rifles and a good supply
of ammunition they set out in the darkness of the night headed for the
island of Mindanao. Ninety miles of water lay before them and their
small boat. They encountered a rough sea, lost their bearings, and
finally the boat capsized, and they lost their clothing and one gun
after a battle with the sea for three days. Instead of reaching Mindanao
they drifted on the Island of Jolo, about twenty miles from the town of
Jolo, almost starved to death. In preparing for their trip they had not
thought as much about rations as about ammunition. They fell into the
hands of the Morros, who carried them to Jolo and delivered them to the
Americans, who placed them in prison. Two of the poor fellows' feet were
blistered all over by marching over the hot sands, having lost their
shoes when the boat capsized. These two were unable to walk for some
time. They were tried and sentenced to terms of imprisonment from five
to six years. This was the common fate of all who tried to desert the
army and get away.

I was on duty on several islands and in many towns in the Philippines,
but Jolo suited me better for service as a soldier than any other place
I was in. I was on duty in Jolo for thirteen months, and know a great
deal about the place. Most all the soldiers who did service there liked
it. Sailors enjoyed their visits to Jolo. Quite a number of sailors told
me that they had been in a great many towns of the tropical countries,
but that they would rather live in Jolo than any of them. The most
undesirable feature of the town is that there are no pleasure retreats
except to go to the mountains and among the Morros, and besides, we
soldiers were confined very closely within the walls and on duty. The
town is very small. A man can walk all through in less than an hour.

I have known of recruits on going into Jolo express their delight at the
idea of doing duty in such a fine place, and wish they could stay there
the three years of service for which they had enlisted. But in less than
two months, seeing the same things every day, they wanted to get away,
and would have given anything for an opportunity to go to another post.
Everything became monotonous, and seemed somehow to be wrong.

This seemed to be the common experience of all. The town is beautifully
laid out with broad streets, which are set with beautiful shade trees
that are green winter and summer. A person can walk all over town the
hottest days and be