Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2008 with funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.arcliive.org/details/exploitsadventurOOadamricli Exploits and Adventures of a Soldier Ashore and Afloat r ^ I Exploits and Ad\ entures of a Soldier Ashore and Afloat BY WILLIAM LLEWELLYN ADAMS ^2^ Q)iok: PRESS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY PUILADELPHIA 1911 O k3 Copyright, 1911 By William L. Adams All nights Reeeicnt-up feeling of excitement, overly eager to see 63 Exploits and Adventures of a the gay Castilians in their hohday attire turn out en masse for their national sport. On our arrival in town, we found business practically suspended, and all making their way to the arena, which was enclosed by a high board fence. On being admitted, we at once became objects of considerable scrutiny, as the war fever had scarcely died out. Venders were busy disposing of their wares; senoritas, gayly bedecked in flowers and loud colors, seemed to bubble over with enthusiasm; horsemen galloped through the enclosure, and bands of music thrilled this novel audience with inspiration. As we took our seats and patiently awaited the on- slaught, a sickening silence cast its pall over this picturesque assemblage. This was momentary, however, as a blast from a bugle was followed by the entrance of the alguazil and mounted toreadors in costumes of velvet ; the arrival of these gladiators of the arena was heralded with a tumult of cheers, which became deafening as the gate was thrown open and the bull rushed in. Mounted picadors were stationed in 54 Soldier Ashore and Afloat various jjiirts of tlic arena, whose duty it was to infuriate the animal hy thrusting ban- derillas, or spikes with ribbons attached, into the animal's shoulders, others waved robes or capes for the same effect. Charge after charge was made on the matadore, who gracefully side-stepped the attack and awaited the return of the bull, which had become frantic from the sting of the ban- derillas. The last charge is made with defiance, but alas! is met with the undaunted courage of the matadore, whose fatal blade reaches a vital spot, adding another victory to his list of successful combats. "Bravo! Bravo!" yell the maddened crowd, as the victor is showered with compliments and carried from the arena. Preparations immediately follow for a continuance of this semi-barbaric sport, and in like manner each encounter was attended with the same skill of the mata- dore and enthusiasm of the spectators. On leaving the arena, it was with little wonder at the Spanish for their marked devotion to this their national s])ort, as it proved to be exceedingly fascinating and fraught with great excitement. Exploits and Adventures of a On our return to Gibraltar we journeyed to the naval canteen, where sailors and marines of the British battleships Endymion and Ben-how were laying the foundation for a session of joy, the Boer war being the chief topic of discussion. During the day the Governor- General of Gibraltar, Sir George White, whose ap- pointment had recently followed his winning the " Victoria Cross " while in command of troops in South Africa, had been entertained on board the American ship, in company with other notables of the army and navy. After the ship had been coaled and various stores taken aboard, anchors were weighed and the vessel steamed for Morocco, a sul- tanate on the northwest coast of Africa. On reaching the straits the signal was given to strip ship for action, all unnecessary impedi- ment was removed from the gun-decks and superstructure, awnings were furled and secured by gasket, spars and davits lowered and all secured in places of safety, while the big eight-inch turret guns free from tom- pions were trained abeam or at right angles to the ship's keel. 56 Soldier Ashore and Afloat On entering the harbor of Tangier, the customary salute was fired; this was answered by the crumbhng old forts of the ^Nloors, relics of the Dark Ages and monu- ments of antiquity. As the cruiser anchored with her starboard battery trained on the city, it was evident tliat the visit w^as of far greater import than that of a mere social call. The pressure of an indemnity is a matter of deep concern, the wilful disregard of which is usually followed by hostilities. When one sovereign nation calls on another sovereign nation to apologize, the first nation is expected to resort to arms if the apology is not forthcoming. Though not representing a sovereign nation, the mission of the Xezc York in the harbor of Tangier was clearly perceptible as an expounder of a precedent. The grand vizier of the Sultan of Morocco had made himself obnoxious to America by refusing an interview with ^Ir. Gummere, United States consul at the port of Tangier. For this discourtesy and other claims of the United States long pending against the gov- 67 Exploits and Adventures of a ernment of ^lorocco, it was found necessary to despatch a war-ship to put pressure on the Moors. The history of the conflicts between the Moors and the United States had covered a period of more than one hundred years, dating back to the naval wars of the infant nation with the Mediterranean pirates. Dis- criminations against Americans and inter- ference by officials of the Sultan with Amer- icans doing business in Morocco were largely due to the ignorance of the Moors as to the power of the United States. Claim after claim was ignored by the Sultan. In 1897, in order to bring this sublime potentate to a realizing sense of the importance of recognizing the demands of the United States, the United States cruisers Raleigh and San Francisco, in command of Rear Admiral Self ridge, were ordered from Smyrna to Tangier for the purpose of lend- ing support to Consul-General Burke. This act had its effect, as promises were given that in the future discriminations would be eradicated. In June, 1900, however, the strife was 68 Soldier Ashore and Afloat rentwcil when ^larciis Kzegiii, wlio was u naturalized ^Vnierican citizen and manager of the Fez branch of the French lirni of Braunseliweig and Co., while riding horse- back through a narrow street in Fez, jolted against the mule of a Moroccan religious fanatic; a dispute ensued, the crowd siding with the jNIoor. In self-defence Ezegui drew his revolver and fired, wounding a native. This was the signal for a general attack on the American; he received a dozen knife wounds, and was burned at a stake before life had become extinct. For this atrocious crime the United States asked an indemnity of $5000 and the punish- ment of the offenders; the request received little adherence by the Moorish government; then the State Department demanded $5000 for the failure of ^Morocco to punish the offenders. After much dij^lomatic correspondence between Washington and Fez, the Moroccan capital, the United States battleship Ken- tuck i/ was ordered across the Atlantic to procure the necessary demands. In this she was partially successful, though failing to 69 Exploits and Adventures of a negotiate the demands in their entirety. Time dragged on and promises remained unfulfilled. The capital was moved time and again between the cities of Tangier and Fez purposely to evade negotiations with the United States. It remained for the New York to consummate a successful issue, in the undertaking of which she was ably com- manded by Rear Admiral Frederick Rodgers, whose iron-willed ancestors had bequeathed him a priceless heritage, — the courage of his convictions combined with executive diplomacy. On the reception of Consul-General Gum- mere by the admiral, it became known adven- titiously that the grand vizier of his Sultanic x.Iajesty, in company with the Sultan, had departed for the city of Fez. This they called moving the capital. With the afore, aft, and waist eight-inch " long toms " trained idly on the city and forts. Admiral Rodgers, with flag-officers and escort and accompanied by Consul Gummere, departed on a small British yacht for the city of Fez, with the determination to promulgate his mission to his excellency's government, — 60 Soldier Ashore and Afloat namely, its clioiec ol" a satisfactory adjust- ment of the indemnity or the unconditional alternate: a bombardment. It is needless to say that this was the final negotiation, terminating with a successful and honorable issue. A member of the ship's crew having crossed the " great divide," permission for the obsequies and burial in Tangier w^as granted. In a casllited lanes, like Eip \^an Winkle's hoh- goi)hns of the Catskills. lieing- unable to hold conversation with these barbarians, I contented myself with being a silent spectator of their grotesque actions. After making the rounds of various places of interest, where it was distinctly obvious that I was an unwelcome visitor, I decided to return to the better-lighted and more civilized plazas of the city. As I tried to ligiH'e out my bearings on an imaginary com- pass, I became bewildered, and in conse- quence followed any street which had an incline. From the main street of the " Kasbah " are numerous short streets or lanes, which seem to have no connection with other streets, terminating at the entrance to a building. I had tried various ways to reach the steps I liad climbed, without success, and here realized the importance of having a guide or an interpreter. Finally I sighted the rays of a search-light, and later a light 71 Exploits and Adventures of a on the mainmast of a merchant marine enter- ing the bay. Following in the direction of this light, I reached a badly lighted portion of this section of the city overlooking a preci- pice, when, without a semblance of warning, my arms and feet were pinioned, I was gagged with a roll of hemp, which was placed under my chin and drawn taut around my neck. I made a desperate struggle, but was helpless without the use of my arms, and was compelled to yield when a blood- thirsty brigand placed the point of a dirk against the spring of my affections, — namely, the region of my solar plexus; and it is needless to say that " to slow music " I was relieved of my personal possessions, including my watch, chain, finger-ring, keys, money, letters, and trinkets, by six Moorish brigands, who kindly refrained from casting me over the precipice. As they broke away, I was left to ponder in amazement. It was absolutely futile for me to think of an attempt at anything except that of securing myself and reaching the heart of the city. At this juncture, and to my great surprise, I was delighted to see, coming out 72 Seedier Ashorr and Afloat of one of the narrow streets, my friend Mr. O'Mally the pedestrian and liis interpreter. Kecognizing him instantly, I informed him as to wliat liad liappened, which brought a cry from his interpreter for the gendarmes and soldiers. In a few moments the soldiers and police had arrived, and I led them in the direction the bandits had taken, but at night it is impossi])le to distinguish one ^loor from another, for like Chinese they all look alike at night; therefore, the soldiers contented themselves in beating them indis- criminately, as the Moor is the French sol- dier's bitterest enemy. These soldiers, unlike the American sol- dier, carry their side arms when off duty, and it was with great difficulty that the gen- darmes prevented some of the ]Moors from being killed. At one stage of the game we had a battle royal, and there are a number of Moors in the " Kasbah " who carry scars as evidence of this night's fracas. On our return to the plaza, I discovered that besides leaving the buttons on my blouse the rob})ers had overlooked two gold napo- leons which 1 carried in the watch-pocket of 73 Exploits and Adventures of a my trousers, and, as the French soldiers were not averse to accepting a potion of wine for their services, it was not long before we were drinking to the health of the United States and the French Republic. Mr. O'Mally and his guide left the party in the " wee sma " hours of the morning, and, as three years intervened before my return to America, I lost all trace of this interesting gentleman. Next day while returning to my ship, I received the intelligence that the other marines who had accompanied me ashore had fallen into the hands of the gendarmes for destroying the roulette-wheel and creating a general " rough house," due, they claimed, to crooked work on the part of the croupier. Later in the day on paying a small fine they were released. Our stay in Algiers covered a period of ten daj'^s, which included Easter Sunday. This was a gala day on the plazas and along the Boulevard; the services in the French cathedral were performed with great pomp and ceremony; flowers were banked in pro- fusion, while the singing of the choir was decidedly of a rare quality. 74 Soldi IT Ashore and Afloat Before leaving this memorable city 1 had the pleasure t)i' attending a French mas- querade ball in the Rue de Rome, where Parisian dancing novelties were introduced and where fantastic costumes had no limit. The last day in ^Algiers was given to a reception, aboard the ship, to the foreign legations. As usual on these occasions, the ship was gayly decorated with flags of all nations. Easter lilies, which had been pre- sented to the admiral by ^Vlgerians, fairly covered the quarter-deck. Dancing con- tinued throughout the evening, the guests departing at midnight to the strains of the " Marseillaise." A few hours later anchors were weighed, and, under a beautiful pale moonlight, our cruiser steamed out of the harbor, carrying with it everlasting memo- ries of the picturesque City of Algiers. After a cruise of four days the Island of Gozo was sighted, and ere long we had entered and anchored in Valetta, the capital of Malta. A large British fleet lay anchored here, also a yacht having on board his royal personage " The King of Siam," who was making a cruise of the ^lediterranean Sea. 75 Exploits and Adventures of a " The Duke and Duchess of York," on board the Ophir bound for AustraHa, for the open- ing of ParHament, was also sighted in the Mediterranean Sea. The Island of Malta is of Arabic origin, but at present an English possession. It is frequently mentioned in Biblical history, having been conquered by the Romans two hundred and fifty years before the birth of Christ. Near the City of Valetta a spot is pointed out as having been the place where Paul the Apostle's ship was wrecked. I heard Captain McKenzie of the New York remark to the admiral that Malta is the only place where a Jew cannot prosper, as a Maltese will beat a Jew. The principal sights of Malta are the Strada san Giovanni in Valetta, a wide stone stairway lined on either side with buildings of ancient architecture, the ruins of a Roman villa and the Beggar's Stairs. The Maltese are a musically inclined people, and at night it was very inspiring to hear the young people, as they coursed around the ship in " gondolas," singing selections from the 76 Soldier Ashore and Afloat famous " La Traviata " to the accompani- ment of mandolins and guitars, invariably offering as an encore, the ever beautiful, Venetian " Yama Yama," famous for ages along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It was M'ith regret that Alexandria, our next port, was to end our cruise on this magnificent body of water. IV. From the Pyramids of Egypt to Singapore The Pyramids of Gizeh — The Sphinx — A Famous Relic of the Honeymoon of Cleopatra and Mark Antony — Cairo — Camel Caravansary en route from Syria to Cairo — Suez Canal — Red Sea — Mt. Sinai — Aden — A Monsoon in the Indian Ocean — Singalese of Ceylon — Singapore. On the arrival of our ship at Port Said, Egypt, the haven of beach-combers and the most immoral city on the face of the eartli, preparations were at once made for coaling ship. Lighters loaded with coal v/ere towed alongside, and natives of the Nubian Desert relieved the crew of this detestable task. Men were granted liberty with the privilege of visiting Jerusalem or Cairo. It being necessary to travel by boat a long distance to Jaffa in order to get a train for the Hol}^ Land, I decided to spend the time in seeing the sights of Cairo, the Pyramids, Sphinx, and the Nile. 78 Exi)loits of a Soldier ScfuriiiL!; traii.s|)()rlalion, 1 hoarded a train lor tlic Kgyptlaii capital; not a very pleas- ant trip, however, as the heat was intense, and thick gusts of dust were continually hlown from the Sahara and Nubian Deserts. The iirst novel sight tliat met my gaze was a camel caravansary witli a band of Arabs on their way from Cairo to Syria. Upon enter- ing the city, the Arabic architecture was the first to attract my attention, the mosques and minarets particularly appearing promi- nent. The streets were thronged with tour- ists of all nations; camels wending their way and donkeys for hire or sale at every corner gave the city tlie aspect of the " Far East." I visited the Sacred (hardens of the " Howling Dervishes," the tombs of the Caliphs, an ostrich-breeding house, " Wells of ]Moses," the mosque of the wSultan Hassan, and several museums containing I'elics of priceless value dating back to dynasties before the birth of Christ. In She])hard\s Hotel, Napoleon's liead- c|uarters during his campaign in Kgypt, I saw, guarded with jealous care, tlie mag- nificent catamaran or gondola in which the 79 Exploits and Adventures of a Egyptian Queen Cleopatra cruised the Nile during her ostentatious honeymoon with Mark Antony. After visiting the citadel and places of less interest, I j ourneyed to the streets where the music of the tomtoms was attracting attention. The shades of night having fallen and my appetite being keen, I sauntered into an Arabian cafe for dinner, where a string of Egyptian dancers amused the guests with the muscle-dance, far surpassing " Little Egypt " or " The Girl in Blue." These dancers are serious in their art, and to snicker at them is to manifest ridicule and is considered an unpardonable breach of manners. After my " Seel}^ dinner," every course of which was served quite warm, I repaired to my hotel and retired for the night. The following day I engaged a hack and journeyed across the grand bridge of the Nile to the Pyramids and Sphinx. These landmarks of prehistoric ages, seventy in number and considered one of the seven wonders of the world, can be seen from a great distance looming up in the desert. 80 Soldier Ashore and Afloat The Pyraniicls of Gizch, on the west bank of the Nile, are the largest of the group. The first or Great Pyramid covers thirteen acres at the base, and is nearly five hundred feet high; it is honeycombed, and contains the remains of tlie ancient rulers of Egypt. One hundred thousand men were employed thirty years in its construction. Following our guide through the cavern- ous catacombs, we finally reached the sar- cophagus of Cheops, who ruled Egypt twenty-five dynasties before the Christian era. After a random tramp of more than an hour through this dreary dark abode, we re- turned to the light of day, and, climbing the Pyramid, reached a point from where Xaj^o- leon reviewed his troops after his campaign against the ^Mamelukes. Eying three hundred feet east of the second Pyramid is the colossal form of the Sphinx, hewn out of solid natural rock, hav- ing the body of a lion with a human head. It is one hundred and seventy-two feet long and fifty-six feet high. The Sphinx was symbohc of strength, intellect, and force, and thousands of Egyptians were employed twenty years in its construction. 6 81 Exploits and Adventures of a Having spent two days of most interest- ing sight-seeing in this old historical city, I returned to the cruiser, and after remain- ing a few days in the harbor of Port Said, commenced our journey through the Suez Canal. This canal, which connects the Mediter- ranean and Red Seas, was built by Ferdi- nand De Lessepps, a Frenchman. France built the canal, but England owns it, although she permits Frenchmen to run it. The idea originally was not De Lessepps', as there had been a canal connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas thirteen cen- turies before Christ. When Napoleon was in Egypt, he also entertained the project, in order that France might supplant Eng- land in the eastern trade ; but it required the indomitable courage and wonderful genius of De Lessepps to carry the herculean task to triumph. The work was begun in 1860 and finished in 1869. One hundred million dollars were spent, and thirty thousand men were em- ployed in its construction. The canal is eighty-eight miles long, twenty-six feet deep, 82 Soldirr Ashore and Afloat one hundred Icct wide at the bottom, and about three hundred feet wide at the top. The waters eontain three times more salt than ordinary sea water. There are sta- tions along the route where ships tie up to permit ships going in an opposite direetion to pass. Its eourse lies through the Nubian 13esert, the land whieh Pharaoh gave to Joseph for his father and brethren. An occasional drawbridge is in evidence where the caravansaries cross going to and coming from the Holy Lands. A novel sight midway in the canal was a French transport loaded with French sol- diers returning from the Boxer campaign in China. Vociferous cheering from the Americans was responded to by the French- men. After ploughing the waters of the Suez Canal, our ship entered Bitter Lake, where we anchored for the night, departing on our voyage at the break of dawn. Entering " The Gate of Tears," a strait between Arabia and the continent of Africa, and so called from tlic danger arising to navigation caused by strong currents, we beheld the 83 Exploits and Adventures of a entrance to the Red Sea. The Twelve Apostles was the first memorial to remind us of the historical chronology of this broad body of water. These " apostles " seem to be of mysterious origin; they consist of twelve symmetrical columns of rock, which project from the sea in a straight line, the same distance apart, and shaped identically alike. Not far from the coast on our port side could be seen Mt. Sinai and Mt. Horeb, famed in biblical history. Some distance beyond is Mecca, the Jerusalem of the Mohammedans, near which a spot is pointed out as being the place where, under the providence of God, the Red Sea was divided, making a dry pass for the deliverance of the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt, under the leadership of Moses, the God- inspired liberator of his people. Steaming by Mocha, celebrated for its production of the finest coffee in the world, we entered the harbor of Aden, our first port in Arabia. Aden is a city typical of the " Far East "; spices of a rich odor permeate the atmosphere for miles from the coast. The city is built in the crater of an extinct 84 Soldier Asliorc and Afloat volcano, and has an altitude of one tlioiisand I'cct, is strongly t'ortilicd, and commands the trade to India. xVrabs eni;hing of necessity pertaining to field- service on ponies and proceed to our destina- tion. With a string of pack ponies, two Colt automatic and oug machine gun, we set out for the site of the outpost amid deafening cheers from the garrison. We reached the knoll of a hill, a sj)lendid point of vantage, seven miles distant from the town, from which we could view the entire surrounding 181 Exploits and Adventures of a country; here stood an old Spanish block- house, from which we flew " Old Glory," and, after policing the ground, pitched tents, mounted the guns, posted a sentry, and were ready for action. The following day we were connected by telephone with the garrison and had cut the underbrush away from the knoll of the hill on which we w^ere stationed. The only break in the monotony of several months of this life would occur when a detail, sent into the garrison for rations, would return, bringing us mail from the outside world and news from the company in quarters. Game abounded plentifully in this section of the island, and at night the weird grunt of a wild boar and the bark of a deer could be heard in the near-by jungle. Large vampires, darting overhead like phantom aeroplanes, were nimierous here as in other islands of the Philippines. JMoros approaching the outpost were compelled to leave their side-arms in the jungle. Quite a number desired to be friendly with the Americans; these were 182 Soldier Ashore and Afloat traders. They woukl bring in chickens, eggs, fruit, wild-fowl, venison, fish, roasted grasshoppers, and tuber. Eggs containing chickens, as in other parts of ^Mindanao and northern Luzon, were more valuable than fresh eggs. Tuber is a native beverage taken from the cocoanut tree, and has all the exhilarating effects of " Dry Mono- pole." Thousands of monkeys infested the jungle surrounding tlie camp. On one occasion while returning from a boar hunt, some- thing happened which nearly converted me to the Darwinian theory. Near the edge of a coffee plantation I spied a number of monkeys in a mango tree; raising my rifle I fired, dropping a monkey. The animal, merely wounded, came running toward me, bleeding from the chest and uttering a piti- ful cry, then, leaning against a tree, placed its hands over the wound and, with a most pitiful and appealing expression, gazed up at me in tearful agony, as nmch as to say, "What the devil did I do to you?" I ended its suffering, and resolved never to shoot another monkev. 183 Exploits and Adventures of a While hunting wild-boar in company with Weismantle, a member of the detach- ment, we had come across a " wallow " in a ravine near the Rio Grande River. Weis- mantle, being an experienced huntsman, could tell that the " wallow " had recently been frequented by hogs ; he said, " You take a position about forty feet on one side of the ravine, and I'll be on the opposite side; sit perfectly quiet, don't even smoke, as the boar is sure to return." Following his directions to the letter, I sought the shade of a large grape-fruit tree, where, seated on a log with a bramble-bush blind, I awaited the arrival of the game. In deep meditation I had sat with my rifle cocked for perhaps forty minutes, eagerly awaiting the shadow of a pig, and was beginning to get restless, when hark! a dull thud on the ground attracted my attention to a guava tree near by, where I saw, hanging from and partly wrapped around a low limb, an immense boa con- strictor. For a moment I was hypnotized; the snake's head was hidden by the under- brush, and in fact it was impossible to see 184 Soldier Ashore and Afloat either end of the monster; I eould merely see the coils wrapped around the limb and hanging from the tree. To say that the sight of a boa constrictor excited horror in my mind is putting it mildly, for, being unable to see its head, it would have been folly to shoot with a rifle; furthermore, I imagined 1 was in a den of these powerful life-crush- ers; every moment I expected to feel myself enwrapped in the monster's coils, and for this emergency I had drawn my knife. Another twist of this snake, and I was hitting the high places only; I leaped through the tall grass like an Igorrote head-hunter, and now, to add to my mental diseomiiture, I ran on to a wild-boar, which gave a most unearthly squeal; this, followed by the report of Weismantle's rifle, made it seem as though all the demons of hell had been turned loose. After regaining my com- posure, I tracked the boar by drops of blood for several hundred yards, where we found it in time to bleed it properly. When T told the marine the experience 1 liad had, he wanted to return, but I refused to point in the direction, so the trip was postponed. 185 Exploits and Adventures of a After tying the feet of our game together, we cut a long bamboo pole, on which we packed it into the outpost, where it was roasted on a spit. Chess, pinocle, whist, and poker were popular games in the camp, as they are in all quarters of the army and navy, and in this way many pleasant hours were spent when off duty. The migration of locusts on the Island of Mindanao is a novel sight; approaching in the distance, they appear like a large black cloud, the forerunner of a tornado; millions upon millions of these jumping insects, totally eclipsing the sun, continue on their flight for hours, leaving leafless trees and devastated fields in the train of their route. A great character at the outpost was Cor- poral Jim Iddles, a Scotchman, and a great friend of mine. Jim had a keen appetite for tuber, and, growing weary of the simple life, approached me one morning with the suggestion that we take a hike to a near-by " barrio " in quest of some native sangaree. The nearest barrio was Mongahon, seven miles distant, so, slipping on our belts, with 186 Soldier Ashore and At'loal six-shooters and rifles, we liit the trail over the iiiouiitains, informing Sergeant ^IcKenzie, who was in charge of the out- post, tlint we were going a sliort distance in the jungle to shoot a deer. On our arrival at ^longahon, we found the village deserted, with no natives to climb the cocoanut trees, and, as tuber is tapped at the top of the tree, we were out of luck, as an American cannot climb these trees owing to the millions of red ants that infest them. The nearest village from this point was Amadao, in the Amadao Valley, on the Rio Grande River eight miles distant. At this juncture it was decided to toss a coin, head for Amadao, tail for the outpost. As the coin was tossed on the " heads 1 win, tails you lose " system, it was not long before we were beating the trail, with the valley of the Rio Cirande for our destination. The tribes in this section of the island had been very hostile, and a battle had been waged near Amadao some months previous; but, as we had been dealing with traders from this valley, we decided to keep on the alert until we found these, whom we knew would represent us as being amigo Americanos. 187 Exploits and Adventures of a As we drew near the " barrio," we noticed Moros here artd^tliere withdrawing from the fields toward their casas or shacks, evidently apprehensive of impending danger, as a JMoro, on seeing two or three soldiers within their territory, infers at once that they are an advance guard of a larger body. Many Moros, in addition to their own lingo, speak a mixture of Spanish and Visayan, so that with this help we were able to trace our traders. Resting at a shack in a large cocoa- nut grove while an apparently friendly native went in search for a trader, we were soon greeted by old " ISIontone," a native warrior, but friendly to the Americans. JMontone had a complexion as black as the ace of spades, and was reputed to have been a formidable pirate in his palmy days, operating along the coast of the Celebes Sea. He bore evidence of this reputation by the valuable ornaments he possessed; on his wrist he wore a jade bracelet, above each elbow a bracelet of solid gold, while two massive rings hung from his ears ; his kreese was priceless, containing pearls and other precious gems, the blade being inlaid with 188 Soldier Ashore and Afloat gold, while surmounting the hilt was a solid gold helmet. Besides, he was tattooed from his shoulders to his wrists; truly he was *' the king of the cocoanut grove," and, while not a " Datto," had all the authority and appearance of one. Montone at once sent a native for a stick of tuber (a bamboo cylinder holding three quarts). Tuber is a cool tropical beverage, the sap of the cocoanut tree, which can only be drawn by tapping the top of the tree. It has a sharp sweet taste and, like champagne, its effects are lasting. After finishing the first order we sent for more. I l)elieve we were on the fourth order when the Scotch- man endeavored to entertain an imaginary audience, and the last I remember of him before a profound slumber claimed me, he ■was standing on a stone pile singing, " Green grow the rushes O, Green grow the rushes O," et cetera, to an imaginary audi- ence of about twenty thousand, it seemed to me. Dawn was breaking when I awoke, I knew not where; my first thought was of my six-shooter; it was gone; my rifle, belt, and 189 Exploits and Adventures of a ammunition were gone, and several moments were spent in conjecture as to the reality of m}^ personal existence. I tried to think, but all seemed blank; I had reached the abysm of oblivion, when I recalled that last song of my partner Jim, the tuber, and alas ! the sequence mysteriously puzzled my brain. Had I been sleeping like Rip Van Winkle in the Catskills? or was it the hallucination of a dream, that would vanish with the awakening? I was soaking wet. Quietly crawling to an aperture through which the rays of a moon-beam shone, I discovered that I was in a nippa-shack on the brink of a ravine. Suddenly I heard deep breathing. Quietly tiptoeing in the direction of the sound, I saw in another compartment sev- eral natives scattered about in peaceful slumber. Satisfying myself that they were Filipinos and not Moros, I awakened one of the men, who arose, exclaiming, " Ah! amigo Americano, mucho bueno grande hombre." Fortunately, this Filipino was a friendly native who had formerly been employed by the provost in the town of PoUoc. He informed me that he was en route 190 Soldier Ashore and Afloat from Cota Bato (a small shipping port), where he had taken a shipment of hemp, and, passing through the village of Ainadao, had seen me in the company of hostile ]\Ioros, and had invited me to ride on the hack of liis caribou to his casa. In fording the Rio Grande River, the animal had stumbled, throwing us into the stream, and this accounted for the wet condition I was in. On making inquiries about my rifle, the native went to the adjoining room, returning with my six-shooter, rifle, and belt. Both weapons I had made useless by taking the drum and pin from the revolver and the bolt from the rifle, a custom a soldier is taught early in his military career, for cases of emergency. When I inquired about my partner Jim, the Filipino said that I was tlie only white man he had seen in the valley, but that, at about midnight, he had heard rifle volleys in various directions. Plere I concluded that the garrison had been turned out in (juest of the two missing marines, and the shots had been fired with the hope of getting an answer. Exploits and Adventures of a By this time the other members of the household had awakened, and, after being served with hot black coffee, I was directed to follow the trail along the Rio Grande River, which led through tall grass and bramble. As I hiked along the lonely trail, my thoughts were centred on my friend Jim Iddles. I could imagine his lifeless form lying cold in abhorrent demise, and con- jectured how if alive we were to escape the punishment of a general court-martial. After many miles of tiresome travel, I was hailed from a branch trail by a friendly Moro, a dwarf of the mountains, whose abode was in the village of Panay and who frequently visited the outpost, selling pro- duce and game. This diminutive spirit of the forest, who reminded me of the elves in Irving's Rip Van Winkle, aimed straight for me, cutting his way through the jungle with his kreese. He greeted me with the customary " Amigo Americano," and in- formed me that he had been sent out in search of me by the commanding officer of marines at PoUoc. Leading the way, I fol- ios Soldier Ashore and Afloat lowed him in single file along the trail through banana groves and jungle where 2)arrots and monkeys were numerous. After a weary hike, I sj^ied " Old Glory " waving in the breeze from the old Spanish block- house at the outpost; as we drew near, I could see the soldiers gazing intently in my direction; the sentry had spied us and aroused the camj). After a cheer and a hearty handshake from the boys, my mental agitation was relieved when informed that Iddles had been found in Amadao about midnight, by a detachment that had been sent out from the garrison. Iddles was found asleep in a ^loro shack, in front of which patrolled a Moro sentry carrying Jim's rifle, belt, and six-shooter. After relating part of my adventure to the boys, tlie garrison was informed of my safety, and in a few hours the commandant and captain of marines were on the scene to ascertain the facts connected with our absence. ^Slean while both Jim and myself, looking the worse for wear, })oliccd ourselves to a high degree of soldierly immaculateness, and after a confab it was decided that I 13 193 Exploits and Adventures of a should act as spokesman on the arrival of the officers. The story we framed was this: that, hav- ing followed the bark of a deer for a con- siderable distance in the jungle, we lost our bearings (" lost our bearings " was good!), and, differing in opinion as to the direction of the camp, we were each directed by the influence of our respective opinions, result- ing in both getting lost. The circumstances in connection with the finding of James had been withheld from the officers; while my experience had been only partly related to the men, they having heard that I departed from the valley mounted on a caribou driven by a Filipino. When confronted by the officers, I told the tale of our adventure: of our having followed the bark of a deer leading us into a labyrinth of perplexity (as dears some- times do!), of our difference in opinion, the friendly attitude of the Moros, and the kindness of a Filipino in conducting me to his casa, where I was provided with quarters for the night. Iddles corroborated my story as far as it related to himself, and dwelt par- 194 Soldier Ashore and Afloat ticularly on tlic friendliness of the Moros of the Anmdao A'alley. After asking various questions in cross examination, the captain said, " Well, men, I am glad to see you alive ; your adventure has heen of some profit." Then, turning to Sergeant ^NIcKenzie, he said, " If two of our men can go into the jungle as these men did, mingling in friend- ship with the natives without being molested, I can see no necessity of continuing the out- post; stand relieved, break camp, and return to the garrison." There was no court-martial, scarcely a reprimand, and the soldiers of the outpost tendered Jim and me a vote of thanks for the hand we played in getting them back to the comforts of the barracks. It is a singular fact that a few months later, on the renewal of hostilities in the Lake region, a band of ]\Ioros of the Amadao Valley, under the leadership of a noted " Datto," offered their services to the commanding officer at Polloc. Like the American Indians, the Moros are divided into tribes, among whom for ages past there has been strife or contention for superiority. 195 Exploits of a Soldier Our two years having expired in foreign service, the detachment was ordered to Olongapo to join the homeward-bound bat- talion. Shortly after this we bade adieu to Moroland and s^\aing out of the bay of Prang Prang en route to the Island of Luzon. X. A Midnight Phantasy in California The \'ision — The Capture — " Frisco " and Its Favorite Haunts. Having had considerable experience with copper thieves in the navy yards of Wash- ington, 1). C, New York, and Cavite, Phihpjjine Islands, I was not overly sur- prised when, about midniglit late in the aiitunm of 1003, while serving in the capacity of patrol at the ^lare Island Xavy Yard, California, as I chanced along the water- front, to see the shadow of an apparent river pirate, presumably collecting copper bars from a large pile of tliis valuable metal. The man evidently, it appeared to me, had a boat in which he was storing the bars to be rowed across the channel to Vale jo, the old Span- ish gambling town and gold-miners' retreat of the old days. Without tile least exaggeration, I must acknowledge to having been during my 107 Exploits and Adventures of a career in some very uncomfortable predica- ments while grovelling through the vicissi- tudes of life's various phases, and a strong resolution, which I have always held sacred, has been, never to take a life without giving the person a chance for his own; therefore, self-defence or being in action with the enemy could be mj^ only palliation. This night, however, presented cause for excep- tion to this rule. The corner of a large steam-engineering building hid from view the man whose shadow played in grotesque evolutions on the pier, and it was impossible to see him without uncovering myself to his gaze, but there lurked the shadow of every move cast vividly before my keen-set eyes. As I quietly knelt in seclusion surrounded by the densest gloom, meditating as to how I might take the object alive, positively realizing that he was well armed, from my previous experience with river thieves, I saw the shadow portray a man drawing a gun and examining it closely, the shadow indicating that he was either trying the trigger or testing the T block of an auto- matic pistol. 198 Soldier Ashore and Afloat It dawned on me that my duty bade me to halt this man, and, it' in any way he attempted to evade me, to kill him. 1 had the narrow neck of the channel covered, and it was my intention, if he attempted to shove off in a boat with any copper, to halt him, and, if he ignored my command, to fire. However, not seeing the shadow disappear for even an instant aroused my suspicion, as to load the copper in the boat in any shape or manner it would have been necessary to pass on the opposite side of an old obsolete sentry-box, thereby obliterating even the semblance of a shadow. I was cognizant of the fact that had I aroused the guard they would send out the steam-launch to cover the exit, and, if the man attempted to escape, fire on him, which I wished to prevent. What in the devil can that fellow be doing? I conjectured in silence, as the mys- tical representation of his every move, like a phantom depicting anything and every- thing, was cast along the ground and pier as if superinduced by some supernatural agency. Merely prowling for the choicest 199 Exploits and Adventures of a bars, I soliloquized. Hark! " Number one, one o'clock and all is well! " The stillness of the night had been broken by the sentries calling off the hour. " Number two, one o'clock and all is well ! " " Number three, one o'clock and all is well! " " Number four, one o'clock and all is well ! " " All is well ! " repeated sentry number one at the guard- house as he continued on his beat. " Third relief, fall in! Get a move on, boys! The officer of the day is apt to be lurking around ! " commanded the corporal of the guard, as the men promptly fell into their proper places for posting formation. "Count oiF!" commanded the non-com- missioned officer, each man counting the number of his post. "Port arms! Open chambers! Close chambers! Order arms! Nmnber one!" As number one was being posted, the sergeant of the guard inter- posed: " Corporal, I want those sentries to turn over not only their special orders but their general orders as well; see that they know them thoroughly: have them tell you what is to be done in case of fire, and be sure that they know where the fire-plugs are 200 Soldier Ashore and Afloat located. Butt Plate Willie is officer of the day and is raising hell around here because the sentries don't know their orders; now, they better get wise to the military or off come their belts." "Pshaw! Butt Plate Willie don't know his own orders," ejacu- lated the corporal as he gave the command, " Shoulder arms! Right face! Forward niarcli! " The shadow had taken another position and seemed to be in kneeling posture at the rifle-range, setting the wind-gauge of his rifle for the prone figure in the skirmish run. The corporal was marching the old relief back to the guard-house, as sentry number one called out, " Number one, half past one and all is well!" followed in succession by each sentry calling oft' the hour. Each man of the relief, on falling out, kicked like a mule for being detained overtime on post. It was half past one and surely time for me to make the rounds through my various posts of duty. At this instant tlie shadow disappeared, followed by the dull sound of dislodged copper. The moon had taken a position 201 Exploits and Adventures of a behind a dark cloud, which gave me an opportunity to skirt the end of the pier to another secluded spot where I could await its reappearance, when I could positively determine whether this shadow was an appa- rition, a reality, or merely a transcript in the memory formed by the imagination of phantasy. As the lunar glow beamed through the clouds, the outlines of a soldier appeared to my view, merely the profile, with his face resting in the palms of his hands. I momen- tarily seized this opportunity and pounced upon my prey, and, for the " love of Mike," who was it but " Stormy Bill," a " character" at the post. "Ha! ha! What in hell are you doing here? robbing the copper pile, hey? " I exclaimed, knowing in my heart Bill was as honest as the night was long. Like the raven. Bill quoth, " Never more." " What brought you here at this hour of the night? " I asked. " Bad whiskey," sighed Bill, his light of enthusiasm burning dimly. " I hid a flask here yesterday and came here to-night to look for it." " Yes, and keep me prowling around all night expecting 202 Soldier Ashore and Afloat every minute to be shot by copper thieves," I interposed. " You're a fine specimen of a marine! What do you think this navy yard is, a picnic ground^" Continuing, *' Now you draw yourself together (^uick or I'll have you manacled and thrown in the brig." " Ah! " he said, " cut out the strong talk. I came here to look for a flask of rye. I am not going to run away with the copper pile." " That will do you," I said. " You have evidently found the rye, and I want you to blow out of here." " Yes," said "Stormy," "I have found it. — Eureka! Let's go." I felt like kicking him a few times, then rubbing him with liniment and kicking him again, merely using the liniment to keep him from becoming callous lest he should fail to feel the kicks. He became garrulous, and, in order to get him to the barracks without falling into the hands of the guard, it was necessary for me to walk him about two miles to reach one- fourth the distance. Having j)iloted him over lawns and through the shade of the leafy trees, we finally reached his quarters, 808 Exploits and Adventures of a where his aiFable disposition required him to apologize for my trouble, and, thanking me, he hied off to his cot. " Stormy," in the parlance of the soldier, was " good people," his greatest fault was in being on too good terms with old " Cyrus Nobl^." A few weeks after this event I left " Stormy " behind, having been ordered to another post. En route from the Philippines with the Twenty-ninth Infantry in 1909, as the transport pulled up to the pier at Honolulu a voice from the dock called out my name. Leaning over the tafFrail, whom should I see but " Stormy Bill! " He had been made a non-commissioned officer in a battery of artillery and was stationed on the Island of Oahu. Mare Island covers considerable space in the Bay of San Francisco, lying about six- teen miles northwest of the " Golden Gate " overlooking the bay and Pacific Ocean. It is the naval base of California. While stationed at this post I frequently ran over to " Frisco," either by steamboat or rail, where with a good convivival bunch I joined in the festivities at such temples of 204 Soldier Ashore and Afloat mirth as the famous " Poodle Dog," from whose showy tiers or projecting balconies the pageants and processions of ]Market Street could be seen passing by, as the guests, environed by the sweet notes of a Hungarian rhapsody, were the embodiment of gayety and content. Lombardi's, famous for Italian " table d'hote " dinners and par- ticularly noted for their mode of preparing macaroni; Svenguenetti's, whose reputation in crustacean specialties, particularly in the culinary of lobsters and shrimps, was known to the Bohemians far and wide. Zinkand's, and scores of others, where the music thrilled one's very soul, and where the nymphs of the " Golden West " could tell you how to braid a lariat and a quirt, break a pony, and twirl the rope, and, although not adepts at the game of golf, could tell some funny stories of picking hops under Western skies. Kearney Street, which afforded the halls for the graceful glide, wherein could be found the same aspect of the West of frontier days. Prepossessing maidens in scalloped buck- skin skirts, high-topped shoes, sombreros beautifully banded with Indian beads, and 205 Exploits and Adventures of a corsages cut very decolletee, danced with gallant young fellows whose costumes savored of the Mexican variety and whose bright and breezy effulgence was conducive to the merriment of the night. The Orpheum, Oberon, Log Cabin, Cascade, and the Grotto, all flourished in prosperous placidity, through a long chain of patronage of the world's bohemians since the days of the path-finding " Forty-niners." Occasionally we tripped to " Mechanic's Pavilion," to witness the knights of the fistic art battle for supremacy, and note the radiant smiles of the shining lights of the arena as a " knockout " was perfected. But alas! the old haunts of Market and Ellis Streets and the beautiful edifices of the old- time " Frisco " — where are they? The echo answers, " Where? " Vanished with the stroke of nature's wand, that calamitous earthquake and subsequent fire of 1906, in whose train the mournful ravages of devas- tation grinned in fiendish glee. Though similar to the overwhelming destruction of the ancient city of Cam- pania, San Francisco's ruin was not irreme- 206 Soldier Ashore and Afloat diablc, for, like the surprisingly sudden demolition, there burst into view, like spring flowers following a thunder-storm, the mag- nificent new city of the " Golden Gate," blazing in the zenith of prosperity. It may be necessary to make inquiries or perhaps consult a city directory, but you will find the same old joyful haunts flourishing as of yore. ]\Iy tour of duty at Mare Island was brought to a close on being ordered to New York to join the mobilization of the St. Louis battalion. XI. Semper Fidelis — the Guard of Honor U. S. Marines at the St. Louis Exposition — Veterans of Various Expeditions — Mobilization at Washington, D. C. — Arrival in St. Louis — An Ideal Military Camp — Exhibition Drills, Marines in Bohemia — The Spanish Senoritas of Old Madrid — Coleens and Harpists of the Emerald Isle — Cheyenne Joe's Rocky Mt. Inn — Palm Garden Dances in the " Wee Sma " Hours — Chaperoning a Theatrical Pari;y — A Dinner at the Tyrolean Alps — A Famous " Broad- way " Actress Meets Geronimo the Apache Chief — Marines Battle with Filipino Scouts — Arrival of Mounted Police, Farewell to the "Fair" — Oh, Maryland, My Maryland. The battalion of marines that composed the Guard of Honor at the Louisiana Pur- chase Exposition in St. Louis in 1904 was the finest representation of Uncle Sam's sea soldiers that has ever been mobilized. In order to meet the requirements in organ- izing this battalion, it was necessary to select 208 Exploits of a Soldier men from the Atlantic, Kuropean, and Asiatic fleets, besides the various navy yards of the United States. The requirements of the navy department in selecting material for this detachment were: that each man must he not under five feet and eight inches m height and of military bearing, a veteran of foreign service, possessing an excellent character and a clean military record. Sev- eral months were spent in securing the neces- sary quota to complete these essential con- ditions, which, when perfected, represented not only the flower of the United States ^larine Corps, but a worthy rival for honors with the best military force ever organized. Washington, D. C, was the site of our mobilization. Every member of the bat- talion was exempt from duty, save that which tended to the arduous exhibit of mili- tary evolutions, calisthenics, and bayonet exercise. The drill in these was strenuous; five hours each day under the tutorage of a skilful drill-master soon brought the bat- talion to a state of perfection. The famous United States Marine }5and furnished the music during these drills, and the pleasure 14 200 Exploits and Adventures of a derived from this alone offset the tedium of manoeuvre. Each man was perfectly fitted by a tailor for the eight uniforms which he was required to have ; these were of blue, khaki, and white duck. Every article of his wearing apparel had to be an exact fit, from shoes to cap. Every article of equipment and all accoutre- ments were issued brand new. Flags, tents, ditty-boxes, cots, blankets, mosquito-bars, rifles, six-shooters, bayonets, belts, canteens, haversacks, toilet-sets were all fresh and new. The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, which commemorated the centennial of the purchase of the Louisiana Territory in 1803, opened April 30, 1904, and closed December 1, of the same year. The site of the IMarine Camp was near and on the west side of the Palace of Liberal Arts, lying between the Liberal Arts build- ing and the Intramural Railway, near the Government building, and north of the Tyrolean Alps, lagoons, and cascades. May 20, 1904, the day set for our depart- ure from Washington to St. Louis, was an ideal day in every respect. The Marine 210 Soldier Ashore and Afloat Band discoursed iiispirinfi" imisic, and, as the battalion of two hundred marines, under the command of Major (now Colonel) Mahoney, made their aj)pcarance on the parade-ground, the hand took a position reaching from the arcade of ^larine Head- quarters to the street. First call was sounded, followed by assembly, each marine took his place in line, the roll was called, a!i(l the battalion formed. As the stentorian voice of the i)attalion commander rang out, " Battalion, attention I liight forward, fours right! IMarch!" the ^Marine Band struck up, " Under the double eagle," as the entire column swung into Pennsylvania Avenue. All along the route to the Pennsylvania Railroad station, from sidewalks and win- dows, the battalion met with expressions of popular applause. Boarding two sections of Pullman sleepers with baggage- and din- ing-cars attached, each man adjusted him- self conforma])ly to his surroundings, with tliat decorum horn onl}' of military experi- ence. The signal given, llie train rolled out of the station, the l)and playing, " Meet me in St. Louis, Louis, meet me at the Fair." 211 Exploits and Adventures of a The men who comprised this " Guard of Honor" were tried and seasoned veterans: some had been with Dewey at the battle of ]Manila Bay, some with the American squad- ron at Santiago, while others had taken part in the Philippines insurrection, the " Boxer " campaign in China, the campaign against hostile ^loros, and the Samar expedition. Several had been awarded certificates of merit for valor by Congress, while at least one man — namely, Sergeant John Quick, " the hero of Guantanamo " — ^was distin- guished as possessing that most coveted emblem of heroism, " the Medal of Honor," which can be gained only by exceptional gallantry in action in the presence of the enemy. To these soldiers of the sea this trip was of considerable moment as regards the nov- elty thereof. Thousands of miles had been covered by land and sea by the majority, who had touched at the ports of every coun- try on the face of the globe, many of whom having served in the City of Pekin, China, as members of the Legation Guard ; so that this variation from the irksome duties aboard 212 Soldier Ashore and Afloat a man-of-war, ur the hiirnin