THE PLANT WORI.D 195 



Yigo district and the adjacent country I have already spoken. We re- 

 turned to Agana, reaching home at half -past eight o'clock. During the 

 whole day I have been impressed by General Wheeler's energy and cheer- 

 fulness and the courteous manner which marked his intercourse with the 

 natives. As we passed along he secured specimens of the floss of the silk- 

 cotton tree {.Ceiba pentandra) , bark of Hibiscus tiliaceiis, from which our 

 boys soon twisted a very good rope, and leaves of the Pandanus which 

 yields the material for hats and mats. He also tasted the berries of the 

 lemoncito ^Triphasia trifoliata), picking them off the bushes from his 

 saddle ; and stopped several times to watch natives clearing the woods 

 preparatory to planting coconuts and coffee. All the questions he asked 

 bore evidence to his interest in the success of the United States colonial 

 policy. It was evident that he wishes the island to be made self-support- 

 ing or even profitable, and that every effort shall be made to develop its 

 resources. 



Thursday, February 8. — We intended to visit the south end of the 

 island, but as it would have been hard on the horses, it was decided to 

 let them rest and to wait until to-morrow. In the mean time Don Pedro 

 Duarte, who was secretary to the last Spanish governor, and who under- 

 stands the customs of the island, sent messages to the gobernadorcillos 

 of the southern villages, informing them of our purposed visit. General 

 Wheeler called with me on Father Palomo, and asked him a number of 

 questions regarding affairs of the island. Father Palomo made no com- 

 plaints whatever, but in reply to a direct question of the General stated 

 that the Governor had forbidden the ringing of the church bells for early 

 mass ; had issued an official order forbidding the public celebration of 

 holy days (General Order No. 4) ; and had prohibited religious instruc- 

 tions in the public schools of the island. These orders were in no way 

 criticised by Father Palomo, but the General had been informed by I^ieu- 

 tenant-Colonel Aguilar before leaving Manila that the orders with regard 

 to religion are distasteful to the majority of the people of this island, 

 which is undoubtedly true. As to the necessity of ringing the church 

 bell, I have seen a score of natives, few of whom possess a clock, huddled 

 together at the church door between two and three o'clock in the morn- 

 ing, so as to be sure to be in time for four o'clock mass. The Governor 

 told the General that the early ringing of the bell disturbed the sick in 

 the hospital. His orders prohibiting it were given verbally through the 

 medium of a messenger and were not published in the form of an official 

 general order. 



[to be continued.] 



