The Philippines: Past and Present (Volume 1 of 2)Worcester, Dean C. (Dean Conant)
History
The Philippines: Past and Present (Volume 1 of 2)
Worcester, Dean C. (Dean Conant)
Philippines; Philippines -- History -- 1898-1946
"From the river the _convento_ could be seen profusely
illuminated and the strains of music could be heard, an
evident sign that they were engaged in revelry. This gave us
a bad start, as we came to fear that Villa had returned from
the expedition undertaken to come up with two Americans who
had crossed the Caraballo range and were thinking of coming
down as far as Aparri. It was late to announce to Villa our
arrival at Ilagan, so that we were obliged to pass the night
on the lighter. In the morning our boat was anchored in front
of the pueblo of Ilagan, where we were credibly informed that
Villa had returned. This accursed news made us begin to fear
some disagreeable incident.
"Our Matias went ashore and delivered the official
communication regarding our transfer to Villa, while we
waited impatiently for his decision. Sergeant Matias at length
returned with orders for our disembarkation; we put on the best
clothes we had and the rowers placed a broad plank between
the lighter and the arsenal and we left our floating prison
two abreast. Matias called the roll and the order to march,
we were eighty-four friars in a long column climbing the
steep ascent to Ilagan.
"When we had arrived in front of the building used for
headquarters, we faced about in front thereof, and the
first thing we saw in one of the windows were the sinister
features of Falaris, who with a thundering brow and black
look was delighting himself in the contemplation of so many
priests surrounded by bayonets and filled with misery. Any
other person but Villa would have melted on seeing such
a spectacle, which could but incite compassion. The two
American tourists were also looking on at this horrible scene
as if stupefied, but they soon withdrew in order, perhaps,
not to look upon such a painful picture. It was, indeed,
heartrending to contemplate therein old gray-haired men who
had passed their lives in apostolic work side by side with
young men who had just arrived in this ungrateful land, and
many sick who rather than men seemed to be marble statues,
who had no recourse but to stand in line, without one word
of consolation; therein figured some who wore religious garb,
others in secular dress limited to a pair of rumpled trousers
and a cast-off coat, the lack of this luxurious garment being
replaced in some instances by a native shirt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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