lve an alternate
heat and moisture stimulates the soil to the spontaneous production
of every form of vegetable life. The country generally is healthy.

The whole of the Archipelago, as far south as 10 deg. lat., is affected
by the monsoons, and periodically disturbed by terrible hurricanes,
which cause great devastation to the crops and other property. The
last destructive hurricane took place in September, 1905.

Earthquakes are also very frequent, the last of great importance having
occurred in 1863, 1880, 1892, 1894, and 1897. In 1897 a tremendous
tidal wave affected the Island of Leyte, causing great destruction of
life and property. A portion of Tacloban, the capital of the island,
was swept away, rendering it necessary to extend the town in another
direction.

In the wet season the rivers swell considerably, and often overflow
their banks; whilst the mountain torrents carry away bridges, cattle,
tree trunks, etc., with terrific force, rendering travelling in some
parts of the interior dangerous and difficult. In the dry season long
droughts occasionally occur (about once in three years), to the great
detriment of the crops and live-stock.

The southern boundary of the Archipelago is formed by a chain of some
140 islands, stretching from the large island of Mindanao as far as
Borneo, and constitutes the Sulu Archipelago, the Sultanate of which
was under the protection of Spain (_vide_ Chap. xxix.). It is now
being absorbed, under American rule, in the rest of the Archipelago,
under the denomination of Moro Province (q.v.).

CHAPTER II

Discovery of the Archipelago

The discoveries of Christopher Columbus in 1492, the adventures and
conquests of Hernan Cortes, Blasco Nunez de Balboa and others in
the South Atlantic, had awakened an ardent desire amongst those of
enterprizing spirit to seek beyond those regions which had hitherto
been traversed. It is true the Pacific Ocean had been seen by Balboa,
who crossed the Isthmus of Panama, but how to arrive there with his
ships was as yet a mystery.

On April 10, 1495, the Spanish Government published a general
concession to all who wished to search for unknown lands. This was a
direct attack upon the privileges of Columbus at the instigation of
Fonseca, Bishop of Burgos, who had the control of the Indian affairs
of the realm. Rich merchants of Cadiz and Seville, whose imagination
was inflamed by the reports of the abundance of pearls and gold on the
Ame