142 THK PLANT WORLD 



The Officers' Mess gave a dinner party this evening at which I was 

 a guest. During the dinner a man came rushing in saying that the cap- 

 tain of one of the neighboring villages had been assaulted by several of 

 our marines, and he was afraid that he might be killed. This man was 

 appointed by us to be chief of Aniguak. To-day he arrested a marine 

 for being drunk and disorderly and brought him to Agatia with his hands 

 tied behind him. This aroused the indignation of many of the other 



marines, who said that they would like to see a G d nigger lay 



his hands on them . When night came they set out to look for the native 

 official, who sought refuge in the house of a sister living in Agaiia. A 

 mob gathered and broke through the walls of the house. The man 

 sought refuge on the roof and finally escaped to the woods. We have 

 been having considerable trouble lately with some of our men. As a 

 rule they are a fine set of fellows and their officers are justly proud of 

 them. The large plaza in front of the Palace has been leveled off for a 

 parade ground, on which the men drill and find recreation in base-ball. 

 They have a billiard-room at the barracks, and everything possible has 

 been done for their comfort. But they have been discontented lately on 

 account of having to dig sewers and lay pipe lines. They are not accus- 

 tomed to work of this kind and can not stand it in this climate. A num- 

 ber of them have been stricken with fever and several have died. There 

 are no theatres or places of entertainment. It is impossible for them to 

 get a glass of wine or beer and both officers and men who have nothing 

 of special interest find that time drags heavily on this island. It is very 

 different when men. are afloat and the ship visits new places from time to 

 time after intervals of cruising. After all, the men are healthy male 

 animals, and few of them are celibates by choice. The result is that 

 complications arise. Some of them wish to marry and settle on the 

 island; others have left wives behind them, and others do not wish to 

 tie themselves down. The problem is not a simple one. It has never 

 been solved either for soldiers or sailors. It is too often the case that 

 people who exclaim against the vow of celibacy taken by the Catholic 

 clergy expect the men of our service, who can not take their wives with 

 them, to lead lives of strict virtue. 



Friday, January 5. — As it is necessary for us to keep the roads and 

 bridges on this island in repair and to educate the natives, we must have 

 some source of income. We wish the island to be at least self-supporting. 

 The Governor asked me to make out a scheme for the classification of 

 lands and the levying of a land tax. I accordingly submitted a scheme 

 of classification for his approval, which resulted in the following : 



General Order 1 

 "No. 10. J 



" 1. The Spanish system of taxation on Real Estate is hereby abol- 



