all the towns on their road, their intoxication
of joy taking a sudden rise when they came to believe themselves kings
of the valley. It was then that their delirium reached its brimful
measure and their treatment of those whom they had vanquished began
to be daily more cruel and inhuman. In Cagayan their fear of the
forces in Nueva Vizcaya kept them from showing such unqualifiable
excesses of cruelty and nameless barbarities, but the triumph of
the Katipunan arms in Nueva Vizcaya completely broke down the wall
of restraint which somewhat repressed those sanguinary executioners
thirsting to fatten untrammelled on the innocent blood of unarmed
and defenceless men. From that melancholy time there began an era of
unheard of outrages and barbarous scenes, unbelievable were they not
proved by evidence of every description. The savage acts committed
in Isabela by the inhuman Leyba and Villa cannot possibly be painted
true to life and in all their tragic details. The blackest hues, the
most heartrending accents, the most vigorous language and the most
fulminating anathemas would be a pale image of the truth, and our
pen cannot express with true ardour the terrifying scenes and cruel
torments brought about by such fierce chieftains on such indefensive
religious. It seems impossible that a fleshly heart could hold so
much wickedhess, for these petty chiefs were veritable monsters of
cruelty who surpassed a Nero; men who were entire strangers to noble
and humane sentiments and who in appearance having the figure of a
man were in reality tigers roaring in desperation, or mad dogs who
gnashed their teeth in fury."

On September 18 Leyba continued his march, while Villa remained
behind at Ilagan to torture the prisoners who might be brought in
from Isabela.

On arrival at Gamut, Leyba at once entered the _convento_ and as usual
immediately demanded money from the priests. Father Venancio gave
him all he had. He was nevertheless given a frightful whipping, six
persons holding him while others rained blows upon him. A determined
effort was made to force the priest to recant, and when this failed
Leyba leaped upon him, kicking and beating him. He then ordered him
thrown down face uppermost, and asked for a knife with the apparent
intention of mutilating him. He did not use the knife, however, but
instead, assisted by his followers, gave the unhappy priest another
terrific beating, even standing upon him and leaping up and down. The