102 THE PLANT WORLD 



few spears, war- clubs, and other souvenirs of travel. My days are taken 

 up with my work. At first I thought I would reserve the evenings for 

 myself, but often after night-fall I have visitors who have trudged ten 

 miles or more from their ranches to tell me of some trouble or to ask my 

 advice, and I have n't the heart to turn them away. Even on Sundays 

 they call, especially those living at remote spots on the island who have 

 come to Agana to mass. 



I can not help feeling the responsibility of my situation ; I feel poorly 

 prepared to decide questions involving nice points of law, for, though I 

 am judge, I have had no other legal training than that of sitting on 

 courts-martial. My little codes of Spanish colonial law, civil, commercial, 

 and criminal, are not much larger than prayer-books ; and I can only do 

 my best in deciding cases between the people under my charge. When 

 I am in doubt I go to my dear old friend Father Palomo. The Governor 

 does not like to be bothered ; he tells me to do as I think best. 



Friday, Septe7nber 15. — To-day the Governor issued General Order 

 No. 5: 



"The existing custom of concubinage, rearing families of illegiti- 

 mate children, is repulsive to ideas of decency, antagonistic to moral 

 advancement, incompatible with the generally recognized customs of 

 civilized society, a violation of the accepted principles of Christianity, 

 and a most degrading injustice to the innocent offspring, who is not re- 

 sponsible for the condition of his unfortunate existence. 



" The aforesaid custom is henceforth prohibited, and is declared to 

 be an offense punishable after November 3d, 1899, by fine and imprison- 

 ment ; and all persons in this island so living together out of the bonds of 

 wedlock are commanded to procure from the Government the necessary 

 marriage license and to be married by either the civil or church author- 

 ities, or by both, in order that their children may become legitimatized. 



"Until November 3d, 1899, the license and the civil ceremony will 

 be free." 



In the evening I received a visit from a native, apparently in great 

 trouble. He had heard the banda of the Seiior Gobernador, which had 

 been proclaimed on all the street corners of the town, and he had come 

 to ask my advice. When a young man he had married a woman who 

 proved unfaithful to him, and who had left him to live with another 

 man. He on his part had formed a new alliance with a girl, a good 

 woman, seiior, and had several children by her. What was he to do ? 

 The banda of the Seiior Gobernador ordered him to marry the mother of 

 his children, but he was already married to another woman. Would the 

 American laws permit him to have two wives, or must he be separated 

 from the mother of his children ? I told him that in America it was pos- 

 sible to obtain a divorce for certain causes, and that when this had been 

 granted a new marriage could be performed. "Ah, Seiior," he said, 



