to the Jesuit or the Paul fathers, who have justly
gained the respect of both Europeans and natives: neither is it
intended, in any degree, as a reflection on the sacred institution
of the Church.

I take this opportunity of acknowledging, with gratitude, my
indebtedness to Governor-General Luke E. Wright, Major-General Leonard
Wood, Colonel Philip Reade, Major Hugh L. Scott, Captain E. N. Jones,
Captain C. H. Martin, Captain Henry C. Cabell, Captain George Bennett,
Captain John P. Finley, Dr. David P. Barrows, Mr. Tobias Eppstein,
and many others too numerous to mention, who gave me such valuable
and cordial assistance in my recent investigations throughout the
Archipelago.

This book is not written to promote the interests of any person or
party, and so far as is consistent with guiding the reader to a fair
appreciation of the facts recorded, controversial comment has been
avoided, for to pronounce a just dictum on the multifarious questions
involved would demand a catholicity of judgement never concentrated
in the brain of a single human being.

I am persuaded to believe that the bare truth, unvarnished by flattery,
will be acceptable to the majority, amongst whom may be counted all
those educated Americans whose impartiality is superior to their
personal interest in the subject at issue.

It is therefore confidently hoped that the present Edition may merit
that approval from readers of English which has been so graciously
accorded to the previous ones.

J. F. _September_, 1905.

Table of Contents

_Introduction_

_Chapter_ I

_General Description of the Archipelago_

Geographical features of the Islands. Limits. Mountains. 13
Rivers. Lakes. Volcanoes. Eruptions of the Mayon and Taal
Volcanoes. 14
Monsoons. Seasons. Temperature. Rains. Climate. Earthquakes. 22

_Chapter_ II

_Discovery of the Archipelago_

Hernando de Maghallanes. Treaty of Tordesillas. 24
Discovery of Magellan Straits and the Ladrone Islands. 27
Death of Maghallanes. Elcano's voyage round the world. 28
The Loaisa expedition. The Villalobos expedition. Andres de
Urdaneta. 31
Miguel de Legaspi; his expedition; he reaches Cebu; dethrones
King Tupas. 33
Manila is proclaimed the capital of the Archipelago. 36
Martin de Goiti. Juan Salcedo. Native Local Government
initiated. 37

_Chapter_ III

_Philippine Dependencies, Up To 1898_

The Ladrone, C