78 THE PIvANT WORLD 



rus rohmdus), called " chaguan Umatag" by the natives, has rhizomes 

 with the aromatic odor of camphor. Another i^Kyllinga rnonocephala) 

 has dense heads of spikelets, shaped like miniature bread-fruit, on which 

 account the natives call it ' ' Chaguan lemae, " or " Chaguan rima, ' ' which 

 signifies "bread-fruit grass." Merely to look upon this fresh green 

 grass is a delight. In many tropical countries the earth is kept bare by 

 leaf -cutting ants. In Guam these pests are happily absent. I remember 

 seeing gardens in the West Indies and in Brazil, where every bed of 

 flowers, every shrub and tree, had to be protected by a surrounding canal 

 of water. Here grass springs up wherever there is room for it. 



In a corner near the terrace connecting my kitchen and house are a 

 number of sprouting coconuts — " haigue " they are called by the natives. 

 These are not mine. Dona Rufina reserved them for planting on her 

 property of Mataguak, in the northern part of the island, near Santa 

 Rosa. I have also many coffee plants, which have evidently sprouted 

 wherever the seed have been thrown. I have never before seen such a 

 spontaneous growth of coffee as on this island. The conditions seem to 

 be perfect for it, even at the level of the sea. This beautiful shrub seems 

 to be as common about the houses of the natives as lilacs are with us at 

 home. I hardly know which to admire most — the dark, glossy, green 

 leaves, the white jasmine-like flowers, fragrant as tuberoses, but soon 

 falling to the ground, or the bright scarlet berries. (Plate 13.) I am 

 raising a number of cuttings of scarlet hibiscus for a hedge about my 

 yard. One of the natives thought it very foolish to plant a thing which 

 would yield no return, when I might just as well have planted coffee. 

 The coffee of this island is of excellent quality. I do not think I have 

 ever tasted better than that which Father Palomo gives me at breakfast. 

 His housekeeper, Josefa, is an excellent woman, and knows how to make 

 many good things, which Father Palomo usually offers to his guests, con- 

 tenting himself with the most simple diet. Josefa's sister, Susana, is said 

 to be the best cook on the island. I hope to go to housekeeping soon, 

 and will try to get Susana to come and take care of me. At present I 

 take my meals with the rest of the officers. My neighbors have taken me 

 at my word and have made use of my oven to-day. (Plate 14, Fig. 2.) 



From my side window I look out across my garden at the tribunal 

 and the old school-house. Above it rises the flat-topped mesa, or table- 

 land, evidently an ancient raised coral reef, with an old abandoned fort 

 upon it, and bristling here and there with coconut palms. (Plate 14, Fig. 

 1.) I shall soon open a night-school in the school-house, to teach English 

 to the natives. I shall give them three nights a week, and on the alter- 

 nate nights I can work on the language of Guam with Father Palomo and 

 Don Juan de Torres. 



[to bk continued.] 



