Evening star., 1941-12-26
Newsman Dodges
Bullets and laps on
Trip Back 10 Manila
Reporter q Mass Of Mud
After 4-Doy Excursion
In Lineoyen Area
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
story. and he had one-a yarn OF
personal experiences to top that OF
any newspaperman in the Philip
pines in this war.
Japanese bombs were constant
overtone in hs recital. Dozens OF
times Mr.. Lee and two friends had
to abandon their car in the middle
of the road near the battlefront
and dive for cover on the way out.
On their way back to Manila, the
party reached the mountains just
as a japanese column began march
ing up the back mountain roads
Through the darkness Mr.. Lee and
his companions followed winding
road leading down the other side
Of the mountain to the Manila high
way.
In Middle of Fight.
They almost had reached the bot
tom. in narrow canyon, when
suddenly they found themselves IN
the midst of skirmish between
several truckloads of Filipino SOL
diers and a squad Of assailants hid
den in the darkness across the can
yon.
Bullets splattered overhead as Mr.
Lees car tried to get through behlno
the trucks. The fighting went or
for a long time before Mr.. Lee quit
his vantage point and decided to try
to reach Gaguio. But both roads
leading there were blocked.
The next morning Mr.. Lee anc
his friends followed long caravan
of Americans and Filipinos head
ing into the rugged mountains. A
the end of a dirt road they set flrt
to their car in order to keep 1t ou
, of the hands of the japanese, an(
then struck off on a series Of mar
row trails into wild, "indescrlbabl.
beautiful" country.
But Japanese bombers gave then
sendoff
Hung Over a Cliff.
II jumped behind a rock, seekins
shelter from the Shrapnel-ant
found myself suspended over th'
edge of a 200-foot precipice," salt
Mr.. Lee. 1T was all right, becaus'
1 had a good hold on the rock. Blu
it was a funny feeling to be hangini
there"
Using Igorot native boys as guides
they followed the mountain trail
that whole day. and toward dusl
reached a small village The vlllag
headman took one look at tn
strange visitors. disappeared, thel
returned in what he apparently
considered was the proper dress
| three silk shirts and coat, desplt
the heat, but below the waist onl
a native loin cloth.
Mr.. Lee and his friends spen
that night in the headman's house
thatched, two-story structure sc
upon stills. The windows in thei
room were closed tightly, and ther
was no light, for the headman ex
| planned that even in this remote re
gion blackouts were enforced.
| suspected dS spies.
Later Mr.. Lee, who had gon
downstairs for a breath of air, me
Belgian priest who had spen
many years alone among the tribes
men,
BE careful" he warned. "Thes
people suspect you; they think your
spies sent here to bring them a.
air raid. Don't show any light-an
you'd better hide If any plane
should come over"
After taking look at the wicke
bolos (knives) which all the Igorot
carry, the party spent an appre
hensive night, imagining they hear
plane motors every time the win
whooShed overhead. But no plane
appeared, and in the morning eve
the bolos looked less ominous.
The headman supplied a guld
this time, who took the party on
trail that led first along the brin
OF a mountain, where the agilit
of mountain goat came in hant
then dropped down to swiftly-foW
ing river. For miles and miles
they followed this canyon, fordin
the river at least 16 times-takin
their shoes and socks off the fir:
few times, but finally just sloshin
through the water without bother
ing to remove them.
Mine Blows Up Car.
At dusk the party reached sma
lowland town where, after shown
their credentials to the suspicion
police, they were allowed to catch
ride on a slow-moving, horse-draw
cart that formed part of column.
Suddenly there was shatterin
explosion. The car just ahead
Mr.. Lees was blown up by a Ian
mine.
BY now Mr.. Lee and his mate
were sure they had exhausted thei
allotment of close shaves. More q
ease, they hoped an Army true
which took them to main railwa
center. and there they boarded
train for Manila the next morning
Ordinarily this is pleasant tri
through the rice paddles. But TIL
time their train was halted six time
as low-circling Japanese bombers