The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-06-12
Letter from the Philippines.
ILIGAN, MINDANAo, p.

ILIGAN, MINDANAO, p. l.,
April q, 1903.
FRIEND LEwIS:-As this part of our
| island dominion is attracting a good
bit of attention just now, perhaps a
| few lines would not be without inter-
est to your readers, especially to
those who may be intending to take
up homesteads out here as soon as we
get our little brown brothers. recon-
ciled to our presence.
| Iligan is a little town, about as big
| as kinsley. 1t is on the north shore
of the eastern peninsula of Mindanao.
and was the base of operations during
Spanish times against the regions of
| Lake Malanao, the forbidden land of
the Nj orros
The Spauiards had succeeded in
putting u trail through to the lake
and had transported two little gum
boats in sections over the mountains
and set them up on the lake. But they
were never able to hold more than the
trail, and even that cost then 1000
men in the five years they were build
ing.
Every few miles along the trail can
be seen the old forts where the Span
iards huddled from the Moro bo-
rangs.
Two regiments of soldiers are at
work here now and have the road
| completed out to this point, eighteen
miles from town. At this point, Pom
tar, we have to cross the Agnes river.
| the outlet of the lake. 1t Is d narrow
stream, but one of the swiftest in the
islands. 1t is about % miles long
| and has fall of HOO feet. 1t is a
long series of rapids and falls, the
| highest fall being l60 feet
With no exception, this is the best
| and richest part of the island that
have seen. Part of the country is
| timbered with hard wood and trees
almost as large as the famed giants
of California. The woods altern ate
with open parks which are clear ex-
cept for high, coarse grass, eight
| feet high. With this burned Off the
soil is as rich as any Missouri bot
tom land. Hemp, potatoes aud to-
bacco grow with practically no cult
| vation.
This is sportsman's paradise
The woods swarm with deer, wild
hogs and wild chickens. Monkey
| and parrots are numerous as flies,
| and snakes so large that l dare not
risk my well-earned reputation for
| veracity by saying how large9
But the wild boar is the king of
them all. He is not the razor back of
the states. but the original j mia bitant
here The Moro does not hunt him,
because he doesn't eat pork, and be-
sides he doesn't care TO try conclu-
sfoDs with the wild boar with only the
borang. ] got one yesterday with a
Colts 80. He had only one tusk
The other he had probably lost in
some tight for supremacy. The re-
naming tusk measures eight inches
from root TO tip. One Of the boys has
n pair that measures 81 inches.
We expect 60 cross the river in a
week or two aud 90 in camp at the
lake. That ia six miles from here and
is a beautiful body of water. It is Is
by so miles. and is HOO feet above
sea. II iR fed by springs, and the
water is ~ cold 10 ice. The weather
here is cool. I sleep under two wooden
blankets and am none too warm at
that
The Morros arc quiet, but sullen.
and plainly don't crave our .ociety.
They have put up . pretty stif argu-
mont on tho other side Of the lake, AZ
Camp Wears. Thsy arc not 90 bright
as the Jolo Aorros. However. they