LUKBAN
Seeing that escape was impossible , he descended to the ground , raising his hands up and calling . “ Paz ( peace ).” His secretary and aide did likewise . On seeing his captor , Lukban greeted him : ‘’ Good afternoon . Lieutenant , I am General Lukban , and now your prisoner .’’ He then ordered his secretary Lt . Luciano R . Ortiz , to turn over his ( Lukban ’ s ) Winchester carbine and the lieutenant ’ s revolver , with about 25 rounds of ammunition apiece .
Then Strebler entered his house and took from him all his papers , but allowed no one to touch any of his property , of which he had but very little . All he had left were two suits of clothing and a pair of shoes . Everything else had been captured by Captain Jackson during the August raid of Lukban ’ s quarters in Sitio Rosario . There was nothing else in the house except about 25 pounds of rice and a few camotes ( sweet potatoes ).
According to Strebler , it was difficult day especially for the white troopers who were not used to such harsh conditions . It rained hard all day , and the waters and streams were swollen . On dry land , thousands of limatok ( small leeches ) covered the trails . The men who had no shoes suffered a lot , blood running freely from their feet where the leeches were stuck as they suck the blood of their victims and would not leave until they had their fill . But Lukban ’ s capture lightened up things . Strebler ’ s plan to capture Guevara with Lukban did not materialize as the latter was sent to the east coast by Lukban a few days earlier . He arrived at Laguan with his prized captive at around 9:30 p . m . on February 22 .
In his report , Strebler noted that his troops marched for about 124 miles to the place of capture and their return , not counting the distance travelled by launch from Tagabiran to Laguan and back , a distance of about 28 miles . He estimated the distance from Laguan to Maleju to be about 90 miles south . He had nothing but praise for his men who endured the wild and mountainous country they had traversed , with hardly any trail to speak of . He wrote that their feet were in “ no enviable condition …( but ) they never complained .” One shot fired would have brought their work to nothing as Lukban and his allies would have been alerted . ” I especially wish to recommend Sgt Pedro Lora , to whose intelligence and energy is due , more than anyone else , that I found my way across the mountains . On our last ‘ hike ’ under your command this man has shown his value ,” Strebler added . 21
Endnotes 1 http :// philippineamericanwar . webs . com / collapse1901 . htm
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