The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-05-18
Facts About Philippines.
The Philippines were the last dis

since been claimed by Spain. The
discovery was made March 81, 1912,
and on April %, 1922, Magellan was
killed by native Of Mactan, one of
the smaller islands. His ship, the
Victoria, which made the first voyage
around the world, was taken back to
Spain by Sebastian Cano, who sue
ceeded in command.
The islands are OF volcanic forma-
ton, many Of them being simply bare
rocks, polished by the action Of the
waves. Those which have any soil at
all arc very fertile. Tobacco is the
principal product and abaca, or Manila
hemp, comes next Excepting Cuaa,
the Philippines arc Spain's richest
colonial possessions, and like Cuba,
they have nearly always been mis-
governed and large portions Of their
territory have never been more than
nominally under the control Of Spain.
Glass feeling runs very high. TIE
Philippine Spanish are considered not
quite up to the tone Of the peninsular
Spanish; together they hate all the
other races, all the other races hate
them and each other, and everybody
Joins in most cordial hate Of the for
eigner.
Owing to the confguration Of the
land-open toward the China sea and
practically land-locked toward the
Pacifc-the tides run to excessive
heights. Sometimes two tides running
in opposite direction hurl themselves
against each other and the noise Of the
shock can be heard for mile. Ships
caught in the rush of waters are utter
ly helpless.
The Philippines are the most north
ern group Of the Indian archipelago.
They have range Of ], ,O5O miles from
north to south and 900 miles from
east to west. There are only 10 of
any Importance, Of which Luzon, $50
miles long and 175 miles wide, is the
largest. The islands, with their fan
! tastic, tortuous forms: furrowed by
straits, stretch out in every direction,
their long, narrow pcninsulars and
capes. From them a succession of
islands leads to Borneo and chain Of
small islands to Formosa.
From November to April the tenn
pcrature, though often reaching 81
degrees, is not oppressive and the
nights and mornings are generally
cool. During the rainy season, which
continues from May to November, the
heat is very oppressive and enervating
and is unhealthy for strangers. Epi-
demic diseases are, however, rare.
Cholera is occasionally epidemic, but
not more so than in other and cooler
countries.
Thunder storms are frequent and
disastrous and tremendous damage is
done by the vagulo, a sort Of cyclone
which sweeps over the country from
the east, rotating uniformly from left
to right aud spending itself in the
China sea or breaking upon the Asiatic
continent, as did the one of September
3, 1871, which swept an enormous
mass Of water upon the city of Hong
Kong, cngulfng over 1000 people and
foundcring fourteen ships.
The bay of Manila is one of the
most spacious and beautiful in the
world. The old city of Manila, which
was founded by Lagaspi in l57i, is
surrounded by crumbling wall of
masonry 200 or 300 years old. In this
wall are vaults for storage and num-
Der of guns are mounted on the top.
Soldiers and priests are plentiful in
the narrow, dark streets of the old
city. The river Fasig, which flows
into the harbor, is Il rival for filth Of
our own Chicago river. There are
many ruins in evidence of the hidden
power of the earthquakes which occa
sionally work great damage in the is
lands. The streets Of Manila are
lighted by kerosene, as the frequency
of earthquakes makes the laying of
gaspipcs impracticable.
A frequent and to the foreigner
rather odd sight is the caraboa or
water buffalo, which is used univer-
sally both in city and country as a
beast of burden. 1t is an ungainly.
ox-like animal, about onc-third larger
then our cattle. of dark, leaden
color. with whitish feet, scanty and
coarse hair. Its head is carried low,
with the large, hattcncd horns extend
ing almost horizontally backward.
This slow and docile but powerful
creature is guided by ring through