Mr. Thompson came today with much news. Only two white families were caught in Iloilo, Mr. and Mrs. Kerr, with two small children, and Mr. and Mrs. McCreary, whose children are in the hills with other American and British families of Iloilo.
Mr. Woods, according to Mr. Thompson, had heard that Col. H. B. Carlton of Cebu had seen Jim on Bataan and knew him and he is one who said Jim was a 2nd lieut. I shall get in touch with Col. Carlton as soon as the war is over as I think he will be a good man to help find Jim if he is sick or wounded.
Twice fresh vegetables have come up from Central. We gather at one of the nipa huts to divide them, sitting on the floor. There were four bundles of beets, three bunches of bananas, five packages shelled lima beans, three bunches parsley, four bunches white turnips, three bunches of asparagus, twenty peppers, four cucumbers, and five bunches spinach. Divided between eight households. Those who got lima beans and no spinach last week got the reverse this time. It is a great help to get these. Also, in an effort to dispose of commissary goods, a list of cases was sent from house to house and we could buy, cases only. An assortment of commodities in each case. In case 51, which I took: 17 cans fruit cocktail, 5 cans cherries, 1 niblet corn, 3 cans pineapple juice, 4 cans sliced peaches, 1 can without label. Am glad there was no bird-seed in this case. One case 14 Packages bird-seed and 10 quarts dill pickles. One member took an astounding amount of mustard and apple sauce. There were 29 cases of Campbell soup, a few cases of fruit juices (one kind), and a few cases of vegetables (one kind). All went quickly. The unlabeled can did not bother me, for our first day in camp I unpacked the first chow box with two-weeks’ supply of assorted canned goods and then during my first trip to the outhouse Beth and Clay removed labels from all cans. Since then we have no menu for a meal and when a can is opened for supper it may be pepper-pot soup, evaporated milk, or crushed pineapple. Having no refrigerator we eat at once whatever is opened.
Huge ants are lurking around opened food, one-inch black fellows with legs so long they walk high off ground. Ants evidently do not sting as children have picked them up with no ill effect. Beth is happy with the unending variety of large bugs, worms, and other live creatures infesting camp.