Islands Cebu and Romblom.
Chapter Twenty-Four.
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.
Facade of Church, Santa Niña at Cebu, P. I.
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.