--but on their arrival
they met an American warship--the _Essex_--which had hastened on to
protect American interests. The Spaniards limited their operations
to the seizure of a few accused individuals, whom they brought to
Manila, and the garrison of Yap was increased to 100 men, under a
Captain and subordinate officers. The prisoners were tried in Manila
by court-martial, and I acted as interpreter. It was found that they
had only been loyal to the bidding of their chiefs, and were not
morally culpable, whilst the action of the late Governor of Ponape
met with general reprobation.

Again, in July, 1890, a party of 54 soldiers, under Lieutenant Porras,
whilst engaged in felling timber in the forest, was attacked by
the Malatana (Caroline) tribe, who killed the officer and 27 of his
men. The news was telegraphed to the Home Government, and caused a
great sensation in Madrid. A conference of Ministers was at once held,
and the Canovas del Castillo Ministry cabled to the Gov.-General Weyler
discretionary power to punish these islanders. Within a few months
troops were sent from Manila for that purpose. Instead, however,
of chastising the _Kanakas_, the Government forces were repulsed
by them with great slaughter. The commissariat arrangements were
most deficient: my friend Colonel Gutierrez Soto, who commanded the
expedition, was so inadequately supported by the War Department that,
yielding to despair, and crestfallen by reason of the open and adverse
criticism of his plan of campaign, he shot himself.

Under the Treaty of Paris (1898) the Island of Guam (Ladrone group)
was ceded by Spain to the United States, together with the Philippine
Islands. The remainder of the Ladrone group, the Caroline and the
Pelew Islands were sold by Spain to Germany in June, 1899.

CHAPTER IV

Attempted Conquest by Chinese

On the death of General Legaspi, the Government of the Colony was
assumed by the Royal Treasurer, Guido de Lavezares, in conformity
with the sealed instructions from the Supreme Court of Mexico, which
were now opened. During this period, the possession of the Islands
was unsuccessfully disputed by a rival expedition under the command
of a Chinaman, Li-ma-hong, whom the Spaniards were pleased to term a
pirate, forgetting, perhaps, that they themselves had only recently
wrested the country from its former possessors by virtue of might
against right. On the coasts of his native country he had indeed been
a pi