we could enjoy the full benefit of a nice cool breeze which was blowing.
The deck of the gunboat we thought an ideal place to spend the night. We
were very sleepy. This spot was free from mosquitoes and we were
preparing for a fine rest. Captain Grant looked out on deck at our
positions and said: "Boys, look out up there tonight. It rains here in
this country sometimes." The sky was almost cloudless and we thought
nothing of rain.

About two o'clock I awoke, thoroughly drenched, and the rain falling as
fast as I ever saw it in my life. Any one who has not seen it rain in a
hot country has an inadequate idea how hard a tropical rain really is.
My blanket was perfectly wet and the water was standing on one side of
me in a pool. It took me so by surprise that I was bewildered. Finally I
decided to leave that place and seek shelter. I wrung the water out of
my blanket and groped about in the inky darkness and went into the
engine room, where I stayed until morning. That drenching rain seemed to
affect all who were exposed to it and resulted in severe colds in every
instance. The twenty-fourth of March we were about fifteen miles from
Manila, up the Pasig river, awaiting orders. The Pasig river is deep and
wide, large steamers being able to traverse its waters. A strong under
current made swimming difficult and dangerous.

Observing some soldiers across the river at a deserted bamboo village I
decided to go over to them. I set out and swam till tired. Looking back
I discovered that I was about half way across the river. I swam until I
was almost too exhausted to raise one hand above the other. I could not
tell whether I was moving or not, except, perhaps, down stream.

I was in a critical condition, but did not give up nor get excited. Had
I done so I believe that I would have drowned. I know of about twenty
soldiers who were drowned while trying to swim across the Pasig river.

By struggling with all my strength I succeeded in getting across. I did
not know how I could get back without swimming and I decided not to try
that. I was very exhausted and rested and planned a long time. Finally I
found a piece of plank and getting on that I went across all right. This
experience was sufficient for me, and after that I never went into water
too deep to wade.

We left our river post and went into Manila. On the way down the river
we met with an accident that might have been fatal to about fifty men. A
casco had been captured in