESS RAINS

Member of Column Commanded by
Captain jackson Tells of wsdinu
Swollen Rivers, Fighting Leeches
and Dodging Mnntraps-InRenious
Log Trap SnfeIy Avoided.
The expedition just returned com
prised about $50 men moving in eigh,
columns. all under command of Cap
tain Jackson. First infantry, who com
manded the main column. writes tia,
Mauo (Samar) correspondent of tn,
Manila American under the date oi
Nov. 80. The hike performed by this
column Is deserving OF mention as prob
ably the longest ever made by Amer
lean troops in Samar. The men wer,
absent from their station about eight
cen days aud covered nearly 100 miles
On the tenth day out over two-thlrdi
OF the men were unable TO proceed OF
account of exhaustion aud sore feet
and two days rest was taken In camp.
The columns were ordered TO con
verge toward Mount Puros, water
shed about thirty miles from the west
and fifty miles from the north coast OF
Samar. simultaneously with this move
troops were ordered to make demon.
stration all over Samar in order 10
prevent the enemy fleeing 10 the south
and east. The expedition Cleaned up
so TO speak. an approximate total OF
90 Insurgents killed. 20 prisoners taken,
4 rebel strongholds and 20 barrios de.
stroyed. 500 sacks OF rice and so cara,
bao captured.
The column from Mauo. under Cap.
tain Jackson, had for its sole purpose
the capture OF LukhHn. II consisted OF
twenty IlOcano scouts and fifteen men
OF Company l.. First infantry.
The little column left Mauo at :
o'clock on the morning Of Nov. 10 in n
pouring rain. II may be added that
from that time on 10 Nov %, eight
days, dry feet and dry clothing were
unknown. After three hours march
Ing toward the interior, half of which
was through ricehclds in deep mud.
the Catipunan river was reached. which
at this place was very deep and swift.
The river was split in three channels
by two rocks. IL was found necessary
TO bridge the first channel. which was
done by fastening one end OF n log 10
the shore. the other 10 the rock. 4
rope of bojuck. strong vine, was
stretched as hand rail. and on this
log, submerged several inches by the
force Of the current. the channel was
crossed. The other two channels were
only breast deep and were forded, the
big fellows helping the little ones.
The hike was resumed early the next
morning, and on this day | had
chance TO see what hiking In Samar
was like. On this day also | had my
first experience with the gentle and
seductive Samar lepch. When we were
not wading In the beds of mountain
brooks. we were climbing the sides OF
mountains or else doundering I'm mo.
rasses. Hin succeeded hill in endless
succession, and not until night, when
we made camp at the foot of beauti-
full waterfall. were the limits OF our
vision extended TO more than fifty
out this as the previous day there was
no sight OF any human habitation.
During the day we covered less than a
mile an hour, the men being obliged to
join hands and pull one another over
the steep p aces.
On the ne, day, Nov. II. the leeches
made their appearance in force. These
ApIN ha
tain slopes, never I'm the valleys. They
are about an inch and quarter in
length. OF the thickness OF knitting
needle, and when they walk they hump
themselves. They reach the soldiers
from the grass and bamboo bushes
and quickly enter leggings and shoes
through the laceholes and fasten them.
ankles. They absorb blood until about
the size OF q mans finger, when they
loosen their hold and drop off. leaving
an open wound which bleeds for hours.
| have seen a soldier pick as many az
thirty OF these Off his legs and ankles
at night, and, as each puncture leaves
a small bleeding wound, the loss of
bib'h - Sulh'Nlults lullt stTlous. ne
natives, being barelegged. acquire
more leeches than the American sol.
diers, but, for the same reason, see
them sooner and pick them off before
serious damage has been done.
In addition to the pest OF leeches, we
now began TO find many mantraps-
pits dug In the earth, with poisoned
spear points pointing upward. and the
whole covered over with leaves. There
were also spring guns set so that when
the trigger was released javelln
would be discharged. taking effect in
the abdomen Of the victim. Many OF
the men fell into the spear pits. but !
none was seriously hurt. In crossing
one small mountain we came upon a
most ingenious log trap. The road
was cut narrow and clean. a preclpice
on one side aud steep bank on the |
other. Half way ND the mountain |