Philippines 3ol)tt m, C^ylor ;.-^ -."i; ^ if ■■>■:■' ^^^:^ . -^ij "'-'!■■ .I'll''/ ; C'-^ '■•:'/ r'i' ' \ ■; : ^ ♦ rVL*' ■'.•ftM'i.j ^•a-: n PIN BY ■->. J@MP Wc ™TL@!R Ex-superintendent city Schools, San Francisco ^ SAN FRANCISCO Cunningham, Cuktiss & Welch. 1899 u S /no Copyright, 1899, by John W. Taylor. n NOTE. Since my return from the Philippine Islands, in April of this year, I have been impressed by the general desire ex- hibited in this country for information regarding this new possession of ours. So many mistaken ideas prevail in regard to the Archipelago, its extent, its people, its re- sources, climate, products and possibilities, that it has seemed to me worth while to put into compact form the salient facts on all these points. I have purposely abstained from going into details regarding the forms of a government no longer, happily, to be permitted to impede the progress of that richly endowed region- — or from offering any sug- gestions as to what this country should or should not do in reference to the Philippines. Our government has already enough voluntary counsellors to involve it in hopeless con- fusion, but I have endeavored to make a clear, definite statement of the matter treated in this little book, in a manner that will be understandable by the children of our schools, whom it will now be necessary to teach much more to know something of commercial and agricultural condi- than in the past about the Philippines. At the same time it is hoped that the book may prove useful to those who wish to know something of commercial and agricultural condi- tions in the Archipelago. J. W. T. THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. CHAPTER I. HISTORIC. FIRST APPEARANCE IN HISTORY. The first his- toric mention which we have of the territory now known as the Philippine Archipelago, occurs in a record of 1509, in which year certain Portuguese navigators, re- turning from a voyage, reported having seen in the har- bor of Malacca the ships of dusky traders from some island country in the great Pacific. Not until twelve years later, however, were the islands actually dis- covered by Europeans. DISCOVERY OF THE ARCHIPELAGO. On October, 1520, the great navigator, Magellen, dis- covered the long-sought-for seaway now known as the Straits of Magellen, sailed through it, and on the 26th day of November entered the Pacific Ocean. On March i6th, 1521, with a fleet of three vessels, he reached the Ladrone Islands. Continuing their voyage, Magellen and his captains came to the Island of Min- danao, second in size of the Philippine group, and coasted along the north shore until, in Easter week, they reached the mouth of the Butuan River. Here they were kindly received by the chief of Mindanao and his subjects, who supplied them with provisions, of which they were greatly in need. The voyagers landed and celebrated mass, and shortly afterwards Magellen took formal possession of the territory in the name of the king of Spain. The fleet then proceeded north to the island of Cebu, -accompanied by the chief of Butuan. The natives of Cebu were at first inclined to be hostile, but the chief represented that the strangers were peaceful people who sought to provision their ships, upon which representation they received the travelers kindly. 6 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, MAGELLEN ENTERED INTO A TE.EATY with the people of Cebu, and undertook to help them in a war which they were carrying on with the tribes of the opposite coast. In accordance with this agreement he passed over, on the 25th of April, to the island of Mat- gan, where, in fighting for his new allies, he was fatally wounded by an arrow. THE ISLANDS WERE FIRST CALLED THE PHIL- IPPINES in the year 1543, in honor of Prince Philip of Asturias, the son of King Charles I, and afterwards King Philip II of Spain. IN THE YEAR 1570 MIGUEL LOPEZ DE LEGASPI was appointed '^Governor General of all the lands that he might be able to conquer" in these islands. Legaspi took formal possession of the entire territory, declared the city of Manila (then called by the natives Maynila) capital of the Archipelago, and proclaimed the sov- ereignty of the king of Spain. In June, 1 571 , he consti- tuted the City Council of Manila. He was, for his race and time a wise and humane man, but he died at Manila in 1572, and the record of Spain's rule in these islands during the 326 years that followed is one of cruelty and oppression, exercised in the name of law and of religion, over a docile and inoffensive people. IN THE AUTUMN OF 1762, during the war between France and Spain, on the one hand, and England on the other, the British, under Admiral Cornish and Brig- adier General Draper, invaded the Archipelago and compelled its surrender. The English remained in the islands until March 17, 1764, when Manila was evacu- ated, the King of England accepting in lieu of the Phil- ippines an indemnity equal to $4,000,000. ON MAY 1st, 1898, during the war between Spain and the United States, an American fleet, under Admiral George Dewey, entered Manila harbor and completely destroyed the Spanish fleet lying at anchor there. On the 13th day of August, of the same year, the United States having sent an army to the assistance of Admiral Dewey, an attack was made on the city of Manila, FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 7 which, after making a show of resistance, surrendered. On Saturday, December loth, 1898, at 9 o'clock, P. M., terms of peace were agreed upon between the the United States and Spain, under which Spain ceded to the United States her sovereignty in the Philippine Archipelago,acceptingin consideration for public works, buildings, etc., the sum of $20,000,000. The natives of the Philippines, being then in a state of rebellion against the rule of Spain, certain leaders among them denied the right of that country to make any transfer of sov- ereignty over them, raised an army and declared war against the incoming power. This war is not yet ended. GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION OF THE PHILIP- PINES. The Philippine Archipelago is situated in the southeast of Asia, and extends from 4^40" to 20° N. lat. and from 1 16° 40" to 126' 40' E. long. To the west and northwest lies the China Sea, separating it from China and the Indo-Chinese Peninsula. On the east is the Pacific Ocean; on the north a number of smaller islands stretch out between it and Formosa. On the south similar small islands bring it into geo- graphical- relation with Borneo, and the Celebes Sea lies between Mindanao and the island of Celebes. NUMBER AND EXTENT OF THE ISLANDS. The number of islands in the Archipelago is variously esti- mated at from 1,400 to 1,600. They have, however,, never been counted, nor have even the most important ones ever been adequately surveyed. They range in size from the merest point of land appearing above the surface of the sea, to long stretches of territory with an area of many thousands of square miles. The islands of first geographical importance are Luzon, Mindanao, Samar, Panay, Negros, Leyte, Palawan, Mindora and the Sula Archipelago. THE LARGEST ISLAND OF THE GROUP is Luzon, which lies furtherest to the north. It is 480 miles long,, and has an area of 40,982 square miles. Manila, the capital of the Archipelago, is situated on Luzon and this island naturally leads the others in points of popu- B FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES. lation and commercial importance. For purposes of government the island is divided into 23 Provinces and a number of smaller tracts called Districts or Comman- dencias. ISLANDS ADJACENT TO LUZON. In the immedi- ate vicinity of Luzon are a number of lesser islands, most of which are included in one or another of the various Provinces or Districts of the larger island. CORREGIDOR ISLAND, lying in the middle of the entrance to Manila Bay, has been, under the Spanish regime, occupied almost wholly by lighthouse employees and army and navy attaches. It is a part of the Prov- ince of Cavite, and has but one city, San Jose. MINDORO ISLAND lies directly south of the Province of Batangas, on Luzon. In the Strait of San Bernar- dino, which separates it from Luzon, are several islets. The islands of Marinduque, Tablas and Maestre de Campo lie off the east shore and belong to Mindoro Province. On the west is the Chiwa Sea, and on the south the sea of Mindoro. The population of Mindoro is something over 100,000, but the resources of the island have been but imperfectly developed. MASBATE, BURIAS, TICAO AND SIBUYAN are small islands lying south of the northern extremity of Luzon, and west and north of the Visayas group. PALAWAN AND BALABAC. On the extreme south- west of the Archipelago lie Palawan or Paragua, and Balabac. The former of these is the third in size of the entire group. The principal town, Puerta Princesa, on the east coast, has an excellent harbor, and from earliest times the Spanish had a naval station there. There are but two other towns on the island, which con- tains, all told, only about 50,000 inhabitants. Very little is known of this island. The government has always been military, and with the exception of some 5,000 Christians and about the same number of Moham- medans, the inhabitants are savages. It has an area of about 5,630 square miles. Balabac, to the south of. Palawan, is a small island of about 160 square miles. FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES. 9 There is located the penal settlement of the Archi- pelao. There are perhaps 1,000 inhabitants of the island, nearly all Mohammedans. The island Cagayan J0I6 is governed from Balabac. THE VISAYAN GROUP comprises the islands lying in the central part of the archipelago and generally spoken of as the Visayas. To their north lies Luzon, on the south Mindanao. The Visayas comprise the islands of Panay, Negros, Leyte; Samar, Cebu and Bohol, with a number of islets, which for administrative purposes are included each in the province to which it is near- est. With the Visayan group are usually classed THE CALAMIANES, a province comprising a num- ber of little isles lying between Mindora, Panay, Pala- wan and the China Sea. The island of Panay is divided into three provinces; Negros has two, and each of the other islands of the Visayan group is a single province. The area and population of the islands of the group are as follow^s : Area in Sq. Miles. Population, Calamianes 339 16,380 Samar. 5,337 200,753 Panay 4,470 1,000,000 Negros 3,090 *39^777 Cebu 1,805 504,076 Bohol 1,570 248,000 Leyte 3, 100 270,491 * Not including savages in mountains. THE ISLAND OF MINDANAO lies to the south of the Visayas. It is the second in size of the whole archipelago. But little is known of the interior of this rich region, but it is unquestionably destined to become equal in commercial importance to Luzon itself. It is the most advantageously situated of the entire group, being, save for one small district in the north, outside the track of the typhoons which periodically visit the Archipelago. With the small neighboring islands which are included in its government, it has an area of 36,450 square miles. With these islands it is divided into six lO FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, Districts, as follows: Zamboanga, Misamis, Surigao, Davao, Cottabato and Basilan. Each of these Districts has depending upon it from one to a dozen Com- mandencias. The total number of the savage population of Min- danao has never been ascertained. There are known to be in the neighborhood of 90,000 scattered among the more accessible tribes, but in the mountains and the interior valleys are still uncounted hordes. Of other peoples, the Mohammedans, who constitute the largest single body of the population on the island, number something over 150,000. Of Christians of various races there are about 208,000. The capital of Mindanao is Zamboanga, in the district of that name. THE SULU ARCHIPELAGO lies southwest of Min- danao, and is made up of several groups, the total area of which is about 775 square miles. The principal groups of the Sulu Archipelago are the Balangingi, Sulu, Tapul, Tawi Tawi, Pangutaran and Laparan, be- sides which there are a number of smaller islands. Of the Balangingis, but four are of any considerable size. The Sulu group numbers 19 islands, of which Sulu, the largest, is about 97 miles in circumference. There are 19 in the Tapul group, also, all but four being very small. The Tawi Tawis are 40 in number, the largest, Tawi Tawi, being 95 miles in circumference. The two remaining of the six groups are of but slight import- ance. Nominally subject to Spain for the past three centuries, the Sulu Archipelago is in reality ruled by a Sultan, who reigns as an absolute hereditary monarch, acknowledging the Sultan of Arabia as spiritual ruler over himself and his subjects, all of whom are Moham- medans. Of these there are known to be 100,000. The capital of the Archipelago is Sulu, or Jolo, on the island of Sulu. FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES. il CHAPTER II. THK PKOPI.K. THE NATIVE TRIBES of the Philippine Archipelago are really very little known, notwithstanding that Spain has ruled this country for more than three hundred years. Over thirty different languages and tribes are officially recognized, but besides these there are many dialects spoken in the islands, and as each mountain tribe or band of savages has its own local name, and no one has as yet undertaken a careful study of the people, a good deal of uncertainty still prevails regard- ingthem. The two principal native peoples, generally known as the Tagalos and the Visayas, inhabit respectively the northern and the central parts of the Archipelago. These are generally meant by the term Filipino, although this word applies, correctly, to all native inhabitants of the Philippines. They are not, however, the origi- nal inhabitants, but are supposed to have migrated from Madegascar to the Malay Peninsula, and finally to these islands. They are believed to have been in the Archipelago perhaps not more than a few generations when the Spaniards arrived there. At this time, how- ever, they had already driven the aborigines from the plains into the mountains. The Spaniards took posses- sion of the country and subdued the intruders, whom they called Filipinos, but have never conquered the native tribes in the hills. The government which has undertaken to direct the future of the Philippines must take up the task of civilizing and educating a horde of almost savages. It is estimated that about one-fourth of the population of the Visayas, and one-fifth of that of Luzon, have never relinquished their independence. THE NEGRITOS, as they are called by the Spanish, or the Aetas, as the Filipinos call them, are found in the mountains on nearly all the islands. They are a timid, spiritless race, in appearance resembling the natives of Africa, but much smaller. They are black, and have 12 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES. ^ curly, wool-like hair, flat noses and thick lips. The men wear a loin-cloth; the women a little skirt reach- ing to the knees. The men carry long, light lances of bamboo, and their bows are of palm-wood. In warfare they use poisoned arrows. They are agile and swift- footed, but of feeble mental powers, showing little apti- tute to learn. Even when taken young and brought up in the cities, they are very little amenable to civilization. Their methods of agriculture are quite primitive, and they live principally upon fish and the brown moun- tain rice. Their religion is a sort of spirit worship. THE IGORROTES are, physically, a finer type than the Negritos. They are much taller and very muscular, but awkward in movement and more indolent. Never- theless they are braver and more warlike, being skilled in the use of a short, broad knife, which is their favorite weapon. The Igorrotes have been particularly ill- treated by the Spanish, who made ineffectual war upon them, pillaging their homes, while at the same time they were unable to subdue the tribes by force of arms. This bad conduct gave the savages a deep hatred for all Europeans. On the island of Panay, whither many have imigrated from Luzon, they have descended to the plains to help in the resistance to American arms, and have proven formidable foemen. The men wear their hair loug, hanging to their shoulders, at the back, and cut straight across the forehead. They are copper- colored, with flat noses, high cheekbones and large frames, indicative of great strength. It is hard to say whether they are easily civilized, as no attempt has ever been made to introduce among them, or, in fact, among any of these tribes, a civilization worthy of the name. Such attempts as have been made to Christian- ize the Igorrotes have been unsuccessful. Order is maintained by the tribes, among themselves, by a rude sort of tacit-law, which makes the family of an injured or murdered man his avengers against all the kin of the offender. The people live in little hive-like huts, into which they creep on all fours, and their principal means of subsistence is hunting and fishing, although they FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES. 15 I also raise rice, sweet potatoes and some sugarcane. Both they and the Negritos sometimes raid the cattle bands of dwellers on the plains. THE GADDENES are a tribe living in the extreme northwest of Luzon, but little known, as they are wholly uncivilized. They are of very fine appearance, dark colored, well developed and of savage, warlike nature. They carry most formidable weapons, consisting of a long lance with a trident tip, and arrows pointed with numerous sharp, terrible teeth made from shell or bone. They are expert in killing fish with their lances. THE ITAVIS are a neighboring tribe to the Gaddenes, but are of lighter color, less warlike, but similar in their manner of living. Both these tribes raise some mountain rice, but live chiefly on roots, game, fish and fruit. THE TINGUI ANES are a race supposed to have descended from Japanese shipwrecked sailors who, unable to get back to their own country, took to the mountains inland from the west coast of Luzon. These Tinguianes are a fine looking people, with aquiline noses, and wear the hair in a crown-tuft, like the Japanese. They tattoo themselves and blacken their teeth, both Japan- ese characteristics. They build their huts on posts, or in trees, 60 or 70 feet from the ground, and from this vantage point they repel enemies by hurling stones upon them. They are the most intelligent of the wild tribes; in this respect they compare favorably with even the domesticated natives, usually called the Filipinos. THE MACABEBES are a very fierce and warlike tribe in the central and eastern part of Luzon. They are implacable enemies of the Spaniards and were regarded by them as a formidable foe. THE IGORROTE-CHINESE. In the latter part of 1574 a Chinese pirate named Li-ma-hong, who had made an unsuccessful attack on Manila, was forced to flee, with his junks, from the Spanish. In doing this he aban- doned a number of his soldiers whom he had sent inland to hold the attention of the enemy, while the 14 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, Chinese fleet slipped down the Pasig rivet and out to sea. These Chinese soldiers, deserted by their com- mander and left to their own resources fled, to the mountains, where they established themselves. They took wives from among the Igorrotes and from these unions sprang up in time a mixed race whose people combine the fierceness of the Igorrotes with the Mon- gol prudence and capability. They are in every way superior to the Igorrotes; many of them live in the cities or on the plains and take very kindly to civiliza- tion. OTHER MIXED RACES. There is on Luzon a race of people who are of unmistakable Plindoo origin, and who are supposed to be descended from deserters from one of the Sepoy regiments which General Draper brought to the Philippines at the time of the British invasion. These Hindoo-Filipinos are of fine bearing, sharp featured, with bright eyes and aquiline noses. They are intelligent and very industrious. It is said that they are the only natives who ever came forward voluntarily to pay the tribute that until recent years Spain exacted from all the tribes, THE TAGALOS are the inhabitants of the lowlands of Luzon. They are supposed to have come from the Malay countries and to have driven out the aborigines. They form the great mass of the "native" population, and their language has gradually encroached on the other Philippine tongues in the north. THE VISAYAS inhabit all the islands south of Luzon and north of Mindanao. In the 15th and i6th centuries they were called by the Spaniards Pintados, or ^'painted people." They were readily subdued by the Spaniards, whom they helped to conquer the Tagalos. They are by no means so agreeable in manner or character as the Tagalos; are less hospitable, and more mercenary. South of the Visayas, on Mindanao and the islands of the Sulu Archipelago, are a great many Mohammedans of Malay origin. On Mindanao are also many savage tribes, the majority of whom are unnumbered and almost wholly unknown. FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 15 CHAPTER III. PHYSICAI. GEOGRAPHY. THE TOTAL AREA OF THE PHILIPPINE ARCH- IPELAGO is about 1 14,356 square miles. The islands are nearly all of volcanic origin. Along the east coast of Negros a slow upheaval from the sea is still going on, and in many parts of the Archipelago volcanic forces are constantly active. Lake Bombon, in the southern part of Luzon, is said to have been formed (though probably not within historic times) by a vol- canic eruption which undermined a mountain 8,000 or 9,000 feet high. This lake is fed from subterranean forces, and its waters are now sweet, although accord- ing to native tradition they were once salt. Taal Vol- cano, one of the few active craters left in the archipel- ago, is situated on an island in the middle of this lake. THE PRESENCE OF CORAL REEFS along the shores, and also of raised beaches at a considerable elevation and distance inland, containing shells similar to those of the surrounding seas, points to a proba- bility that the upheaval of a large part, of the archipel- ago is of comparatively recent date. THE GEOLOGY OF THE ISLANDS is almost wholly unknown. The vegetation is so dense that geologists can only study the pebbles of the alluvium, or surface soil, without being able to form any idea of the under- lying strata. There are, also, no deep cuttings made by mining or other operations, such as help the geolo- gist to a knowledge of the rocks and soils in other countries. THE FLORA is also but little known. Few botanists have ever visited the country, but those who have, have in nearly every case been able to discover many un- classified plants. THE MINERAL WEALTH of the country cannot be questioned. Mining has always been discouraged, but there are known to be extensive coal deposits through- out the Camarines peninsula, on Luzon, which extend l6 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES. beneath the Straits of San Bernardino to the island of Samar; also on the adjacent slopes of Cebu and Negros, and probably beneath the Strait of Tafion, which sep- arates these two islands. Iron ore of fine quality and purity is found on Luzon and Mindanao, while on many of the islands occur copper, sulphur, lead, cinnabar and other minerals. Gold is found on all the islands, and it is believed by those familiar with its territory that the island of Mindanao is particularly rich in this metal. MOUNTAINS, LAKES AND RIVERS. The surface of the various islands of the archipelago is diversified by high mountain ranges, between which lie broad, fer- tile valleys, well watered by numerous rivers and lakes. THE PRINCIPAL MOUNTAIN RANGES have a ten- dency to run north and south, with a certain amount of deflection east or west, as the case may be. Most of these mountains are thickly covered with forest growths. Stately trees are there, in many instances overgrown with creeping vines and vegetable parasites bearing flowers of brilliant hue. Underneath grow ferns of mammoth size and great delicacy of beauty, while down the long slopes, where once, ages ago, flowed burning streams of lava, grow the wild banana and guava, strawberry plants and thick, luxuriant grasses. The country is particularly rich in rare and costly building timbers, and these virgin forests represent immense values. MOUNTAIN PEAKS AND VOLCANOS. The high- est mountain in the archipelago is Apo, on Mindanao^ which is 10,965 feet high. Other high peaks are: Halcon, on Marinduque, elevation 18,868 feet. Bactan '' Luzon, '' 9,185 " Banajao, '' " " 8,520 " Maquiling,^^ ** " 6,198 *' Amuyao, '' " <* 7, 500 ** Polis, " " « 7,285 *^ Asin, '' " " 6,560 *^ FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, if Madia-as,on Panay, elevation 7,150 feet. Nangtud, '' '' ** 6,720 '' Pagsan, '' Luzon '' T ^'h'^7 " Namague, '' " '' 6,590 '' Data, '' '' '' ab't 6,500 '' Besao, '' '' " '' 6,500 ** There are many other peaks upwards of 5,000 feet high. Of these a number are extinct volcanoes. Of active volcanoes there are now but a few, notably Taal, in the middle of Lake Bombon, which has the distinc- tion of being one of the lowest volcanoes in the world. The height is something over 1,000 feet. Mayon, in the province of Albay, is sometimes called Albay Vol- cano. Its height is estimated at between 8,200 and 8,400 feet. THE LARGEST LAKE IN THE ARCHIPELAGO is Laguna de Bay, or Bay Lake, a fine body of water in the Province of Laguna, on Luzon. In it is a moun- tainous island, Talim, and several islets. It is about 145 miles in circumference and is fed by numerous small streams. This lake is spreading on its south shore and gradually encroaching on the land in that direction. The Pasig River, on which the city of Man- ila is situated, is formed by the overflow from Luguna de Bay. LAKE BOMBON, in the southern part of Luzon, is of vol- canic origin. It is 11 miles wide and about 14 miles< long. It has no surface feeder?, and finds its way to the sea through the Pansipit River, which flows into the gulf of Balayau. LAKE CAGAYAN, in the extreme northeast of Luzon, is about 7 miles long and 5 miles wide. The other lakes on Luzon are hardly more than shallow mires. ON MINDORO, is Lake Nanjau, about 4 miles long and 3 miles wide. LAKES ON MINDANAO. There are several very lovely lakes on the island of Mindanao. Of these the largest is Magundanao, or Boayan, which is 20 miles long and and 12 miles wide. Lake Malavao, 18 miles from the> 1 8 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, north coast. Lakes Ligunasan and Bulnau, towards the south, unite in the rainy season to form one large body of water. These two lakes feed into the Rio Grande, which they swell considerably during the period of overflow. Besides these there is a group of four small lakes on the Agusuan River. RIVERS AND STREAMS ON LUZON. In South Caballo Mountain, near the centre of Luzon, rise two rivers, which run, one in a northerly direction, the other towards the south. These are called respectively, the Rio Grande de Cacaygan and the Rio Grande de Pam- panga. THE RIO GRANDE DE CACAYGAN runs through the great Cacaygan Valley, which it annually overflows, rendering it the richest tobacco district in the Archi- pelago. It has two principal affluents, the Chico and the Magat. The main river is 270 miles long and drains i ,250 square miles of territory ere it empties into the China Sea. THE RIO GRANDE DE PAMPANGA is 135 miles long. It waters the Pampanga Valley, with its extensive rice fields, fine plantations and many villages, and flows through about twenty mouths, into Manila Bay. THE ABRA RIVER, about 112 miles long, in the Data hills, in the central part of Luzon, runs easterly and empties into the China Sea at Vigan. THE AGUO RIVER rises in Mount Data, and empties into the Gulf of Lingayen. It is 143 miles long. THE VICOL RIVER in the Camarines peninsula, is no miles long. It rises in Lake Bats and runs into San Miguel Bay. THE PASIG RIVER is the outlet of Laguna de Bay, or Bay Lake. It is 18 miles long and having been partly dredged is navigable for light draught vessels, which sail through it to the lake. RIVERS ON MINDANAO. The largest river in the whole Archipelago is the Pulangin, or Rio Grande de Mindanao, which rises in Mt. Quimanguil. It drains lakes Bulnan and Liguasan and flows westerly to the FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 19 Celebes Sea into which it empties near Cottabato. It is 300 miles long and navigable for about 100 miles of this distance. THE AGUSAN RIVER is third in size in the Archipelago, being 252 miles long, with numerous tributaries. It rises in Mounts Magbusay and Tagapo, and flows monthly emptying into the Gulf of Butnan. THE PANAY RIVER is on the island of that name. It is 90 miles in length, rises in the central part and flows north, to the sea. Jalaur River, on the same island, is 85 miles long. It rises near Mount Baclay and empties into the sea near Colong-Colong. THE COAST of the entire Archipelago is very much broken, with reefs and shoals that render many light- houses a necessity. THE PRINCIPAL PORTS are Manila, on Luzon, Ililo on Canay, and Cebu on the island of that name. The City of Subig, in Zambales District, has a magnificent harbor, and is bound one day to be a large commercial port. THE PRINCIPAL BAYS of Luzon are Manila, which is 100 miles in circumference, Lamon,on the north coast of Tayabas District, and San Miguel, to the north of South Camarines. THE CHIEF BAYS OF MINDANAO are Macajalar, Iligan and Sindingan on the north, Illana on the southwest and Sarangani on the south. THE PRINCIPAL GULFS of the Archipelago are Lingayan on the west coast of Luzon, Casiguran, Lagonoy and Albay on the east, and Balayan and Ragay on the south. On the northwest coast of Mindanao are the Gulfs of Butuan and Panguil and on the south Sibuguey and Davao. IMPORTANT STRAITS are San Bernardino, lying be- tween the Islands of Luzon and Samar; San Juanico, between Samar and Leyte; Taiion, between Cebu and Negros and Balabac, between Balabac Island and Borneo. In most of these straits the current is swift and strong, so that navigation is somewhat difficult. 20 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES. CHAPTER IV. ANIMAI. I.IFK. THE MAMMALS native to the islands are few in num- ber, but the majority of them are species native to the Archipelago. The only one really to be feared is the wild buffalo, which here, as elsewhere, is fierce and un- tamable. The natives do not hunt him much, but he affords capital sport for the European hunter, and the flesh is said to be very good eating. There is' also a domesticated buffalo in the islands, which is the sole available beast for draught or heavy burden. WILD PIGS are abundant, and hunting the wild boar is a favorite sport on all the islands. 1 hese pigs are sup- posed to have descended from animals brought over in very early days by the Chinese. DEER. There are three varieties of deer. One of these is the chevrotain, or mouse deer, a pretty little creature smaller than the domestic cat. This is found chiefly in Bataan, on Luzon. Of the others, one variety, Cervus Philippensis, belongs exclusively to these islands. CIVETS AND CATS. There are two varieties of civets and one wild cat in the islands. The natives make a musk-like perfume from the peculiar secretion of the civet, and esteem it very highly. The odor of this per- fume is one of the characteristic smells which new- comers in Manila notice. liODENTS are few, two or three varieties of rats, a few squirrels and a porcupine making up the number. MONKEYS, ETC. One monkey (Chongo of the Tagols) is found on all the islands, and on Mindanao is a pure white monkey (not an albino), specimens of which are sometimes to be seen in captivity in Manila. There is a flying lemur in the Archipelago, and also in several of the islands, another curious little member of the lemur tribe — the tarsier, smaller than a small squirrel, with very large eyes and ears, a tufted tail and long feet. It is somewhat rare, and inhabits the deep for- ests, where it feeds on insects and small lizards. Bats abound in all the islands. ^ FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 21 REPTILES. Alligators are common in many of the lakes and rivers, and one large variety of boa constrictor in- habits the islands. This creature, however, is becom- ing rare, as it is constantly hunted by the natives, who, as well as some Europeans, esteem its flesh a deli- cacy, while the hide makes the best sort of leather for sword sheaths, etc. The constrictor is also in great demand for musuems,for which purpose large numbers have been sent from the country; so that the creature is being exterminated. Turtles and tortoises abound, and there are various kinds of lizards, one of which, the Chacon, is a welcome guest in houses, where its presence means death to the various insect pests that frequent dwellings. There are many snakes, two of which are poisonous. One of these is a small variety which lives in the rice fields. Unless immediately cauterized its bite is deadly. FISH of many varieties and of excellent food quality abound in the ocean and in the inland waters of the Archi- pelago. A visit to the fish market of Manila is always interesting to the traveler in the islands, as fish are to be seen there of most remarkable form and vivid and beautiful coloring. Some of the shell fish, of which there is a great variety, reach an enormous size. The ''tacloba shell," so often used there for baptismal fonts, sometimes weighs as much as 200 pounds. There are said to be sea serpents in Manila Bay, and sharks were at one time abundant, but these have been so hunted for the back fin, which is esteemed a great delicacy by many Oriental peoples, that they have almost entirely disappeared. Most of those now caught there are brought in by the currents from the Chinese coast. INSECTS. Ants are abundant and troublesome in the islands, as is also the termite, popularly called "the white ant," although it is not an ant at all . It is very destructive to woods, almost no variety withstanding its powerful jaws. They have been known to destroy in a single season the woodwork of a whole building. Roof timbers and walls of houses in Manila are period- 22 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, ically examined to ensure safety from this dangerous pest, as neglect of this precaution may lead to the sud- den and disastrous fall of a roof. Houses of the better class are constructed of such hard woods as are known by experience to be least attractive to these ravenous termites. Mosquitos and cockroaches are plentiful, but have a destructive foe in the little Chacon lizard and a newt that frequents houses. House flies are rare. There are many fireflies and glow worms, which come forth at night and often afford a beautiful sight to the beholder. A whole swarm of fireflies will sometimes infest a single tree, causing the European observer to entertain vivid memories of the Christmas trees of his childhood. Butterflies are exceedingly numerous in the islands, and most of them are of rare beauty and brilliance of coloring. BIRDS. There are estimated to be between 300 and 400 varities of birds in the Archipelago, 151 varieties of which are peculiar to the country. Many of the others belong alike to Australia and to India, but most of the varieties that belong to the Malay countries are absent from the Philippines. In Sulu and on Palawan are many varieties found also in Borneo, while some in the Sulu Archipelago are found only there. There are many canaries; mocking birds are plentiful; the pathetic-appearing '^ pigeon of the crucifixion," its breast splashed with crimson until it looks like a bleed- ing wound, is constantly seen. Many large birds of the eagle and hawk families abound, and brilliant hued parrots and white cockatoos are as great a source of annoyance to the farmer as the blackbirds and crows are to our agriculturists. Parrots sell in Manila for a few cents. During the mating season the woods are hideous with their clamoring. There are many other bright plumaged birds, notably several peculiar varie- ties of woodpecker, and a hornbill that belongs alone to these islands. Ducks of many sorts are plentiful, but the chief and best gamebird of the country is the jungle fowl. If ACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 23 CHAPTER IV. THK SULU ARCHIPKI.AGO. EARLY SETTLEMENT. In the first part of the i6th century, Paguian Tindig, a chief of Borneo, on account of family quarrels, left that country, with a band of warriors, and settled, first, on the island of Basilan. Afterwards Tindig, leaving his cousin Adasaolan on Basilan, went with his followers to the island of Sulu. Here Tindig established his sultanate throughout the six groups of small islands, now known as the Sulu Archipelago. These, with the island of Basilan, really constitute a continuation of the large island of Minda- nao Adasaolan continued to reign over Basilan until^ moved by ambition, he took up arms against his cousin and undertook to conquer the Sulu Archipelago. In the battle between his forces and those of the Sultan, Tin- dig, the latter was killed. The victor, however, instead of establishing his sway over Sulu, went back to Basilan^ and Rajah Bongso reigned in Tindig's stead. THE MOHAMMEDAN RELIGION haJ sometime pre- vious been introduced into Mindanao by Arabian mis- sionaries. Adasaolan married a daughter of the king- of Mindanao, and embraced the faith, which he after- wards introduced into Sulu. In course of time it spread throughout the Archipelago, and at the present time there are, in the six groups, about 100,000 Mohamme- dans, with more than twice that number on Mindanas, and several thousands on the island of Palawan. Over all these the Sultan of Sulu has sovereignty. Although nominally a vassal of Spain, he is practically an inde- pendent ruler, Spain's sovereignty never having been more than a name. It is probably owing, in a measure, to the fact that, unlike the Filipinos, these people of the south had a deep-rooted religious faith not easy to be shaken, and,, in still larger measure, to their own fierce, warlike natures and their indifference to pain, even to death itself, that they have never been really conquered by the Spaniards. 34 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, MOHAMMEDAN PIRACY. In the early part of their conquest of the Philippines, the Spaniards made some attempt to control the Mohammedans in the south. They only succeeded, however, in stirring them up to take vengeance, and for nearly three hundred years after, the Mohammedans harried the coasts of all the islands, going, even up to nearly the middle of the pres- ent century, as far north as Manila, laying waste the villages of the coast, sacking and burning large towns, driving the inhabitants into the interior and carrying off thousands, both Spanish and native, into slavery. They destroyed commerce and greatly retarded the development of the islands. There are still living, to- day, people in Manila, who know what it is to have been carried as slaves to the Sulu Archipelago. DESTRUCTION OF PIRACY. In i860, Spain sent out a fleet of 19 gunboats against the pirates and suc- ceeded in checking their depredations. Since then, by the aid of modern machinery of war, she has in some measure made good her claim to dominion over the Sulu Archipelago. A few places in that region have been garrisoned, but in 1890, Mr. John Foreman, of the Royal Geographical Society of England, who has made an exhaustive study of the Philippine Archi- pelago, wrote : *Tt is at great sacrifice that the Spanish can retain. '* the little possession which they have in the south, *' and frequent acts of violence are still perpetrated on *' them by the turbulent Musselmans, who virtually ** refuse to recognize other rights than those of their " Sultans, to whom they give allegiance. Indeed, it may ** be unhesitatingly asserted that the Spaniards hold no " more domain in Mindanao and the Sultanate of Sulu " than that of a day's march from their respective garri- " sons ; and in Mindanao in particular, not one-hundredth " part of the territory." THE PEOPLE OF SULU ARCHIPELAGO are by far the most prepossessing of the native races in the Philippines. They, in particular the women, dress with more taste than the women among even the Chris- eir I FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES. 25 ^■p tian natives. They are fond of bright colors, notably ^^\^ green, and scarlet, and wear these a great deal. Their B dress consists of baggy trousers with a very tight ■ bodice that shows the figure to advantage, and over ■ these the jabul, a long strip of cloth which protects the ■ head and is wrapped about the body. The long end of the jabul, which would otherwise reach the feet, is usually tucked up under one arm. They wear much jewelry and coil the hair at the top of the head. They have very attractive features. THE DRESS OF THE MEN is a very close fitting coat, something like an Eton jacket, reaching to the hips, and very tight trousers, with a great many bright buttons up the outside seams. The hair is worn in a sort of chignon at the back of the neck, and all, but in par- ticular the chiefs, are fond of adornment. The men, like the women, are of fine appearance; fierce- natured, sober and of abstemious habits. Every male above the age of 16 years is liable to military duty, and is obliged by law to carry a kris, a cutting blade, usually as long as a short sword, with a fluted, or waved edge. THE LANGUAGE OF THESE MALAY MOHAM- MEDANS is derived from the Sanscrit, with an ad- mixture of Arabic and some Hindoo words of an origin so ancient that it is said that they were already dis- appearing from Hindoo speech in the time of Buddha. It is not known how these words found their way into use among the people of Sulu and Mindanao. THE SULTANATE is hereditary under the Salic law. The Sultan has three ministers, of whom one acts as regent in his absence (as if he should make the pil- grimage to Mecca). The second is Minister of War; the third Minister of Justice and Master of Ceremonies. There are many chiefs, called Dattos, and sub-rulers called Caciques. The priests, both here and on Mindanao, are called Pandita's. THE CAPITAL OF THE ARCHIPELAGO is Sulu, or J0I6, on the island of Sulu. It is picturesquely located, and a very charming city of about 1,500 inhabitants. L^ 26 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, It has fine parks and attractive streets. The sanitary arrangement of the city is so good that it has the repu- tation of being one of the healthiest towns in the world. The water supply is excellent. The city is surrounded on the land side, by a wall, loop-holed for defense. Outside are two forts while within the walls are two others, besides two strong redoubts. MANUFACTURE OF ARMS. Many of these people are skilled artificers, who make most of the arms carried by the warriors. They also make some bronze cannon the copper for which is mined in the Archipelago. CHAPTER VI. THK CLIMATK. THE GENERAL CHARACTER of the climate of the Philippines is tropical, but owing to the extent of the country, and to its position, a very wide range of tem- perature and local conditions is to be observed. THE SEASONS. Generally speaking, there are three seasons, cold, hot and wet. The first begins usually about the first of November, and lasts until the end of February. The temperature then is delightful; the air balmy and springlike, with northerly winds, a clear sky and bracing atmosphere. Fires are not needed, but in the cool of the morning flannels are comfortable. The hot season begins about March ist, and lasts to until June. The heat is very oppressive before the begin- ning of the southerly monsoons, and in May and June there are thunderstorms and typhoons. During July, August, September and October it rains the greater part of the time, the lakes rise, rivers overflow and much low country is flooded. TEMPERATURE RECORDS. The following records of temperature, kept for the whole Archipelago, at the Manila observatory, show the mean temperature and FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 27 rainfall at points throughout the Archipelago, during the three seasons of each year from 1870 to 1877: Manila HOT COLD WET ^Mean temperature 72°32°' 87°26" 84°S6' (Rainfall (inches) 8.65 10.47 36.01 ^ , (Mean temperature 75° 2" 86°23" 7S°86" ^ " " < Rainfall (inches) 12.54 9,29 26.90 ^ (Mean temperature 86^90" 8870" 87°ii'' iJavao ^Rainfall (inches) 16.53 39.27 32-57 ^ , (Mean temperature 8i°98" 88°7o" 87°! i'' ^"^" ' ^Rainfall (inches) 15.74 33-85 35-43 It is always warm in Manila, and through the middle of the day the heat, in the sun, is oppressive, but 50 miles from the city, in a straight line, frost may be found eight months in the year. The climate of the Archipelago is mild and salubrious. The wind that sweeps the islands is purified, ere it reaches them, by passing over hundreds of miles of ocean. There are no endemic diseases, although the natives, like the American Indians, and, indeed, most but partly civi- lized peoples are liable to and extremely susceptible to smallpox. Consumption is almost unknown, and, given good sanitary conditions, the country should be one of the m.ost healthful in the world. TYPHOONS, STORMS AND E A.RTHQUAKES. With the exception of Mindanao, the islands lie within the track of the typhoons which sweep these seas. At least once a year the city of Manila is visited by a storm of this nature. In some years they have done great damage, destroying shipping, unroofing houses, even blowing over such as are built of wood. At different times the country has been visited by earthquakes. As a rule, however, these are so slight as scarcely to be noticed. The most serious one of this century occurred in June, 1863, when, in the space of one-half moment 28 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES. in the city of Manila alone, many people were injured and much property destroyed. There are no endemic diseases in the islands, such as most tropical countries are subject to. Dysentery^ smallpox and fevers are the most common maladies, together with certain cutaneous diseases, as leprosy. In places along the seacoast the thermometer seldom rises above 97° F. A good breeze, cool and refreshing usu- ally springs up at night. .n CHAPTER VI. CITIES AND TOWNS. MANILA, the capital of the Philippines, was established as such by Legaspi, in the year 1571. The city was laid out in accordance with his ideas, and in 1590 the walls were built. In course of time many small towns grew up about the walled city, coming at last so close to its very gates as to form with it one continuous city. There are eight gates to the walled city, but since the middle of the present century these have never been closed. The walls are surrounded by a moat, and there are drawbridges which, however are never raised. Within the walls are all the principal government offices, the archbishop's palace, the cathedral, a fine, massive edifice that has been three times destroyed by earth- quake and as often rebuilt. Besides it, there are, in the walled city, a number of other churches, as well as monasteries and convents. Manila and its surrounding suburbs constitute in reality one city of about 300,000 inhabitants. The old city, Manila proper, is called by the Spanish and foreigners "The Walled City;'' only the natives ever speak of it as Manila, which name ap- plies in general to the whole capital. Some of the suburbs have in fact surpassed the ancient town in growth. The district of Binondo is really the business centre of the city; here are all the commercial houses, FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 29 foreign and domestic, and here centres the shipping and mercantile interest of the Archipelago. Tondo district, to the north of Binondo, is where the natives have their homes, mostly mere huts of bamboo roofed with thatch of nipa palm leaves. San Miguel and San Sebastian districts are the more aristocratic residence portions of the city. Here are many fine houses, sur- rounded by beautiful gardens. The other suburbs are San Jose, Santa Cruz, Sampaloc, Duiapa La Ermita and Paco. The water supply at Manila is excellent. The city owns the waterworks, the pumping station of which is situated about 8 miles from town. The establishment for all time of this fine supply is due to the foresight and generosity of a former Governor-General, Carriedo,. who, on his death, in 1743, left a fund for the establish- ment and maintainance of public waterworks. The city lies on both sides of the Pasig River, across which has been built three bridges, one a suspension bridge,, while the Ayala bridge and the famous " Bridge of Spain '' are of stone. The last named bridge connects Binondo with the walled city, and across it, from day- • light until midnight, passes a continuous stream of traffic, making it, at any time during the day, a scene of great and noisy activity. PUBLIC CHARITIES AND INSTITUTIONS. There are several good hospitals in Manila, the Hospital Civil,, the Hospicio de San Jose and the leper hospital of St. Lazarus. This contains about 150 patients. It was established in 1633, for the accommodation of a com- pany of over a hundred lepers, who were sent in a junk to Manila by the Emperor of Japan, who, outraged by the persistent efforts of the San Franciscans of the islands to force their w^ay into Japan, caused all Chris- tians to be expelled from his country. The monks from the Philippines having peculiarly exasperated him by entering the country under false colors, he caused many of them taken there to be executed, and afterwards, in derision, sent his junk load of poor lepers to Manila as a present to the monks, sending at the same time a let- r ^o FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES. ter explaining that he understood them to be specially- devoted to such sufferers. The first impulse of the Spaniards was to sink the junk by firing upon it, but the unfortunates were finally received, a shed being built for them on the site where the fine St. Lazarus Hospital now stands. SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES exist at Manila which make what provision there is for higher education. In- struction in these includes navigation, drawing, paint- ing bookkeeping, languages, history, arts and trades, etc. There is also a school of agriculture, with branch schools and model farms in ten Provinces. The edu- cational institutions of the islands are wholly under control of the monks and priests. There are also schools and colleges at Cebu,and Jaco (Yloilo Province, on Panay). The '* University of St. Thomas," in Man- ila issues diplomas in law, medicine, theology and phar- macy, and confers the degree of L.L.D. There are also primary schools and two Normal schools in the islands, besides one at Manila, under the charge of the St. Augustine Sisterhood. The Jesuits have a good astro- nomical observatory at Manila, and throughout the country are fifty-two private schools. There are three telegraph lines centering at Manila. The total number of telegraph stations on Luzon is 57. The submarine cable reaches Luzon at Bolinas, whence a wire connects it with Manila. TRANSPORTATION. A tramway extends from Manila to Malabon, 4)^ miles distant, and a railway runs from Manila to Dagupan, a distance of 122 miles. Vessels leave Manila daily for ports on Luzon, and weekly for inter-island ports. ARCHITECTURE. The buildings of Manila are erected to withstand, so far as possible, the action of earth- quakes and typhoons. Many of the more modern ones are of timber, covered with corrugated iron. Most of the roofs are of this material, so much fatality hav- ing, in years past, resulted from the falling of the heavy tile roofs first used by the Spaniards. The older build- ings have massive walls, sometimes many feet in thick- FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES. 31 ness, while owing to the depredations of the white ant, which eats its way through the woodwork. What timbers are used are of hard wood of extraordinary thickness. Iron stairs, balconies, railings and sills are now coming into use instead of wood, in Manila, The homes are for the most part built in the Spanish manner, around an open court. The ground floor is usually of stone, and is used as quarters for the animals and domestics of the household* The upper story is of somewhat lighter structure, with many windows, which are left open as much as possible. In this upper story the fam- ily resides. In the suburbs are many wooden houses with roofs of thatch, while the homes of the natives are tiny huts, raised upon stilted foundations, built of bam- boo, which resists the ants, with roofs of nipa palm leaves, used as thatch. THE DRESS OF PEOPLE IN MANILA is such as the climate renders necessary. The men wear clothing of white drill, Japanese crepe, nankeen or the thin native fabrics. The poorer natives and the Chinese coolies go about wearing only the loin cloth, or short trousers reaching to the knee, but, as the population is in the broadest sense cosmopolitan, almost any variety of attire is to be seen on the streets of the city. Ladies do not often appear in the street, except in carriages, as it is contrary to etiquette. The native women wear skirts of white, red or green, with a low chemisette of white; they cover the head with a mantilla of thin stuff and wear the quaint little Japanese sandals on their bare feet. Market-women wear a short skirt and the serong, a strip of cloth corresponding to the juba, of Sulu. The Visayan women also wear the serong. From noon until about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, very little business is done, and nearly the entire pop- ulation **sleeps the siesta," the phrase used with regard to the long daytime sleep indulged in by people in the tropics. OTHER CITIES ON LUZON. Besides Manila there are, on the island of Luzon, the following cities with upwards of 10,000 inhabitants. 32 FACTS ABOU r THE PHILIPPINES. NORTH ILOCOS PROVINCE. City. Population. Lasag (capital) , 36,917 Batac 17,522 Bacarra 13,528 San Nicolas ...11 ,000 SOUTH ILOCOS PROVINCE. Vigan (capital) 11 ,459 Narvacan 14)967 Candong 15,765 Santa Maria 10,000 CACAYGAN PROVINCE. Tuguegarao (capital) 17,178 UNION PROVINCE. San Fernando (capital) 1 1,5^7 Balaoang 10,874 Agoo 1 2,000 Tubao 12 ,000 ISABELA PROVINCE. Ilagan (capital) 11,105 Cabagan 10,000 PANGASINAN PROVINCE. Lingayan (capital) 17,612 San Carlos 26,000 Dagupan 10,932 Binnialey ^l^7^7 Calasiao 1 2,3 19 Malasiqui 10,834 Several others of 10,000 or more inhabitants in this Province. NEW ECIJA. Gapan 20,000 TARLAC PROVINCE. Tarlac (capital) 10,000 Concepcion 10,000 Victoria 1 1,190 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 33 PAMPANGA PROVINCE. City, Population. Macabebe 19,472 Candava I3>I3S Lubao 20,498 Mexico 16,639 BULACAN PROVINCE. Bulacan (capital) 14,000 Balinag 15 ,000 San Miguel de Mayunio 20,418 CAVITE PROVINCE. Indan 13 ,008 Bacoor 14,000 Imus 14,000 San Roque 10,692 LAGUNA PROVINCE. Santa Cruz (capital) 1 3 1656 Binan 1 5,5 12 Calamba .11 ,597 BATANGAS PROVINCE Batangas (capital) 37,35o Villa de Lipa 38,701 Banang 38,416 Taal .-.33 ,000 Several others exceeding 20,000 population. TAYABAS PROVINCE. Tayabas (capital) 15,912 Lucban 12,200 NORTH CAMARINES. Daet (capital) ...11 ,640 SOUTH CAMARINES. Libmanan 14,603 Nabua 16,572 Iriga 14,074 LofC, 34 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, ALBAY PROVINCE. City. Population. Albay (capital) 10,587 Tabaco 18,142 Cagsaua 20,263 Camalig 1 7 ,2 1 7 Gumobatan 18,889 Ligao 17,849 Several others with 10,000 inhabitants. CITY MANILA PROVINCE. Manila (capital) 300,000 Malabon 20,000 Pasig 20,000 CITIES OF 10,000 OR MORE ON OTHER ISLANDS. City. Location. Population. Cuyo, Cuyo Island, Calamianes (capital).. . 11,526 Calbayog Island of Samar 33,872 Basay ... <• <* 13,628 Guinan ** ** 1 1*325 Catarman ** ** 10,779 Jaro Iloilo Province, Panay J 2,848 1 Janiuay . Miagao ** Cabatnan ** Pototan " Santa Barbara.. *' Oton *« Tigbauan ** San Joaquin.. . . ** Passi Dumangas ** Capiz Ccapital) Capiz Panay " Batan «* Calivo . ** Bajay ** Sibaton Antique Pandan ** Bugason ** . . . .20,225 20,437 18,499 .... 14,063 . . . . 17,000 . . I each . . <; about . . I 13,000 . . . .22,000 ....17,287 .. . .13,000 . . . .13,000 13,000 14,410 ... .13,497 16,949 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 35 City. Location. Population. Bacolod, West Negros Province, Negros 10,369 Minutuan " << « 11,284 Jimaylan <* " *« 1 1,521 Bago " « " 10,580 Savaria " ** " I7,759 Silay " " " 13,621 Dumaguete (capital) East Negros P., " 13,839 Tanjay " " '' ii,54i Cebu (capital) Island of Cebu ........ 14,099 Argao . " " 30,926 Carcar " " 3 1 ,72 1 San Nicolas. . . " " 20,258 Daluguete " " 19,429 Sibonga " " 23,516 Several others with to exceed 10,000. Loboc Island of Bohol 10,827 Jagna " " 12,683 Maribajoc .... " «• 10,682 Loon " " 15,391 Tubigon " " 1 6,7 1 3 Palo Island of Leyte 1 8,343 Tananan " " 1 8,468 Dagami " " 23,905 Ormoc " '' 17,152 Boranen " " 1 5,548 Maasin " " 16,682 Baybay " " 17,058 Zamboanga (capital) Zambo ,nga District, Mindanao 10,000 Cacaygan de Misamis (capital) Misamis District, Mindanao 11 ,029 Balinsagag, Misamis District, Mindanao. . .11,491 Butuan, Surigao *' ** 10,876 Cantilan, '' " ** 10,576 36 I^ACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, CHAPTER VIII. THE FORESTS. THE PRIMEVAL FOREST of the Philippines still clothes the mountain slopes and spreads out through the valleys, everywhere in the islands. The restrictive policy of the Spanish has been such that but little timber, comparatively speaking, has ever been ex- ported, and, as iron is largely superceding wood as a building material in the ant-ridden islands themselves, the mighty forests are practically untouched. There grow, as in the north of Luzon, many trees indigenous to European soils, as oaks, cedars, etc., but besides these are vast numbers of trees from which must come, in future years, the fine building woods of the world. MANY TREES OF THE HIGHEST COMMERCIAL usefulness grow on the island of Mindanao alone. There grow giant mahogany trees, yielding wood as deep and rich in color as that of San Domingo ; the rubber tree and the tree from which gutta percha is obtained, both flourish there ; there is the bansalague tree, from which spikes and bolts are made that can be driven through other hard woods. The lanan tree is a native of the country. Its light easily worked wood cannot be split, and the Spaniards use it for the sheathing of ships. The molan tree, called by the natives ** the queen of the forest," yields wood which resists the action of the sea and of the toredo. The bejuca vine, a natural rope of great strength and pliability, grows here to a length of about loo feet, with a diameter of an inch. The cotton tree grows wild throughout the Archipelago, and the bamboo, of universal usefulness and great beauty, is found everywhere. Rafts, furniture, houses, roofs, scaffolding, baskets, hats, cups, spoons, nearly everything of household and industrial use, can be made from the bamboo, and the natives even make a very nice salad of the leaves. Bogo is another very useful cane, and the sapan tree furnishes the crimson FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 37 dye, for the making of which it is exported in large quantities. These forests have the acle tree, the wood of which is almost incombustible; the antipolo, which once sea- soned, does not warp, resists the seaworm and is use- ful for keels and outside planking of ships; the batiti- nan, a stronger wood than teak, for which it is a good substitute; the dungon, called ironwood, which gives logs of immense strength, ebony, lante, useful for cabi- net work, the making of musical instruments and de- lightful for the wood carvers' use, and mancono, a variety of lignum vitae. Once these woods are well- known there will be a steady demand for all of the 50 or more varieties which the island forests yield. CHAPTER IX. AGRICUI.TURK A.ND FOOD PRODUCTS. THE STAPLE FOOD of the natives in the Philippines is rice. Besides this the plants of primary commercial value are tobacco, manila-hemp, sugar cane, coffee and cocoa. THE BEST TOBACCO is grown in the Cacaygan Valley, on the island of Luzon. The annual production here amounts to 350,000 bales. It is, however, grown in many other of the provinces of Luzon, and in fact, to some extent, on all the islands of the Archipelago. COFFEE GROWING has only been followed there since the beginning of the present century, but the plant has thriven remarkably well in the islands. While there is but one annual crop, as against several, in other coffee raising countries, the shrubs, or trees, attain great vigor of growth and a remarkable age. The average usefulness of a coffee-tree is about 25 years, but in these islands there are trees in vigorous bearing that were among the original plants first brought there, some 90 zL 38 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, years since, while others are known to have survived two or three generations of planters. The best coffee from the islands is grown in the Provinces of Batangas, Laguna and Cavite, on Luzon. THE COCOA TREE flourishes in hot, damp districts, but here, as elsewhere, the industry is somewhat precarious, as the crop is subject to many dangers. A heavy storm may destroy a whole season's fruit; or disease attack the roots and kill out an entire plantation. It is gen- erally regarded as an adjunct to other crops. The cocoa from the Philippines is of excellent quality. SUGAR-CANE PLANTATIONS are to be found through- out the Archipelago, but the island of Negros has the finest soil for raising sugar-cane. The sugar from Ne- gros and Panay is very largely shipped to the United States, but the bulk of the sugar crop of the Philip- pines goes to China. It is all shipped raw, the refined product scarcely being enough to supply the home de- mand. COCOA-NUT PLANTATIONS are a characteristic feature of the Philippine landscape, and the cultivation of cocoanut trees is one of the most profitable indus- tries in the country. At seven years' growth the cocoa- nut-palm seldom fails, it is sa d, to yield an unvarying crop of 20 large nuts monthly. Cocoanut-oil is used everywhere in the Archipelago, for lighting, and, when fresh, for cooking. Cocoanuts, cut in half, are used by the natives for cleaning floors; they give a high polish to hardwood floors. The milk of the cocoanut is very refreshing and quenches the thirst without heating the blood. On every cocoanut plantation some trees are set apart for the extraction of tuba, a favorite native beverage, procured by tapping the tree and catching the juice in vessels set for the purpose. The tuba is collected every 24 hours, and used fresh. If allowed to ferment it is not so palatable, and becomes intoxica- ting. The fermented juice is distilled into the familiar cocoa wine of commerce. Trees from which tuba is extracted do not bear fruit. » FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 39 ON THE ISLAND OF LUZON considerable attention has been paid to raising vegetables for the Manila mar- ket, and besides the products peculiar to the country, fine onions, tomatos, beans, peas, corn, peanuts and watermelons are raised. NATIVE PRODUCTS OF THE SOIL. The camote, or yam, grows wild in all the islands; also the gabi, an esculent root resembling the turnip. The mami, or mon- key-nut, and the areca nut, which, split in slices about one-eighth of an inch thick, are wrapped in leaves of the buyo tree, (piper betel) and then make the famous " betel nut" chewed by the natives of India, and other Asiatic countries. The pineapple is very generally cul- tivated for the sake of the fibre, from which pina-cloth is made, but the natives do not eat the fruit as it is con- sidered dangerous. Oranges grow on Luzon and Min- danao, several varieties of lemons, and the Philippine mangoes are the finest known. The nutmeg tree grows on Palawan and cinnamon on Mindanao, while chillies, ginger and vanilla grow wild on many of the islands. The sago palm flourishes, and large quantities of honey are to be found throughout the forests. Guavas grow wild on the hills, tamarinds and shaddocks, the bread fruit and mangosteen, loquats, lanzons, and, on Minda- nao, the durien, a tree which bears every twenty years, a fruit as large as a pineapple, snowy, luscious and re- freshing, but with an odor resembling that of strong, old cheese. On many of the islands is much fine graz- ing land, and large herds of cattle are pastured over them. The small, hardy ponies of the country are exceedingly serviceable. The cariboa, or native buffalo fills the place of European and American herds. Owing to the conditions that have prevailed in the islands for the past three centuries, agriculture, like commerce, is greatly retarded. On the west side of Negros many Europeans have settled, and these have introduced modern methods and much modern machinery, but elsewhere in the Archipelago, methods are of the most primitive, and the sugar mills and other machinery such as were introduced by the Chinese a 40 FACTS ABOCT THE PHILIPPINES, great many \ ears ago. The Igorrotes are good agri- culturists, as are the Tuiguianes, but only a very small proportion of the arable land of the country is under cultivation. EDIBLE BIRDS NESTS considered a great delicacy by the Chinese, who pay high prices for them, are found in the Calamianes. The bird making this nest is the sea swallow. The nests resemble vermicelli, with reddish spots. The natives climb for them to dangerous heights among the rocks. When a nest is taken the birds construct another, which is also secured, where- upon a third is built, which is not usually considered worth taking, and in which at last the young brood is reared. As the birds build among the wet cliffs, in the more inaccessible places. Hunting these nests is a dangerous occupation. CHAPTER X. COMMERCK AND MANUFACTURES. THE SPANISH have never been a commercial people and for this reason Spain has not, in the whole course of her history, made any attempt to develop the natural resources of her colonies. Her policy has been rather to restrict and hinder commercial enterprise in her dependencies, while at the same time she has system- atically taken from them all revenues obtainable, even those which, of very necessity, should have been de- voted to the upbuilding of the colonies that they might become a further source of revenue. The results of this shortsighted policy are particularly manifest in the Philippines, where even such enterprise as the natives might be inclined to manifest is checked by their knowl- edge that for them to acquire competence would be but the signal for furthur extortion from the mother coun- try. p^^B FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 41 I THE COMMERCE OF THE ARCHIPELAGO centers B at Manila. Exports are, for the most part, of raw B materials, the only manufactured staples exported being " cigars, cordage, hides and a few hats of straw, or finely split bamboo. THE COPRA TRADE, which consists of sendiug the meatof cocoanuts to Europe, where the oil isextracted> is extensive, and gives rise to an important industry in nearly all the islands. MANILA HEMP, from which is manufactured manila rope and many other fabrics for which these islands are noted, is exported in large quantities. The hemp tree is a wild variety of plantain, from which species we also have the banana. It grows wild throughout the Archi- pelago, usually on hillsides, and does capitally on vol- canic slopes. It likes water but not marshy ground, and grows to the best advantage where larger trees shade it from the direct rays of the sun. The hemp tree reaches a height of about 10 feet. It is endogen- ous and the stem is inclosed in a layer of half-round petioles. These are taken off and cut into strips two or three inches wide, which are laid across a block and drawn under the edge of a long, sharp knife. In this way the pulp is scraped back while the bark or fibre, is drawn out and wound upon a stick. Care must be taken not to bruise the fibre, and no machine has yet been invented to do the work of extracting the bark without injuring it. The fibres, when properly drawn, are about 6 feet, 6 inches long. A FINE CLOTH CALLED LUPIS is manufactured from fibres drawn from the edges of especially selected petioles. This cloth is admirable for ladies dresses. PINA CLOTH is a very beautiful, silky fabric of a texture as delicate as that of the finest Bombay muslin. It is manufactured by the natives from fibres of pineapple plant. On Panay the natives mix the fibre used in making lupis cloth and that of the pineapple in weav- ing: an excellent fine cloth called husi. It is sometimes 42 FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, imposed upon strangers as pina cloth, but it is much less flexible. The natives of Panay also manufacture an excellent coarse cloth called sinamay. WOOLEN AND DYED COTTON CLOTHS are also made, in the Provinces of Ilocos, (north and south) on Luzon. These cloths are highly esteemed in the islands. THE INDUSTRIAL ARTS are at a low ebb. The natives were first taught to weave by a Spanish priest, in 1575. Besides their pina and hemp cloths, they make very fine silk and cotton cloths, and some of the hats woven by them are of great beauty and delicacy of structure. They also manufacture some very good coarse pottery, for which there is excellent clay in many of the islands. They are good silversmiths, hav- ing learned this from the Spaniards, who are skilled in such work. The women are especially skillful in mak- ing ornaments and jewelry. They do all the work, from refining the rough gold and silver to designing and executing the finished ornament. The natives are also expert engravers, map-makers, bookbinders, and excel in various other handicrafts which require dex- terity and delicate manipulation. PEARL FISHERIES. There are extensive pearl fishing grounds in the waters along the coasts of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. The pearls from the Sulu islands are very fine and a large trade is done there with foreign ships, in pearl and mother of pearl. The pearl fisheries of Zamboanga,on Mindanao are also very good. The entire Archipelago is, as we have seen, in an almost wholly undeveloped state, but with a staple gov- ernment, insuring both natives and foreigners in the rights that belong to 19th century civilization, the islands are bound to become a productive and pros- perous territory. Once capital is made to feel secure, it is sure to engage in the opening up of this great al- . most unexplored region, while the native, once he cohies to understand a state of society under which he FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 43 will not be immediately robbed of whatever he acquires through his own toil, will be quick to appreciate the value to himself of industry and enterprise. Hereto- fore he has had no incentive to exercise these traits. They have been, in fact, his actual undoing, under a regime which made the measure of his plundering by the State merely the extent of his ability to acquire. INDEX. CHAPTER I— HISTORIC. First Appearance in History— Magellan's Discoveries— His Death -First Governor— General British Invasion— Taken by the Americans- Signing of Peace Treaty — Geographical Position — Nature and :^xtent of the Islands PAGKS 5-10 CHAPTE^R II— THK PEOPt^F). The Filipinos — Wild Tribes — Mixed Races — Visayas and Tagalos, etc PAGF:s 11-14 chaptf:r III— physicai, gf:ography. Total Area of Archipelago — Mineral Wealth — Principal Mountains, I^akes and Rivers, etc PAGF)S 15-19 CHAPTE:r IV— ANIMAI, I.IFK. pagf;s 20-22 chapte:r V— suIvU archipf:i,ago. ICarly Settlement — Mohammedanism Introduced— Piracy and Its Destruc- tion—The Sultanate, etc PAGF;s 23-26 CHAPTER VI— the; ClylMATp;. General Character — The Seasons — Temperature 'Records — Typhoons, Storms and F;arthquakes, etc PAGFJS 26-28 chaptf:r VII— cities and towns. Manila— Its Charities and Institutions— Schools and Colleges— Architec- ture— Dress of the People — Cities of Over 10,000 Inhabitants, etc PAGE:s 28-35 CHAPTER VIII— THE FORESTS. PAGES 35-36 CHAPTER IX— AGRICUI.TURE AND FOOD PRODUCTS. Best Tobacco Land — Introduction of Coffee Growing — Cocoa — Sugar Cane— Cocoa Nuts— Edible Birds'-Nests, etc PAGES 36-39 CHAPTER X— COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURE. Copra Trade— Hemp— Native Manufactures— Industrial Arts— Pearl Fish- eries, etc PAGES 39-42 I htr 13 i'^ I" 'V ■■!'., -; i'^- '•:'Mv^^ ' i'A' &'..!; -'■-:' 'K: ■'..■' -..."V- ',- .i . ..' ■ 1. .V . vwr'V:':^?-''-^';*''-.^^ ■ A- • ;■ .. ' :.t'- ^' -^ ^■.t-;:^^<='. nv , •,*!->;, Kfr -r^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS mill 002 643 684 9 # 1 fr ♦ ■ ..