Mr. Taft was inaugurated on July 4, 1901. Thenceforth
he exercised control over the provinces where civil government had
been established, while the military governor continued in charge
of each of the remaining provinces until it was duly organized and
transferred to civil control.
In August, 1901, the commission sailed on a tour of the remaining
northern provinces, visiting La Union, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Ilocos Norte,
Cagayan, Isabela and Zambales in the order named, and establishing
a government in each. On the trip to Abra those members of the
eommission not previously accustomed to roughing it in the islands
were given a novel experience, for we went up the Abra River on
bamboo rafts. However, a veritable ship of state had been prepared
for Governor Taft, and no one suffered any great discomfort.
At Vigan, the capital of Ilocos, we narrowly escaped drowning in the
surf when returning to our steamer. For a time our good _viray_ [466]
with some twenty oarsmen was unable to make headway through the rolling
waves. It broached to, nearly filled with water, and struck the bottom
heavily several times. Some of the men quit rowing and began to pray,
whereupon General J. F. Bell, who was sitting in the stern, rose to his
feet, and shouted at them until they became more afraid of him than of
the sea, and pulled for dear life until we were out of danger.
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