The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-05-08

tuTe We crossed entirely by the sense o.
feeling. This continuance, like man!
others of its kind l have since crossed
was an exceedingly primitive affair, con
sisting of simple uprights and cross
pieces, with but two bamboo poles, eact
about five inches in diameter, laid length
ways for a floor. With their bare feet
and almost prehensile toes, the natives
cross these bridges easily, but an Ameri'
can with heavy shoes finds it difficult to
keep his footing on the round, smooth
poles, which are not fastened down and
have a tendency TO roll under the feet
There was a light hand-rail on the left,
and by Clinging to this we managed to
keep inching along" until we reached the
end of the poles, when we nearly walked
off into the gully. Had we not been
warned that something was wrong at that
point we should have done so, but by feel
Ing about we discovered that the hand,
rail was here shifted to the right side, and
that two other poles began here and ran
to the other end of the bridge. At last
We were on land again, and climbing a
steep bank, we reached the street in front
of the church and convent.
Investigation showed that the place was
occupied by a Filipino outpost of half q
dozen men and as many women and chill
dren, who welcomed US, and SAID we could
remain till morning. They We're then at
supper, and invited us to partake, but,
hungry as we were, we could not yet eat
Filipino style with any relish. The meal
consisted of rice boiled in an earthen
bowl, and another bowl full of a diminu-
tive fish, which are eaten raw. These fish
are so small that a dozen could be taken
up on tablespoon. The method of eating
them is to take a handful and stuff them
into the mouth.
Equally primitive is the manner of eat
ing rice. The native of the Philippines
gets right down TO nature when he eats.
He has no use for crockery nor utensils.
Usually the single dish of food is placed
on the floor and the diners squat around
It, each dipping his hand into the dish for
fist full of what it may contain.
At this place, however, the two bowls
rested on one of the convent tables, while
the only bench in the room was given up
to us as guests.
Rice is cooked very dry, not soft and
mushy as is the custom in America. The
Filipino puts his hand in the dish, works
1t around until he has gathered up good
handful between his thumb and first three
fingers, and then he stuffs it into his
month, odd kernels of rice falling upon
and through the floor, to become, as l
have said before, the prize of the chickens
that forage beneath the house. Working
her hand around in the dish and making
q motion as though to stuff its contents
into her mouth, the lady of the house
smiled sweetly and invitingly upon US and
asked:
"Quere comer?" at the same time filling
her mouth so full that for a minute both
voice and smile were Of necessity sus-
pended.
We smiled a declination for a time, but
repeated invitations, seconded by our hun
ger, finally induced us to try little of the
rice, which was not utterly unpalatable,
If we could only have had it to ourselves.
Capt. Heath, who is strong-willed
man who never lets his sensibilities de-
prive him of the necessities or the joys
Of life, even vcntured upon the fish, and
assured us they were pretty good" but
we took his assurances for our share and
let him have the fish for his. We made
shift to ask If any coffee could be had,
and were told possibly q little could he
bought outside. We gave them a half
dollar, and in a few minutes they came
back with about a dOuble-handful and
some change, which they insisted upon
giving back to us, and which we had to
receive TO prevent offending them.
The customs of hospitality are very
rigid in the Philippines, and are observed
by even the poorest. Wherever | have
been and under whatever circumstances,
i have always found the Filipinos eS>
t.emely courteous and hospitable. About
gallon of weak coffee was made in an
earthen jar and this we drank With
gusto.
AN UNCOMFORTABLE NIGHT.
Then we were shown into the next
room, where We're two dilapidated cane
bottom beds and settee.
One of these Heath took, the other one
fell to Teller and myself jointly, and
Prescott accommodated himself to the
sinuosities of the settee. We all Invested
ourselves of our wet clothing and wrung
Il out as dry as possible and hung it up,
~. IL. L.. L
able in the morning, and lay down in
state of nature, with no covering except
n thin patata for each bed, which served
Its purpose poorly enough when the in.
variable chill settled down toward morn
ing.
The musketOes missed a golden oppor-
tunity that night, but the storm had
driven them away from the shore and we
escaped their attentions.
With the first peep of day we were up,
and before we could get our partially
dried clothing on the sun was up also.
We discovered that our boatmen of the
night before had started back TO Paran-
aque without stopping TO get their pay, not
wanting TO 20 10 Cavite with ms, and il
took some time to make arrangements for
a canoe, but this was finally accomplished,
and we departed without any breakfast
thanking our hosts FOR their hospitality
and putting into the hands Of the chill
fused TO take.
When we came to the bamboo bridge
we had crossed in the dark the night be-
fore we were both astonished and ap-
palled. We found greater difficulty in. get
ting over it in daylight than we had when
we could not see its nature and its inn
incnt danger Of precpitating us into the
gulch
WE ARE put UNDER ARREST.
We reached camp just as guard mount
sounded, and reported verbally to Col
Summers ! was notified that ii was my
tour Of duty officer of the Day, and
FASTENED to quarters TO dress for service
when / was again notified that need not
hurry, as Gen. Anderson had sent word
10 put us all under arrest for being alb
sent from camp beyond the period of our
leave.
1t seems that when we failed TO return
Sunday night or Monday morning, there
was considerable alarm lest we had been
captured by the Spaniards, or the Filipinos
had proved treacherous.
Gen. Anderson had made inquiry of
Aguinaldo, who had assured him we were
with perfectly safe officer, and were un,
doubtcdly all right. 1t seems that Arevalo
had not asked permission to 20 10 Pasie,
and his chief did not know where we had
gone. This uncertainty, coupled with a
report that came TO camp that we were
at Bakur having a good time, made it
seem that we were deliberately STAYING
away.
A correspondent of the New York Sun,