Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-09-09
SANGlR ISLANDS.
VICTIMS OF A FRiGHTEUL VOL
CANIC ERUPTION.
Something About the Ruined ISLANDS
and Their Peopie-An Americans
Account of the Nearby PHI
ippine Islands.


group. They compose separate group
south OF the Philippine Islands aud nortn
Of the Celebes. They number fifty or
more of various sizes, and nearly or
quite all of them are inhabited. The
three largest islands arc Great Sangir'
siiauw and Tagolandang, which, to-
pether with the smaller. islands, sur
rounding each, form separate groups.
There are many mountains in the
sangir Islands, all clothed to their sum
mits with rich vegetation, except the
volcanoes. Great Sangir has an ares oil
273 square miles, aud is divided into
four kingdoms. The population in loSO
on this island was given as ID, 900.
In the northwest portion Of Great
sansir is a volcano called Abu, or the
cash Mountain, which has frequently
caused great devastation. In March,
1856 the streams of lava and boiling
water carried away the rich plantations,
and 2OS6 lives were lost.
siiauw, the second island IN point OF
size in the group, is also mountainous
The chief town is Uluw, and the popu-
lation of the island is something more
than 5000. Tagolandang is the centre
of the missionary work which has been
carried on successfully in the San9ir
group. This island is also populous.
The sengirese belong to the Malay
race. are described by visitors as "Te1
made and brave, but cunning, lazy aud
dirty in their babits.' Their occuPs'
ton consists mainly in raising areng,
cocoanut, maize, rice, katjang, tobacco
sugarcane and lumber, which products
are fruitful.
There are four rajahs in the Great
Sangir, one in Tsgolaudany aud one IN
Sjisuw. The government In each is
mousrchicl, somewhat limited By
council. Toward the end OF the Fill
teenth century the Sangiresc became
Mahometaus; a century later, under the
Portuguese, they were brought over to
Christianity. In 1880, the latest record
at hand. the islands formed a Neither
lands dependency aud had several Dutch
missionaries and twenty-fOur churches,
which we're also used as schools.
The following extracts and illustra-
tons are taken from a very timely ar
ticle on 1.-THE Philippine Islands" by
Rufus Allen Line, published in the
Cosmopolitan
From Newcastle to Manila was six
weeks dream of lotos land, perfect
weather, light work aboard ship, and
the nights startlingly brilliant with the
consultations of those southern latitudes,
the Southern Cross being conspicuous;
and now aud again some islands, unseen,
made their proximity known By the
sp;cy and aromatic breez3s from their
shores.
The volcano of Mayor, on the Island
of Luzon, mountain some SOU feet
high, was in activity, aud presented
magnificent spectacle at night, with its
assures glowing with molten lava, Its
fountain OF FIRE and rocks from the sum-
NIT, and the rocks bounding down the
sides till lost N the timber halfway up,
while rov aud again the detonations
were like csnnonadiug. The nights in
among the islands of the Philippine
group were very beautiful, and the
torches Of the native fishermen in their
canoes, the lights on the shore in
the Indian villages, all added to the
charm and opened up endless visions of
delight and romance By day it was diff
ferent. but not less beautiful; the vol
cano. perfect in its cone shape, lowered
ND. its summit now clear, now wreathe1
in smoke. The tropical islands about
ia were more or less inhabited, as the
clusters of huts, palm.lest thatched,
showed here and there through the
groves of palms and banana trees, or on
the white sandy beach of some little cove
with its dark green background Of tree
and hill, while an occasional native canoe,
with heavy bamboon OutriggeSs, brown
ish sails Of mating, and dark skinned
occupants helped to make this mysteri-
Gus unknown sea and country still more
dreamlike. Stretched at full length
upon the bowsprit, felt ia every fibre
OF my being as never before that it was
good to be alive.
We anchored in Manila Bay early ia
April, and before the Hazard left 1 had
been offered and accepted clerkship in
one of the American houses there, which
resulted in my spending many years in
that Of the world, and extended trip,
thought TO be we'll within years dura-
ton when set out, into a nine years
absence from home before returned for
first brief visit.
Manila is the capital city of Luzou,
the largest island of the Philippines. 1t
is distant ABOUT sixty hours by steamer
from Hong Kong, in a southerly direc-
ton, and FIVE days from Singapore to the
northeast, and it lies in about fourteen
north latitude.
liked the life and it liked me. The
climate is warm but equable, aud one
dresses in light suitable arnents with
out fear of sudden drop in the tenn
ueratl,re. The houses are built for the