med his defamatory work,
pouring out a string of absurdities and infamous insults upon the
friars, going so far as to say in so many words: 'from the bishop down
you are all thieves and depraved' he added another word which it would
be shameful to write down, and so he went on from one abyss to another
without regard to reputations or the respect due to venerated persons.

"The American let his disgust be seen while Villa was talking,
and the latter understood these protests and ordered the priest to
withdraw, the comedy coming to an end by the American shaking hands
with the priest and offering him assistance. Villa would not shake
hands with him, as was natural, but the priest was able to see that
he was confused when he saw the distinction and courtesy with which
an American general had treated a helpless friar. What a narrow idea
did the Americans form of the government of Aguinaldo, represented
by men as savage and inhuman as Villa!

"The natives averred that the Americans referred to were spies who had
come to explore those provinces and were making maps of the strategic
points and principal roads, so that a very careful watch was kept upon
them and Villa took measures to have them go down the river without
landing at any place between Echague and Ilagan. At Ilagan they were
given an entertainment and dance, Villa being a skilled hand in this
sort of thing, and a few days later he accompanied them to Aparri
[288] without allowing them to set foot on land. The government of
Aguinaldo no longer had everything its own way, and secret orders
had been given to have every step of the explorers followed. The
commanding and other leading officers of the Valley, supporting the
orders of the government, circulated an order throughout the towns
which read as follows:--

"'_To All Local Officers_:

"'You will not permit any maps to be made or notes to be taken of
strategic points by Americans or foreigners; nor will you allow them
to become acquainted with the points of defence; you will endeavour
to report immediately to this Government any suspicious persons;
you will make your investigations secretly, accompanying suspected
persons and feigning that their investigations are approved, and
finally when it shall seem to you that such suspected persons have
finished their work, you will advise without loss of time, in order
that their notes may be seized.'

"Despite this order the Americans were able to inform themselves