The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-02
THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

At the present moment all interest
in the war is centered in the Philip
pine islands. They are an archipelago
lying between the China sea on the
west and the Pacific ocean on the
east. There are several hundred
islands. the principal ones being Luzon,
Camarines, Mindora, Samar, Leyte,
Panay, Negras, Cebu, Bohol, Mindanao,
Palawan and the Sulu islands. The
surface is generally rough; the highest
peak is 10. 400 feet. The capital of the
islands is Manila, which has a popula-
ton Census Of 1850 of 154, O62; the
total poulation of the islands is 1870
zoe. The islands are divided into 43
provinces. and over each is placed a
governor. alcalde, or commandment;
over the whole are a governor general
and a captain general,
The islands were discovered by Ma
gellan in his world-encompassing voy-
age. Pigafetta. "patrician of Vicenza
and Knight OF Rhodes" in his account
rendered to the very illustrious and
very excellent Lord Phillip de villers
Lisleaden, the famous Grand Master
OF Rhodes, his most respected lord"
gives this account of the discovery of
the islands:
Saturday, the 18th of March, 1871,
we arrived at daYbreak in sight of
high island, 300 leagues distant from
the aforementioned Thieves island.
This isle is named Zamel (now called
Samar). The next day the captain
general wished to land at another un-
inhabited island near the first, TO be
in greater security and 10 take water,
also to repose there a few DAYS. He
set up there two tents on shore for the
sick. and had SOW killed for them
Monday. the 18th of March, after din
ner. we saw a boat come towards us
with nine men in it, upon which the
captain general ordered that no one
should move or speak without his per-
mission. When these people had come
into this island toward US. Immediately
the principal one amongst them went
towards the captain general with
demonstrations of being very joyous
at our arrival. Five of the most
SNOWY Of them remained with us; the
others who remained with the boat
went to call some men who We're fish
ing. and afterwards all of them came
together. The captain seeing that these
people were reasonable, ordered food
and drink to be given them, and he
gave them some red caps, looking
glasses, combs, bells. ivory and other
things. When these people saw the
politeness of the captain, they pre-
scented some fish and a vessel of palm
wine. which thew call in their Ian
guage uraca: frs more than foot
long and others smaller and of bet
ter SAVIOUR. and two cochos. At that
time they had nothing to give him,
and they made SIGNS to US with their
hands that in four days they would
bring us umai. which. is rice, cocos
and many other victuals.'
Formal possession of the island was
taken on the last day of March, which
was Easter Sunday. a party landed
to say mass. Before the mass be-
gam says Pigafetta, the captain
threw a quantity of musk rosewater on
these two kings, and when the offera-
tory of the mass came, the two kings
went to kiss the cross like US, but they
offered nothing, and at the elevation of
the body of our Lord they were kneel-
ing like us, and adored our Lord with
Joined hands. The ships all fired their
artillery at the elevation of the body OF
our Lord. After mass had been said
each one did the duty Of Christian.
receiving our Lord. After that the
captain had some sword-play by his
people, which gave great pleasure to
the kings. Then he had cross
brought, with the nails and crown, to
which the kings made reverence, and
the captain had them told that these
things which he showed them were the
sign of the emperor, his lord and mas
ter, from whom he had charge and