ts pearl
fisheries are valuable. In 1901 a lively insurrection was going on in
Cebu. The banks of the bay were lined with refugees who had come from
the inland to be protected from their enemies. There were hundreds
of them, but not a single cooking utensil amongst them. Some would
go up to the market place and buy a penny's worth of rice skillfully
put up in a woven piece of bamboo. And lucky for them if they had
the penny. The rest spent their time fishing.

The cathedral of Cebu, built of stone, is especially fine. It has for
its Patron Saint, a babe, Santa Nina. The story is that at one time
there were a great many babies stricken with a malady; the parents
vowed if the Holy Mother would spare their children they would build
this cathedral.

One of the largest prisons is at Cebu. We were shown many of the
dungeons; there were then confined within those walls many very
bad Insurrectos.

As we were eager to visit one of the large estates, we were given a
heavy guard and went inland about two miles from the port; it was
certainly a fine plantation, much better kept than any I had ever
seen before. We were apparently cordially received, and were assured
if we would only stay we could partake of some of the family pig,
that was even then wandering around in the best room in the house.

The floor of the large reception room was polished as perfectly as a
piano top; its boards were at least eighteen inches wide and sixteen to
twenty feet long. I asked several persons the name of this beautiful
place, but could not find out. On the sideboard were quantities of
fine china and silver that had been received only a few days before
from Spain, there was a large grand piano, and there were eight or
ten chairs in the center of the room forming a hollow square. Here
we were seated and were offered refreshments of wine, cigars and
"dulce." While this place seemed isolated it was not more than ten
minutes before we had a gathering of several hundred natives, indeed
our visit was shortened by the fear that we might be outnumbered and
captured, and so we hastened back to quarters.

While all the islands are tropical in appearance, Cebu is pre-eminently
luxuriant. We were sorry not to stay longer and learn more of its
people and its industries.

Romblom is considered by many the most picturesque of the islands. The
entrance is certainly beautiful; small ships can come up to the
dock. The town itself is on the banks of a wonderfu