74
THE GREEN BAG
on the circuit so much that we missed many of the luxuries of life, among them the privilege of keeping posted on the local gossip of our home community. Under the Judiciary Act, two terms of court were held each year in each of the provinces of our district, those for the province of Ilocos Norte commencing on the first Tuesdays of January and July. In January of the year in question, 1902, returning from a trip around the circuit, we had had a very narrow escape from being lost at sea in traveling on board a small government steamer off a cape at the northwestern corner of the Island of Luzon called Cape Bojeador, situated just at the point where the China Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet, in consequence of which circumstance the waters there are as rough as they are off Cape Hatteras. So that in July following, returning home again from our trip around the circuit, we decided, if possible, to avoid Cape Bojeador by cutting across the north western corner of the island overland. This we did, and during the course of the trip t were sorry we did so. We had forty miles of land travel between us and home, that is to say, between the place at which we landed and the Provincial Capital of Ilocos Norte. It rained in torrents all the way. We had floundered painfully through some twenty-five miles of mud, on native ponies not over-fed, when a halt was called in a certain village for the purpose of resting the animals. It was indeed a weary, bedraggled, and hungry party. We had fifteen miles further to go. Horses and riders were both exhausted. After a few moments of dis consolate disgust and regret that we had not preferred to risk again the perils of an angry sea, rather than undertake the discomforts of a journey by land, sounds were heard in the distance which as they came nearer proved to be the clatter of the hoofs of quite a cavalcade. It was headed by the Governor and composed of some eight or ten of his immediate friends; they had come all this distance from the Provincial Capital to meet
and welcome us back to the province. In passing the lighthouse at Cape Bojeador some hours previous we had used a long distance military telephone connecting the lighthouse with the seat of Government, to notify our servants to set the house in order against our coming. In this way the Governor had learned of it and had come out to meet us without any knowledge on our part that he was coming. He had also brought some strong fresh horses for us which were indeed a God-send. In the party which came out to meet us was a brother of the Governor who was a priest. After an interchange of cordial greetings we mounted the fresh horses and proceeded southward at a rattling pace. After passing without any stop' through several villages which the King's Highway bisected, we halted in a town where in front of the town hall were standing some half dozen or more carriages. Into these our good friend, the Governor, thrust us, and away we went, traveling at last with a degree of comfort very grateful after the day's experience. Under such circumstances of course the imagination of the wayfarer dwelt in anticipation upon such things as dry clothes, a supper, and a comfortable bed. But no, no such good luck was in store. Upon reaching the last of the large pueblos that lay between us and Laoag, we found the whole place lit up in carnival fashion and were conducted to a spacious residence where evidently a fiesta was in progress. Here we had a most elaborate supper with speeches of welcome to which replies were necessary, and after the supper the whole night was spent in dancing and merry-making. I did manage to retire from the festal scene about three o'clock in the morning, but as the room assigned me was in the house of mirth, but little sleep was possible. Next morning we proceeded in carriages to our destination, the Governor and the judge occupying a carriage together. En route, the Governor took his fellow official into his personal confidence. He stated
