Evening star., 1902-01-04
ISLAND OF NEGRos
Building q Military Road and Tele-
graph Line in the Philippines.
IN FORESTS AND OVER MOUNTAINS
The First White Travellers to Make
the Journey.
AN OFFICERS EXPERIENCE

Lieut.. Alfred T. Clifton. United States Sig
nal Corps. who has just returned to his home
in this city, after three years absence in
the Philippines. related the following inter-
esting narrative to an Evening Star re-
porter. which is only one of the many un-
usual experiences he encountered while in
the far east.
"On one occasion by order OF General
Hughes, commanding the department of
Visayas, I was sent to find a new route
for military road and telegraph line
across the Island Of Negros. The line was
to extend from the town of Ysabela on the
western province Of the Island Of Guijula-
gan, on the east coast, a distance Of about
twenty-five miles in a direct line. / was
signal officer of the Sd District Corps at the
time, and hence the work was assigned to
me-
II realized" he continued, that the un-
dertaking was most important and fraught
with many dangers as the country through
which / had to travel was in a measure
unexplbred and wild and mountainous in
the extreme. So accompanied by an escort
consisting of guard Of thirty infantrymen
under command Of Lieut.. Peyton Of the
10th Infantry and ten signal corps men, 1
started out. We had with us a pack train
of twenty carabous, or water buffalo, and
five bulls, or better known in that country
with ten days provisions.
Two native guides accompanied u.s. They
were tobacco traders and were selected be-
cause of their intuitive and general knowl-
edge of the route and trails leading to our
destination. We left camp early one Sun
day afternoon and halted about six miles
away at burnt sugar mill to camp for the
night as 1t was in the latter part of the
rainy season and we feared to continue the
march on account of the heavy dew. We
cooked hasty but frugal meal and turned
ing. We started out about 4 o'clock the
next morning, so as to be able to make as
great distance as possible before the heat
of the day.
In Impenetrabfe Forests.
about five miles out from the sugar mill.
which was situated on plain, we ran into
the foothills of range of mountains. After
crossing a mountain stream we began to
strike the rough country and our march
was one continual climb alongside of
mountains or over their crests. The guides
informed us that we would soon enter
dense forest, and strongly advised that We
should camp for dinner.
About II clock, after rough, hard hot
climb, we came to another mountain stream
that ran over bed Of formed limestone,
the basin was cup shaped and the water was
as clear as crystal. Our trail ran along
side a precipice about forty feet deep, and
below 1t lay the stream, shimmering and
glistening in the sunlight.
THE trail, however, was very slippery, so
much so in fact that one of our pack ami
mails lost his footing, rolled over the preci-
pice and fell into the bottom of the
stream. We hastily sent two men down the
gully to try and rescue him, which they
succeeded in doing. They found, after re-
moving the pack, that the animal was un-
injured. The poor beast had fallen on his
back, and the pack which was attached to
that part of his anatomy had broken the
force Of the fall, and thereby saved his
life. -
"Our trip through the forest 1 mentioned
nights we were ensconced in its depths
The foliage was so thick and luxuriant
that the sun rarely IL ever penetrated it.
THE first night we cleared a space along
the trail and camped in the woods About
midnight l was awakened by what /
thought was heavy fall of rain. When
looked about, however. I discovered that
the moon was shining brightly, and what
I supposed to be rain was caused by the
very heavy dew falling from the leaves OF
the trees.
I'VE finally found our way out of the
forest after a most difficult march over
fallen trees that blocked our path, many OF
them over ten feet in diameter.
Our trail after this led up another
mountain stream, the sides of which were
very precipitous and heavily wooded with
palm trees or bushes, and species of
foliage that grows only four feet high the
leaves of which are covered with claw
shaped 'stickers,' dangerous alike to both
flesh and clothing.
Through n Beautiful Country.
"After emerging from the forest one OF
the most beautiful views I have ever seen
met our gaze. Spread out before as in
panoramic effect was range upon range OF
| high hills. and back of them far in the
distance rose the mountains. Our path
was covered with 'cogan.' Spanish name
for a species Of grass, only to be found in
that country, that sometimes grows from
ten to fifteen feet high. On the second day
after We emerged from the forest we came
suddenly upon settlement or hut Of Mon
tesses,' or mountain people, who had no.
ticed our approach and ran away. We
searched the hut and found several spears
| and guns. such guns as are used by the
Malays and natives Of India. We did not
disturb anything we found in the house,
however, as our orders were not to modest
their belongings, unless we were forced to
defend ourselves from attack The coun-
try through which we passed was the most
| beautiful and diversified l ever witnessed.
1t was situated in the heart of the noun
| tains, with great towering peaks on all
sides looming up in the distance.
| ''It is ideal for grazing purposes and some
| of the natives have cleared off the under
and 'Camatoes,' Spanish name for sweet
| potato. We were not able to get near the
people, as they fed at our approach. The
| houses of the natives are almost entirely
constructed Of bamboo and are as a rule
| of the same style and class of architecture
as the habitations found on the coast, and
| are thatched with grass.
Curious Contents of the Houses.
I'VE came across peculiar musical In
| strumuent in nearly all Of the houses. It
was a kind Of guitar eighteen inches in
-length and six inches wide, made of a sin
gle piece Of wood. The strings of this
strange device are made Of coarse hemp
| fiber. Nearly all Of the houses have looms,
used for the manufacture of cloth, We
also found stone grinding mills similar in
many respects to those used by the noun
| taineers in east Tennessee. Nearly all of
| the houses have supply house In the rear
containing good supply Of corn and some
punches Of tobacco. which the natives hang
| up to dry.
| Over Mountains to the Coast.
After leaving the settlement we canned
| on the shoal of the mountains, the last
! ridge we supposed we would have to cross
before reaching our destination-the sea.
was aroused at night by what sounded to
| be the distant ringing of church bells. We
afterward learned that the natives used