The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-26

active ones, the most famous of which
is Mount Apo, which rises to a height
of 1892 feet. Extensive areas are COW
cred with magnificent trees, and apart
from the valuable forest products
which Mindanao has in common with
several of the other islands. gutta
percha is abundant in several locali-
ties. The largest known flower. meas
uring some three feet in diameter has
been discovered there As might be
inferred from it's name, which signi-
fes man of the lake" Mindanao is
well watered. Its rivers are more i'm
portant than those of Luzon. The Bu-
tuan rises within a few miles of the
south coast, and, running north, tra-
verses the whole island. The Rio
Grande. on the other hand, takes its
south and west Considerable lakes
are connected with both these streams,
while Lake LanaO, situated where the
western peninsula joins the main body
of the island. empties into the sea by
the River Agus. The soil especially in
the river and lake regions, is enor-
| mously productive. Little is known of
the mineral wealth, but it is certain
that gold exists in paying quantities at
a number of points. Diggings have
| long been worked by the natives near
Eisamis and Surigao
After landing at Zamboanea, the
| Oldest Of tn" Spanish settlements in
! Mindanao, our authors party proceed
| ed "a Ayala, which may be regarded
| as the type Of the villages of decent,
| civilized natives under Spanish con-
| troll. Such a village has Il church. a
| conNCnto or priests house. and q tri-
| bunale, which is a sort of town hall,
where the head men meet to transact
| business. 1t is frequently used as 4
barracks for troops and as a lodging
house for travellers, who have = right
| to PIT up there. and who usually find
hanging on the wall a list of the proper
| local prices for rice. fowls. eggs, meat
ard other articles of food. as well as
! for horse hire, buffalo hire, carriers,
etc. y very Important parsonage in
every Philippine town or village is the
Gobcrnadorcillo, or Little Governor
He is always a native or mestzo
| (half breedD, and is the local represen-
tatlve of the governor of his province.
| from whom he receives instructions
and to whom he sends reports. His
is addressed as captain during his
term of office, and. after his successor
has been chosen, is known as u cap
tain pasado. lie settles all local ques-
tious, except those which assume a
serious legal aspect, and, therefore,
! belong to the justice of the peace:
but mis- most important duty is TO see
that the taxes of his town are collect
| AI n1 tn ll Ia, al
! mlnisIratoT of the province. He is
personally responsible for these taxes,
and must obtain them from his cabe-
2as. on make good the deficit The
families Of every town are divided
into groups of from 40 to 60, each un-
der "Cabe2a de Barangay," who. If
he cannot get the taxes from the peo-
pie, must pay them out Of his own
pocket For obvious reasons, they are
actually kept in office as long as they
have anything to lose. Professor Wor-
cester has seen cabezas suffer cOnfs-
cation of property ard deportation
because they could not pay debts
which they did not owe, The GODer-
nadOrciilo Is Obliged to aid the gulrdia
ciyil in the capture of criminals, and
10 assist the parish friar in promotina
| lllt lIltltSlS VI lll' CIlultll plA'll' dlS'
in advancing the friars private ends
The Little Governor" moreover. is al
the beck ANA call of all the officials
who may chance to visit his town. He
has to entertain them at his own eX,
pense, and not infrcuuently finds il
| advisable to mako them presents. HC
is liable at any time to he summoned
TO the capital of the province but ht
receives no compensation for the cos
of travelling or loss of time. If ht
does not speak Spanish he must en-
pIoy a clerk. There is a great deal ol
writing to be done It the tribunale
and as the allowance for clerk hire
is usually insufficient, the Goberna
durCillO must make up the difference
In rcturn for all this he is allowed :
salary Of 81 per month and permitted
to carr a cane. II he does not squeeze
his fellow trWnsmen or steal public
funds ne Is apt to come out badly he
hind, Nevertheless, as there is moth
| ing quite 50 dear to the average
Philippine native as q little authorit!
over his fellows, the position, i'm spite
of It's numerous drawbacks, is In som'
places eagerly cOught. We should ad,
that the Little Governor" has a Min
istry, consisting of the first and sec