The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-12-16
Henry Townsend, Formerly a Local
Educator, Tells OF Life
in Samar.
A Glimpse of the Vicisstudes Which Are Met
by American Teachers Who Went Out
to Hustle the East.

The theory that true general notions
are acquired only through the individ-
ual, will have to serve to justify this
presentation of matters too personal
otherwise to be of general interest.
They are here presented as samples of
the conditions under which Americans
live and labor in the dreadfully misun-
derstood island of Samar. And be it
said by way of introduction that this
island. having an area a little less than
the combined area of the Hawaiian
Islands, has population a little over
quarter of a million and is capable of
supporting ten times its present num-
bers Being the last of the Philippine
Islands to be '9pacihed," 1t has not yet.
fully recovered from the fearful ordeal
through which it passed in nineteen
hundred and one and two, though its
powers of recuperation are to me a
standing wonder.
Learning few days In advance that
on the 2sth of October the payrnaster
of the Philippines Constabulary was
going to start across the island on
pay trip. Of course taking an ample
guard with him, and, having official
business in connection with the educa-
tional work in the localities to be vis-
tied, the writer decided to accompany
the party and enjoy its protection.
Starting from Catbalogan, the capi-
tai of the province and island, situated
near the middle of the west coast. we
took native dug-outs at five in the aft
ernoon to go to Paranas, town some
twelve miles down the coast. The boat
in which I embarked had not gone be-
yond wading depth when it careened,
filled with water and sent me ashore
with wet feet, minus a small amount
of natural dignity. Nine days later my
shoes got thoroughly dry again.
Paranas we reached at eleven that
night. This was once the second town
in size and Importance on this island,
but its glory has departed. Utterly
destroyed and burned UP in time Of the
war, it has not yet recovered its pres
tige and may never do 50. It is now
cluster of poor thatch houses, with a
population little If any, more than
three thousand. Financially the 'mu-
nicipality" of Paranas, including the
country for some miles around, is not
badly off as Philippine municipalities
go. It supports local government, in
Guiding two schools. one for boys and
one for girls AS these We're in :vaca-
tion owing to the rice harvest, my
business was wholly with the ''presi-
dente.'' or mayor. who according to the
custom of the country, and in spite of
the enactments of the Commission, is
an autocrat almost absolute in local
affairs. And do not imagine that this
applies only to the ''presidente" of
Paranas, or that I wish to condemn
this fact. Neither of such assumptions
would be in accordance with the fact.
AS the party was to pass on at four
in the morning I transacted my busl-
ness with the presidente at once. He
is said to feel somewhat unfriendly to-
ward Americans, but of this I saw no
indications. He talked business per-
fectly cheerfully though called out OF
bed to join in this midnight conference.
A HUNGRY TRIP.
Somewhat belated by the unexpect-
ed, which happens in the Orient with
a certainty little understood in the
Occident, we set out at half past five
on foot for Loquilocan, having taken
only cup of coffee before the start
was made. AS was not brought up
to breakfast on a sip from honey
suckle and in this respect have not
changed my early habits, this proved
rather trying. The trail was noun
famous. rocky, muddy and slippery.
first in turns and then all at once.
We did not get our feet wet on this
trip, for the simple reason that they
were already as wet as water would
make them. We got muddy, but the
friendly rain and the swollen noun
tain streams did much to help us out