194 THE PLANT WOELD 



parish priest, Don Juan Torres j Diaz, Don Vicente Herrero y Koberto, 

 Don Luis Torres j Diaz, and Don Antonio Martinez j Pangelinan, 

 principal citizens of Guam, natives of the island and all men of intelli- 

 gence and breeding. A misunderstanding had arisen on account of the 

 delivery of a part of the material of war remaining on the island to the 

 representative of Spain sent hither to take possession of it, in accord- 

 ance with the provisions of the treaty of peace. Don Joaquin resigned 

 his charge, and William Coe was appointed in his stead. 



When the United States seized the island of Guam, June 21, 1898, 

 the Spanish governor and his staff, together with the Spanish soldiers 

 stationed on the island, were carried off to Manila on board the " Charles- 

 ton." The only officials remaining on the island were Don Jose Sisto, 

 the Administrador, or treasurer, who assumed the office of provisional 

 governor of the remaining islands of the group, the Asesor Letrado, or 

 Attorney for the Crown, and the civil medical officer, Dr. Francisco 

 Napal, a poor little fellow, left entirely without medicines or appliances 

 for caring for the sick. Don Sisto proceeded to pay himself in advance 

 as Provisional Governor of the Marianas, holding that the money in the 

 treasur}^ was a fund to be devoted to the expenses of the government of 

 the group in general, and not simply to the island of Guam. 



On the arrival of the " Bennington," in January, 1899, Captain Taus- 

 sig ordered an examination of the books of the treasury, and discovered 

 what Sisto had done. He removed him from office, required him to re- 

 fund the money, and turned the government over to the junta mentioned 

 above. 



Took up my residence over the Treasury, on the right of the Palace, 

 in the quarters formerly occupied by Sisto. My Japanese boy, Miyo- 

 moto, helped me to unpack my clothing and books. Among the latter 

 I have 200 volumes from the library of the late Robert Louis Stevenson, 

 sold to me by Mr. Blacklock, of Apia, with the authority of Mr. E. W. 

 Gurr, Solicitor of Mrs. Stevenson. My furniture consists of a cane- 

 bottomed bed with high posts supporting a mosquito-net canopy and 

 curtains, a table of a polished native wood called IJil, several chairs, and 

 a Chinese earthen-ware bath-tub, like a jar, with representations of 

 bamboos, etc., in relief on the outer surface, kindly lent me by Mr. 

 Henry Mellinchamp, the pilot (he refused to accept money for it). 



Miyomoto has had a great time sweeping, dusting and cleaning the 

 rafters from cobwebs. My rooms are large and well ventilated. They 

 are unceiled, and the roof-tiles above give them a somewhat unfinished 

 look. On two sides I have a balconj'^ enclosed with shutters and slid- 

 ing windows which, instead of glass, have thin translucent bivalve shells, 

 somewhat like those of a pecten. From my balcony I can look in one 



