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Wednesday, Dec. 28th, 1898

Manila, Luzon Island –Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Tondo.

My underwear is wet with perspiration tonight. Did much walking today. Have just returned from the quarters of the First Battalion 1st reg’t South Dakota Vol. Inf. where I held a Salvation Army meeting in the vestibule, basement. Audience 50. Private Waterman of the command arranged preliminaries. An officer kept order for us. Landon, Amie 3d artillery, Flansberg, 13th Minn. Hines and Freeman 1st Montana & Georgeson 1st South Dakota assisted me. Authorized the latter to arrange with the Chaplain for a meeting Saturday night with the 3d Battalion South Dakotas.

Cooked breakfast. Cleaned up & then went to the post office. Pushed on to the Arsenal. Was passed thro’ the lines by a Corporal. Called on Sergeant Chic who is in charge of the ordinance department – supplies etc. Took dinner with him up on top of the South east bastion near the incline of the Castle of Santiago near the front gate. The cook of the 23d regimental brass band gave us food cheerfully. Dinner over the Sergeant conducted me down to the magazine on the point facing toward the bay & showed me where the notorious Black Holes are situated & the entrances to the horrible dungeons. He has been in them. Promised if I call again & he can find time to take me in.

Bidding Chic good-bye I walked down to the Luneta & took a Kodak of the Black Hole section of the Castle. Then followed the bay out to Malate. Ex – adjutant General Tarsney or Tarsley formerly of Colorado saw me going down Calle Real. Called me up stairs into his lodgings. Introduced me to some acquaintances of his. I mentioned to Mr. Tarsney that I tried several times verbally & by letter to learn how much I owed Mr. Nageeb Hashim the Syrian of No. 17 Calle Gandara for board & lodging – 20 days but could get no answer. Tarsney replied that he had seen Mr. Hashim this very day & that that subject came up & that Mr. Hashim referring to it said he did not intend charging me anything. Concluding Tarsney said I need not bother myself or Hashim any more on that subject.

Purchased same shells for my collection.

Wrote and copied my 7th weekly letter to Lieut-Col. Alice Lewis, New York. Mailed it.

Visitors today about 5. When I am absent from No. 2 have no way of learning the number of visitors.

Spoke to individuals personally about salvation.

The leading editorial in the “Daily Times” of this evening states that Aguinaldo has virtually retired, his peace cabinet is broken up & Senor Mabini a fire-eater is forming another.