The various islands seemed to have their own peculiarities. Cebu is famous for vast quantities of Manila hemp; also for shell spoons; these are beautiful, of various sizes, and colors, according to the shell they are cut from. They are especially appropriate in serving fish. The abaka-cloth of this island is the finest made, and its 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 NiÑa. 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 wonderful stream of water that has been brought down from the hills above. There is a finely constructed aqueduct that must have cost the Spaniards a great deal of money, even with cheap labor. It is certainly a very delightfully situated little town. This place is famous for its mats; they are woven of every conceivable color and texture, and are of all sizes, from those for a child’s bed to those for the side of a house. The edges of some mats are woven to look like lace, and some like embroidery. They range in price from fifty cents to fifty dollars. Every one who visits Romblom is sure to bring away a mat.

On every island much corn is raised, perhaps for export; certainly the staple is rice. Quite a number of young men who were officers in our volunteer regiments, have located on the island of Guimeras, and I have no doubt that, with their New England thrift, they will be able to secure magnificent crops. The soil is amazingly rich; under skilled care it will produce a hundred fold. Many of the islands are so near to one another that it is an easy matter to pass from island to island.