192 ' THE PIvANT \VORI.D 



the natives of Guam are now essentially agricultural and fishing does not 

 play nearly so important a part in their economy as it does in that of 

 many other oceanic islands.* 



On our way back General Wheeler questioned me regarding our system 

 of land taxation. It is evident that complaints have been made regarding 

 it. Those upon whom it will be a burden are the claimants of large tracts 

 of unimproved land, which were taken up as " pastures." Don Vicente 

 Herrero has a large area on the east coast of the island south of the Yigo 

 district, and he claims sixteen square miles along the coast between the 

 Ilig and Talofofo rivers in the southern portion of the island. These he 

 inherited from his father, Don I^uis Herrero, the brother of my friend 

 Don Jose. Don Vicente had made complaints against 5^oung men who 

 had entered his land and had started small plantations upon it. He was 

 not willing to sell the land to them, nor was he able to cultivate it himself 

 on account of the lack of labor. One young man, who had cleared 

 the forest and started a fine grove of coconuts on a site adjoining Don 

 Vicente's plantation in the northern part of the island, declared that he 

 had no idea that the land belonged to Don Vicente, but that it was a 

 virgin forest when he began his work on it, and it had cost him years of 

 toil to bring it to its present state. Don Vicente said he was willing to 

 pay the man for his labor. The man said that he " would not conform " 

 (agree) with this proposal, for he had prepared this cocal for his son who 

 was growing up. Don Vicente suggested that he might go elsewhere 

 where the land had not been taken up and begin anew. Then the man 

 turned and said : " Seiior, Don Vicente saw me clear the forest, plant my 

 haigues (young coconuts), and work day after day to keep the weeds and 

 undergrowth down. He never told me it was his land, and never warned 

 me to desist. Now that it is all done, he wants the result of my work, 

 saying he will pay me, and that I can go again and start a new planta- 

 tion. But, senor, I am not so young nor so strong as when I did this 

 work, and I do not feel able to attack the forest anew. Who knows but 

 what I may lose my health. I now support the family of my brother, 

 whose plantation is next to mine. He has been bed -ridden for several 

 years. I am willing to pay Don Vicente for his land, if it really is his." 

 On consulting the land register I found an entry made for a large tract 

 of land between two capes, in the name of Don lyuis Herrero, who claimed 

 to be in possession of it. As a matter of fact within this area there were 

 several small farms of natives, which had been there before the title had 

 been granted ; and I failed to see what right Don L-uis had to declare 

 himself the possessor of the entire tract. I was informed that he had 



*See Alexander, A. B. " Notes on the Boats, Apparatus, and Fishing Methods Employed by the 

 Natives of the South Sea Islands," in Report of the Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries for 1901, p. 

 828-9. 



