THE PLANT WORLD 283 



newly-cleared spot where stumps of trees were still standing there was 

 a patch of taro iColocasia antiqiioriini) , and some yam vines twining 

 up poles arranged in a circle and inclined against a tree. As we stood 

 looking about us the son of the blind people came to the house to prepare 

 dinner for them. He was a good-looking young man, and I was glad to 

 see that he bore no marks of the disease which had stricken his parents. 

 I could not help thinking how different the fate of the old blind couple 

 would have been if they lived anywhere else than in Guam and if they 

 had not this noble son to care for them. 



On the next farm we were invited to dine, and when we declined to 

 do so we were presented with a number of eggs, some delicious oranges, 

 and a piece of venison, which our host insisted that we should take 

 with us. This sense of hospitality of the Guam natives distinguishes 

 them very decidedly from the natives of Samoa, who always expect to be 

 repaid ten-fold for their hospitality. Here my cow had the bad grace 

 to nip a coconut plant as we passed along. Cattle as well as deer are 

 very fond of young coconut trees. Sometimes a whole plantation is 

 ruined in one night. They are fond of both the bark and leaves of bread- 

 fruit also, and the young trees must be protected from them. As there 

 are no fences about the farms cattle must always be kept tethered. When 

 they have eaten up the grass about them they begin to browse upon the 

 branches of bushes and trees within reach ; and among the forage gath- 

 ered and brought to them bread-fruit leaves are often conspicuous on top 

 of various grasses (^Stenotaphriini subidatum, Capriola dadyloyi, etc.). On 

 the large stretches of land in the interior, registered as pastures for cattle 

 and carabaos by two or three citizens of the island, the animals wander 

 about freely in small herds. Some of these herds are cared for by boys ; 

 others apparently are uncared for. It is in consequence of the killing 

 of some of these cattle, who were found feeding in corn-fields, that the 

 complaints against farmers of Yoiia were recently made, the owners of 

 the cattle claiming that the said farmers were cultivating lands included 

 within the limits of their pastures. 



On approaching the edge of the plateau of Yoila we had a fine view 

 of the sea, with a flourishing coconut plantation at our feet belonging to 

 our late gobernadorcillo, Don Benancio Roberto. We now descended to 

 the Ilig River, and turning inland followed along its north bank to the 

 finca of my companion Baza. Here we stopped for dinner, and I stretched 

 myself out in a hammock and ate a few oranges while I watched my boy 

 assist in cooking the eggs and venison which had been given us on our 

 way. Baza showed me a small plantation of cacao in a place well shel- 

 tered from the wind. The plants were beginning to die of old age. They 

 are not long-lived, and Baza says they are too much trouble to cultivate. 

 He is going to confine himself to coconuts in future, besides raising what 



