The Washington herald., 1908-06-14
A TRIP THROUGH SAMAR
SOMETHING ABOUT ISLAND NOT
YET PACIFIED

and has opened a school giving free
instruction in English. natbematlcq
81. 70 any who care TO enroll them
selves.
Where Gandara is situated there once
stood a pretty little village which was
entirely wiped out by insurrectos. as the
natives were suspected Of being friend
ly to the Americanos. or at least were
observing neutrality. The ruins of
large church and one or two tumble
down stone dwellings are all that IA
left Of a once thriving town. just out
side the camp. rising 10 an altitude Of
some 200 feet, is a hill upon the summit
OF which is an enormous tree against
"nlch has been placed a ladder which
enables a sentry 20 post himself AT the
extreme top Of the tree and get a birds
eye view Of the country and river for
ullea and prevent a chance surprise:
thls Tree is also used for night signal
~ 70 bulao and other adjacent towns.
| we spent three hours here. and at II a.
m were on our way toward the mouth OF
the river 10 enable us to get over the
sand bar, which can only be crossed at
/ high tide. How longed for a camera TO
! photograph some Of the scenes-bere in
/ deed, was local color in abundance In
/ one baTote we passed was a gavI,-
] dressed party with guitars and instru-
hehts resembling mandolins. which the
/ plloJ informed US was a wedding trim
1 we waved our hands and the ladies
/ stood up and returned our salute bIt
alas. just at this moment the waves
'a"Sgl ny the propeller OF the launch
struck the barOte broadside and The
| boat Immediately turned turtle. the
/ bride and bridesmaids being forced TO
/ take an imprOmptu and undignifed hath
/ in full view Of a rather unsvmDatbetic
/ and hilarious audience. They were
! pulling themselves out on a mud bank
/ their handsome wedding raiment all he
I draggled and clinging 20 their shapelv
\ forms as we went around the next curve
| and were out Of sight. Another barote
/ right IN the center Of the stream CON
/ tanning father. mother and picka-
! ninny the latter about three years OF
\ age. was Capsized as we passed. and
we were quite agitated for fear that
/ the child could not swim. Our fears
proved grOundless. however, for he was
! the first OF the three 70 reach the shore.
/ The following morning. being well
/ nigh desperate, we appealed 10 the post
/ master, and az his suggestion three
pounds OF fresh beef was procured from
| the cOmmissary. while the hospital
/ steward AT Camp Bumpus donated sew
/ eral ounces Of strychnlne. The meat
was plentifully dOctored with the pow
/ der and that evening whenever three or
| four dogs would engage in an alterca-
! ton under our window a piece of meat
/ was dropped down in their midst and
/ was Immediately gobbled up where
i upon with impartiality we continued
dropping the small cubes until each one
had received his portion. At 1870 D. m.
i our house boy, answering 20 the classical
name of Alphonzo. walked up and down
! the street scattering the bits Of meat TO
right and left until the supply was ex-
/ hausted.
We had no sooner opened our window
the following morning than It was evi-
dent that something had transpired. I'M
mediately in front Of our gate were the
bodies Of four CANNES. their toes In the
/ air. while a stin and stark Iorm could be
/ seen here and there along the thorough
/ fare as far as the eye could reach. our
! boy took an inventory and reported that
he counted fifteen dead bodies. Truly our
/ efforts were not in vain. AS I went 10
! Office many were the black looks sent
.
/ deeas, signor." as heretofo-e-my popu-
/ larity is evidently waning. 7 have watch
/ ed with considerable interest several
/ raZOr-baCked hogs tackling the poisoned
meat but Il apparently has absolutely
no effect upon them.
At lunch time q weeping senorita calls
I upon us with three little puppies in her
] arms and informs US traCicaIly that vre
+ are the cause Of the death OF the moth
er. and that she now has the raising OF
/ the pups on her hands 7 remember this
/ particular shaggy little brute with
( staccaJO bark. and do not allow nv
grief 10 overcome me. but evidently
something had 10 be done to appease the
( Senorita and 10 provide for the orphans.
/ A few days previous I had been in
/ veigled into buying a lighting EamecOCk
! from a small boy who said that there was
/ no rice 20 feed his father and mother.
and that he had walked two miles to sell
/ me the rooster As the only accomplish
/ ment Of this bird seemed 10 be an euor-
/ nous appetite for rice and a lusty crow
/ ing voice az ( a. m, I presented him
| 10 the weeping madre with a peso for
! good measure. after having sworn her 10
! seCreCy-we do not intend 70 pay any
/ more damages. We may have instigat-
! ed another Pulajane outbreak, but a re-
/ form movement has certainly started all
/ over town; families are mourning for
| their quadrupeds who have suddenly
/ shuffled of this mortal coil, and the hos
/ pitaI sergeant with ghOulish Elee is serv-
/ ing Out dope 10 all who apply.
! Saturday we bade farewell 70 Col.
/ Brush, Maj. TaEEart. and the other Of
] fiCers OF the Twenty-fourth Infantry.
| watching the receding boats with envi-
/ Gus glances. Well our time will come
| The buildings we hope 10 see as We steam
/ into the bay at Frisco viii certainly
! look muy bueno. EDWIN s. GEE.