Wed. Aug. 1st

Fair in A.M. Rained in P.M. hard and had to quit early and come in. I got ahead of my two hombres and got lost; thought I never would find camp; these Filipino paths seem to all go in when it rains. Roberts came from Cadiz at night with mail. Got a letter from Boston. A telegram came from Beard appointing me topographer and ordering me to report to Hogue on Puay but Farnnham is going to keep me here. Everybody is sick in Hogue's party except the transitman.

Thurs. Aug. 2nd

Fair in A.M. Rain in P.M. Only had 43 stations to do and got into camp at noon. Worked a little in the afternoon locating the river. Transit party ran about 2 mi. Figured up month's work yesterday. We ran 49.9 mi. at a cost of $34.08 per mile.

Fri. Aug. 3rd

Ran two mi. of topog. And meandered the Guimaghou River for about a mile. Transit party struck a swamp and only ran 2000 feet. I got through and got into camp by 3:30. Rained a little in P.M. Big cloud of grasshoppers on the hacienda. There is an American ex-soldier on this hacienda working as a foreman at a peso a day.

Sat. Aug. 4th

Had any easy time. Took 1500 ft. of topog. In a swamp with water above my knees about half the day. Saw a bunch of monkeys Wrote to Andy and to Jr. Had a fine big total eclipse of the moon at night. No rain at all.

Sun. Aug. 5th

Mr. Farnham, Patsy, Weston and I went up to the saw mill above here on the river. Stopped at Gil Lopez hacienda on the way up and had refreshments. Got to the mill about ten and stayed until about 3:30. Had a good chow with napkins and a table cloth. Came back and wrote to Helen & to Boston. Mr. Hughes and a Scotchman who has been here since '91 came over in the evening and stayed all night. Fine all day and rained during the night.

Monday Aug. 6th

Stayed in camp and helped Worthington on the projected profile. I was caught up with the transit party so there was nothing for me to do in the field. Went up to the saw mill in the P.M and made me a topog. Rod. Shaved and Worthington clipped my hair for the first time since we left Iloilo. Saw some alligators in the river at night and we tied a dog on the bank and tried for a shot at them but didn't ________. Hughes and Porter came back from up river and spent the night with us again. Hot as blazes all day.

Tues. Aug. 7th

Didn't have any topography to take so staid in camp all day taking life easy. Wrote to Art Ward. Hot and fair all day.

Wed. Aug.8th

Out on the line again. Took 74 stations of the roughest country I have had yet. Pretty hot all day and no rain. Mail came in from Cady at night and I got a letter from Abbie and one from Ira written soon after Pa died. Poor dear mother it must have been hard for her.

Thurs. Aug. 9th

Pretty rough country to-day. Line in the big woods. Transit party on N-line. Having a hard time trying to get across the river on a .6 grade. Rained in the morning and hot the rest of the day.

Fri. Aug. 10th

Mr. Beard made his first visit to camp. Came down in the C.G._____.Had Brammert and tow other men with him. Brought my new assistant with him. Fair all day.

Sat. Aug. 11

Fair and hot all day. First day with an assistant and it seemed good. Took 76 sta. of topog. On M-line. Hughes came over in the evening. Got mail from home, one letter from Ma.

Sun. Aug. 12th

Hughes spent the day with us. We got paid off for June in the A.M. Hill and I went up to Faroau in the P.M. Saw Nichols. Wrote to Ma and to Abbie. Fair and hot all day.

Mon. Aug. 13th

Hot all day. Had some rough topography way up in the woods. Seems like we never would get out of this valley. We have been here two weeks to-day trying to find a way out. We thought our line to-day would carry us out but it is in good and we may have to go clear back to Cadiz.

Tues. Aug. 14th

Still looking for a line out of this cussed valley, guess we never will get out. Fair and hot all day. Out with the transit party running in some shore lines for topography. Mr. Farnham and Cooper went out ahead looking for a place to get down the ridge ahead. We may have to go back to Cadiz.

Wed. Aug. 15th

Worked half a day and got in camp in time for lunch. Transit party ran O-line and it is no go. We have got to go almost back to Cadiz and try for a crossing away below here. Fair and hot all day.

Thurs. Aug 16th

Went back pretty near to Cadiz and ran P-line crossing the river to the north of camp. Rained in the morning and all night. Got supplies from Iloilo and had a fine chow at night of mutton stew and real spuds.

Fri. Aug. 17th

Went back and ran P-line from near Cadiz. Rained some during the day and all night. Got letter from Abbie dated July 11th. Old Rosario was over at Lopez house in the morning playing cards. One of the hombres got sore on him and laid for him when he came back to camp and policed him up in great shape. Gave him a bad cut on the head.

Sat. Aug. 18th

Took a little topog down in the swamp and got into camp early. Fair day all day. Rosario pretty well banged up. We had two hombres who called themselves the municipal police over here from Cadiz. They were barefooted and carried old Springfields. They had a good feed and went back to Cadiz without doing anything.

Sunday August 19th

Went up to Faroau in the morning with Cooper and White. Fair all day. Got a bad stye on my eye so wrote only to Ma.

Mon. Aug 20th

Went back and ran some more line on the ridge back of camp. At last we are going to leave here as we move tomorrow.

Tues. August 21st

Moved camp to-day. White and I got lost, we started for camp at 2 o'clock and didn't reach it until after dark. This camp is away in the middle of the woods and it sure is a job to find it. We are camping in Hoffer's house near Buchauau's hacienda. Patsy killed a poisonous snake.

Wed Aug 22nd.

Had a long hard walk back about three miles over the line and we didn't get to work until two. Only did a mile. Rained during the day and about all night. Guess we are getting into the rainy season. Will soon be into Escalante now.

Thurs. Aug 23rd

Took 90 sta. of rough country. Transit party got lost coming in and came in after dark. Rained in the P.M.

Fri. Aug 24th

In tall grass and wild bananas all day so thick you couldn't see ten feet either side of the line. About half way between the Tamao River and Jomb-Jomb. Move to-morrow, and by Wednesday night we ought to be in Escalante. No rain to-day.

Sat. Aug. 25th

In camp at Jomb-Jomb. Moved in from Hoffer's place after work. Are living in the biggest shack in the barrio. It is a pretty place, set up on a hill right on the banks of the Damao River. The best thing about the place is that it is only four miles from Escalante.

Sun Aug. 26th

Laid around camp all day and wrote to Ma, Jo, and Poobs. Old Juan got fired for being drunk. Rained in the P.M. Rosario got back from Iloilo. Got papers but no letters or mail.

Mon. Aug. 27th

Ran two miles and quit opposite camp about a mile out. Fair all day. Not much doing.

Tues. Aug. 28th

Ran 2 1/2 miles and are almost in sight of Escalante. Ought to reach there to-morrow. Move to-morrow. Cloudy and cool all day.

Wed Aug. 29th

Escalante. Moved into Escalante. Line about two miles from the town as yet. Ran about a mile this morning and got into a swamp so went back and started a new line and White and I quit and came into camp. Got mail from the States and I got letters from Ma, Ab, Bertha, and Couley. We are living in the convent here with the padre.

Thurs. Aug. 30th

Ran about three miles and brought the line to an end on the docks at Dauao at sta 2565 +. Have a little more work around here then back to Silay. Fine day all day. Got a letter from Anderson on Cebu. They are going to start construction in September over there.

Fri. August 31st

Ran some spur lines to get topography of land for terminal, and finished up at night just as it started to rain. I still have 20 sta to take so hope it won't rain long. Roberts and Rosario went back with the pack train. Telegraph line here is out of order so we can't get word of any steamer to take us back to Silay and we may have to walk.