We left Alimit at 8 o’clock in the morning, going toward Mayaoyao. This day is a memorable one for us. We continue the march through mountains, which are higher than former ones and which present difficult ascents. Heat, hunger, and thirst give us a nauseating sickness. Excessive perspiration is wasting our energies, and our legs and knees are weak and tremulous. The ascents almost form an acute angle. Many of our soldiers faint.
When we arrived at the top of the mountain range which we saw from below, we find that there are other ascents still higher. This fact worries us, because we are already very much exhausted; but we can not stop, since, there being no vegetation on this mountain, the heat of the sun would kill us immediately.
We continue the journey in spite of these difficulties. It is 2 o’clock in the afternoon. The soldiers are crawling along on all fours and weeping. But they are afraid to stay here, and hence, notwithstanding their great suffering, they force themselves along on the march.
At 4 o’clock in the afternoon we are able to make out the settlement to which we are going. We forced the marching, and at 6 o’clock p.m. we arrive at Mayaoyao.
We have succeeded in buying rice and pork in this settlement, and so we have passed a comfortable night. But we have to eat without salt—a thing somewhat difficult for one unaccustomed to it.
We have stayed here in this settlement two days.