LUKBAN
timely because another of Lukban ’ s men , Abuke , was intending to burn the place a day after his arrival .
On that same day , Company F under Captain Cooke was dispatched on the steamer San Bernardino and a schooner furnished by Mr . Scott , agent of Warner , Barnes & Co ., free of charge , as he was anxious to have Catarman occupied . Major Allen , who arrived here on this date , decided to accompany the expedition . Scott believed that with the American troops in town , his company ’ s interests would be better protected against the rebels .
The group , which included Gilmore , arrived off Catarman at about 7 a . m ., the next day . The town was situated about a mile from the mouth of the river . There was no harbor , and the coast was covered with rocks , which formed reefs extending way out into the sea . The channel leading into the river was not more than 20 yards wide , with a swift current flowing through it , making it very dangerous to enter the river . On the right-hand side going in was a sand beach , while the left was all reef .
The San Bernardino , which had towed the schooner Malabon to Catarman , gave her a start for the mouth of the river , and then anchored about three-quarters of a mile from the shore , as she drew too much water to enter the river . Major Allen , who had arrived separately , and Gilmore with 7 men embarked on a rowboat and landed on the sand beach about a mile from the town . They were met by the presidente as they approached closer . There were some 200 to 300 men in the town , but very few women because they were afraid of the Americans who were rumoured to have abused women . Many of them had gone to the hills .
Catarman had a population of 9,000 and a good number of wooden houses . Its church badly needed repairs as it was in a sorry state of decay , but the convent was in an excellent condition . Hemp was the main product here . Since the troops arrived , it had been reportedly quiet in Catarman .
On their return to the boats , they found out that the schooner had been carried by the current onto the rocks on the left of the river . They anticipated that the boat would be smashed on the rocks or sunk because of them . So they got other small boats to save the ship ’ s cargo , all the company ’ s property , and the sacks of rice on board . But only 100 sacks of rice were saved , while 200 sacks went down with the schooner when it capsized .
The next morning , Gilmore and his men sailed for Laguan , leaving the company agent Mr . Gibson behind to see if the boat Malabon could be saved . According to Capt . Dey who headed the detachment at Laguan , the place was quiet . Captain Dey had , following Gilmore ’ s orders , sent
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