ely after the Spanish evacuation. Party spirit ran high;
life was held in little esteem; a lifeless body found on the highway
startled no one; assassination was an occurrence of small moment;
cattle-shooting was practised for amusement, and the five-and-a-half
months' essay of christian Philippine autonomy was so signalized by
jealous self-interest, bitter rivalry, rapacity, and bloodshed as to
make one doubt whether the christian Zamboangueno is one whit superior
to his Mahometan neighbour in moral character.

The arrival of an American expedition in the waters of Zamboanga
on November 15, 1899, produced a sanguinary crisis in these faction
feuds. Vicente Alvarez at once took measures to oppose the invaders'
landing, whilst his rival, Isidoro Midel, resolved to side with
the Americans. _Divide et impera._ The want of unity amongst the
natives themselves was a great help to the Americans' plans. By this
time there appeared a third aspirant to local fame in the person of
Melanio Sanson, a native marine engineer, until recently in the Spanish
service, who pretended to co-operate with Alvarez, styling himself
colonel of artillery in charge of the guns abandoned by his former
masters. Each of these three individuals sought to rid himself of his
two rivals. On the night of November 15 Isidoro Midel ended Melanio
Sanson's rivalry for ever, and the Americans took peaceful possession
of the town the next day. Subsequently Midel arranged a transfer
to the Americans of the artillery which had, during the conflict,
been under Sanson's control. Vicente Alvarez immediately fled to
Mercedes, and thence to Basilan Island, where, aided by Datto Pedro
Cuevas, he organized a brigand band, crossed over to Mindanao Island
again, and made a raid on Oriquieta. Chased from place to place by
American troops, he was finally captured and sent to Bilibid prison
in Manila, but was subsequently pardoned on his taking the oath of
allegiance, and sent back to Zamboanga, where he earns his living
peacefully. Meanwhile, Isidoro Midel had been further rewarded for his
services to the Americans with the office of municipal president, which
he held for about 16 months in defiance of public opinion. The feeling
which prompted public opposition to Midel's appointment was at least
as much anti-American as it was dislike for the nominee. In March,
1901, municipal elections were held, and Mariano Arquiza succeeded,
by popular vote, to the presidency, which he