"While spending the day with friends who have a sugar estate near Kalamba, our party was augmented by Aguinaldo, Pablo Ocampo and another ilustrado whose name I've forgotten. They had come over from Cavite, where Aguinaldo has his farm, to see this estate with its modern sugar machinery. After going over the farm very thoroughly with the party I found myself next the former General at lunch. Conversation was difficult, as he spoke no English and not very fluent Spanish. I timidly asked him in desperation of something to say, if he remembered my father. On learning that he was the first Americano General to fight him, over fifteen years before, he became most interested, and asked very warmly to be remembered. When I told him my father was also retired and settled on his little farm he was pleased and said it was the real life. I think he is sincerely a farmer and will not be lured back to the hazards of political life. He is a modest, quiet, diffident little native of the pure Filipino type. He assured me that his children were making good progress in English and were at school working hard." [15] After Mr. Taft had made his journey to Rome to arrange the friar land question, he received a remarkable ovation upon his return to the Philippines. When he was appointed Secretary of War, Manila was flooded with posters bearing the words, in various languages, "We want Taft," and such a host of petitions from influential citizens was sent to Washington that Mr. Roosevelt canceled the appointment. It was not until some time later that it was renewed and Mr. Taft left the Philippines to take his seat in the Cabinet at Washington. [16] It is difficult to realize the importance of the mestizo class in the Philippines. There are about seventy-five thousand Spanish mestizos and half a million Chinese mestizos. [17] Any one who is inclined to regret American rule in the Islands is cordially invited to read chapter sixteen in Dean Worcester's book, "The Philippines, Past and Present." [18] The cause of the pneumonic plague is so little known that it may be interesting to mention it here. The disease, it is said, is carried by marmots. It had not broken out since the fourteenth century, because Manchu hunters had for generations been taught not to kill marmots for this very reason. But in late years, with the great demand for furs, new hunters who knew nothing of this, killed the diseased marmots and so caused an epidemic. [19] The name "Bashee," originally applied to the Batan Islands, was derived from an intoxicating drink of that name made from sugar-cane and berries. It is still used very liberally, especially on all festal occasions. When Dampier's ships first touched these shores the _Bashee_ was highly regarded by these ancient mariners.