30 THE PIvANT WORLD 



playing the intermezzo from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana at the 

 offertory^ The proclamation had been translated by Father Palomo into 

 the Chamorro language, and sent to all the villages on the island. It 

 was the first real American fiesta that the natives had been called upon to 

 celebrate, and they were not quite sure how to go about it. I received 

 reports from several gobernadorcillos, stating that the people had assem- 

 bled at the local churches ; and, forming processions, they had marched 

 through the villages " with the glorious national banner at their head, 

 and on every side were heard cries of patriotism and loud salvos." The 

 Major collected together a few of the marines and one or two natives, 

 and held services in a private dwelling. It was a disappointment to him 

 that so few Guam people attended, but they are Catholics and consider it 

 wrong to assist at the services of any other religious sect. 



I had issued invitations to a number of leading natives to a Thanks- 

 giving dinner. Turkeys are scarce on the island and I failed to secure 

 one, but Susana had gotten a fine piece of venison for me. I have not 

 received the table-cloths I have ordered, so Susana covered my large 

 round table with a sheet, and in the center placed a cluster of fragrant 

 white spider-lilies i^Hymenocallis littoralis) ; above the center hung a 

 large Japanese paper lantern with much red in it. My spoons are the 

 work of the village silversmith, who made them out of coin. The knives 

 (with real Toledo blades) were lent me by Father Palomo, and Susana 

 had borrowed a few dishes to supplement my own. Most of the porce- 

 lain was Japanese, brought directly from Yokohama by the little schooner 

 of Captain Harrison. The Major dined at the mess. He pretended to 

 feel very much hurt because I had not invited him to my party. Before 

 he left the house he helped Susana set the table, spaced the plates 

 properly, and said he would give fifty dollars to stay and hear the con- 

 versation. My guests were : Father Palomo ; Don Justo Dungca, the 

 justice of the peace ; Don Juan de Torres, the island treasurer ; Don 

 Gregorio Perez (Susana's brother), the gobernadorcillo of Agana ; Don 

 Ivorenzo Franquez (father of my boy Vicente), captain of the native 

 company which acts as rural police, and Don Jose Herrero, of whom I 

 have spoken so often, an entertaining companion and a good fiddler. 



Susana had prepared a fine dinner. The menu included good chicken 

 soup, with rice; delicate little fish from the sea called "tiao," with fried 

 bread-fruit ; a good roast of venison, with tomatoes, egg-plant, and 

 " seguidillas " (^Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) , like tender string beans, 

 having four ruffles up and down the sides of the pods ; peppers stuffed 

 with spiced meat; chicken and rice; a crab omelette ; salad, like slaw, 

 made from the heart of a coconut palm, with hard-boiled eggs ; jelly made 

 from the sour-sop (^Anona muricata) ; real preserved citron made from 

 Guam fruit by Susana ; and a sweet dessert like apple-sauce made from 



