STORY OF PHALAENOPSIS SANDERIANA 8i 



Spaniards pushed farther and farther inland year by year. 

 Seafaring TagaJas may have visited that islet, and seen the 

 red Phalaenopsis. When they heard, at Manila, how an 

 English duke had paid some fabulous amount for a flower of 

 the same genus, they would naturally mention it. And so 

 the legend grew. 



In 1 88 1, a score of years afterwards, the conquest of 

 Mindanao was so far advanced that the Spanish mail 

 steamers called there. When Mr. Sander of St. Albans heard 

 this intelligence he thrilled with hope, as has been told. 

 Mr. Roebelin had instructions, of course, to inquire for the 

 red Phalaenopsis ; Mr. Sander's experience teaches him that 

 local rumours should never be disregarded. But the search- 

 had been very close and very long. Perhaps there was not 

 another man in Europe who thought it possible that the 

 marvel could exist. 



Mr. Roebelin is still living, I believe, and he could tell 

 of some lively adventures on that first visit to Mindanao. 

 Constantly he heard of the red Phalaenopsis ; it was en Vair, 

 he wrote, using the expression in two senses. At the 

 northern settlements they directed him south, at the eastern, 

 west, and so round the compass. But he had other matters in 

 hand, and contented himself with inquiries. 



I do not learn whether it was accident or information 

 which led him to the little island Davao on his second visit, 

 in 1883. He may have sailed thither on chance, for a 

 traveller is absolutely certain of finding new plants on an 

 untrodden shore in those seas. Anyhow Roebelin knew 

 the quest was over, the riddle solved triumphantly, before 

 landing. 



The half-breed Chinaman, Sam Choon, was personally 

 conducting him on this occasion also ; he found the vessel 

 (a native prau, of course), boatmen, provisions, and the rest. 

 Everything was at the collector's disposal ; but Sam Choon 



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