In September, 1898, the civil governor of Pangasinán had to have an escort of troops in passing through his province. [266] On November 20, 1898, the head of the town of San Manuel wrote the provincial governor that his people could no longer support the troops quartered on them, as the adherents of the Katipúnan had burned or stolen all of their property. [267] The sum total of Blount's description of affairs in this, the most populous province of Luzón, is derived from the narrative of Messrs. Wilcox and Sargent and reads as follows:-- "In Pangasinán 'the people were all very respectful and polite and offered the hospitality of their homes.'" [268] Doubtless true, but as a summary of conditions perhaps a trifle sketchy. _Nueva Ecija_ Nueva Ecija was the next province visited by Wilcox and Sargent. They have failed to inform us that:-- "In December, 1899, certain men charged with being members of this society [Guards of Honour] were interrogated in Nueva Ecija as to their purposes. One of those questioned said:-- "'That their purpose was one day, the date being unknown to the deponent, when the Ilocanos of Batac came, to rise up in arms and kill the Tagálos, both private individuals and public employees, excepting those who agreed to the former, for the reason that honours were granted only to the Tagálos, and but few to the Ilocanos.'" [269] Blount has assured us that the Filipinos were a unit at Aguinaldo's back and were and are an united people, and here are the Ilocanos of Nueva Ecija spoiling his theory by remembering that they are Ilocanos and proposing to kill whom? Not certain individual Filipinos, who might have offended them, but the Tagálogs! That there were other troubles in Nueva Ecija is shown by the following statement:-- "On January 7, 1899, the commissioner of Aguinaldo's treasury sent to collect contributions of war in Nueva Ecija Province reported that the company stationed in San Isidro had become guerillas under command of its officers and opposed his collections, stating that they were acting in compliance with orders from higher authority." [270] And now, in following the route taken by our tourist friends, we reach Nueva Vizcaya and the Cagayan valley. CHAPTER VI Insurgent Rule in the Cagayan Valley Nueva Vizcaya is drained by the Magát River, a branch of the Cagayan. While the provinces of Isabela and Cagayan constitute the Cagayan valley proper, Blount includes Nueva Vizcaya in the territory covered by this designation, and for the purpose of this discussion I will follow his example. Especial interest attaches to the history of Insurgent rule, in the Cagayan valley, as above defined, for the reason that Blount himself served there as a judge of the court of first instance. He says: [271]-- "The writer is perhaps as familiar with the history of that Cagayan valley as almost any other American."