height of 10,500 feet above the level of the Bea, but has no active volcano. Like
M&rapi it is cultivated to a great height, and its valleys and slopes are found peculiarly
well adapted to the cultivation of coffee.
MARIANES. The Marian or Ladrone Islands form an Archipelago of seventeen
different groups of islets in the Northern Pacific, lying between the latitude of 12°
and 17°, the 140° meridian running through them. The largest islands are seventeen
in number, of which the most considerable are San Juan or Guajan, the Guam of our
maps, Rotaz, Saipan, and Tinian. The geological formation of the whole Archipelago
is volcanic. Many extinct craters exist, and there are some volcanos in a state of
activity. All the islands are mountainous, and subject to violent earthquakes, of
which, in the months of January, February, and March, 1819, no fewer than 125 shocks
were experienced in the island of Guajan. The climate is healthy, and the soil
represented as fertile. The cultivated productions are the coco-palm, the breadfruit,
called by the natives rima, the batata, the sugar-cane, the banana, and the
water-melon. The islands when discovered were without any domestic animals, but
a few have been introduced by the Spaniards. The native inhabitants are stated to
be of the same race as the brown-complexioned and lank-haired inhabitants of the
Philippines, and to speak a language resembling the Bisaya, but both assertions seem
very doubtful. The first of them is more especially so, as would appear from
Dampier’s excellent description of their personal appearance, which differs very
materially from that which he afterwards gives of the inhabitants of Mindano, who
are certainly of the true Malayan race. “ The natives of this island,” says he, “ are
strong-bodied, large-limbed, and well shaped. They are copper-coloured like other
Indians. Their hair is black and long, their eyes meanly proportioned. They have
pretty high noses, their lips are pretty full, and their teeth indifferent white. They
are long visaged and stem of countenance, yet we found them to be affable and courteous.”
Yol. i., page 297. At present they are slothful and poor, but inoffensive and
hospitable. All of them have been converted long ago to Christianity. Down to the
close of the last century they went almost stark naked, but are now decently clad.
The essential portion of their food is the bread-fruit. In 1735, their whole numbers
were but 2697. In 1801 they amounted to 7555, and by the census of 1850, to 8569,
so that in half a century’s time the increase was little more than 13 per cent.
The TVTnriana form a distinct province of the Philippines, subject to the Governor-
General of these islands. The seat of administration is in the island of Guajan, where
is the town of San Ignacio de Agana, which, with its district, contains 5620 inhabitants,
or the majority of the population of the Archipelago. This is divided in all,
into fourteen districts. The islanders pay no capitation tax, and seem to yield no
revenue, their whole expenses being defrayed from the treasury of the Philippines.
The discoverer of the Marians was Magellan. They were the first lands which he
reached after his painful passage across the Pacific in 1521. This is Pigafetta’s
account of the inhabitants as they first presented themselves to Europeans. “ They
go entirely naked. Some of them have long beards, with black hair reaching to their
reins, although some tie it in a knot on the head. On their heads they wear little
caps of palm leaves, in form like those of the Albanians. They are as tall as our-
' selves and well shaped. Their colour is an olive, but when born they are white.
Their teeth are made by art red and black, for this they esteem a beauty. The
women are handsome, of a slender form, and more fair and delicate than the men.
Their hair is jet black, dishevelled, and so long as to be able to reach the ground.
They too, go naked, with the exception of a modesty piece, consisting of a narrow
band of bark, as thin as paper, made from the inner bark of the palm ” (the reticulated
material at the insertion of the fronds of the coco palm ?). They do not till
the land, but are found in their houses weaving mats and baskets of palm leaf, with
other articles for domestic use. They eat birds, flying-fish, batatas, figs a palm long
(bananas), sugarcane, and other things. They anoint their hair and their whole body
with the oil of the coco-nut or that of the sesame. Their houses are of wood,
covered with planks, over which are spread fig (banana) leaves two cubits long. In
their houses they have chambers and garrets, with windows. Their beds are covered
with beautiful mats made of palm cut into shreds, minute and delicate. They have
no other arms than spears pointed with fish-bones. They are poor, but artful, and
above all thieves, on which account we named these three islands ‘ Isles of Thieves.’
Their amusement consists in going with their women in their little boats on excursions.
These resemble the gondolas, which are used between Fusine and Venice,
only that they are narrower. All of them are painted either black or red, and have
latine-shaped sails made of palm-leaves stitched together. On the opposite side to
the sail there is a beam, supported by transverse ones, the object of which is to
preserve the equilibrium of the boat in sailing. The helm is in the shape of a baker’s
shovel that is, a pole with a board at one end. This helm serves also for an oar,
and the stem and bow of the boats are of the same make. These islanders swim and
leap in the water like dolphins, from wave to wave. From the signs of wonder
which they exhibited, we concluded that before seeing us they believed that besides
themselves there were no other men in the world.” Primo Viaggio, page 51.
From this faithful account of the personal aprearance and manners of the Marian
islanders, when first seen by Europeans, and before their intermixture with other
races, they would seem to have been a people much more nearly allied to the
Polynesian islanders than to the people of the Philippines. Instead of being short,
like Malays, they were as tall as Europeans. Their habits were maritime, like those
of the South Sea Islanders. Like them they were thievish in character: like them,
too, they knew neither iron nor any other metal, and like them they fed chiefly on the
bread-fruit, the banana, and fish. They were, however, inferior to the Polynesians in
the absence of tillage, the want of the hog, dog, and common fowl, and of every kind of
clothing. The only evidence of foreign intercourse on the part of the Marian islanders
consists in their possession of the Malayan numerals, although in a very corrupt form.
The first appearance of the Spaniards was not auspicious. “ The Captain-General,”
says Pigafetta, wished to remain some time at the largest island (Guajan), in order to
obtain refreshments and provisions, but he could not, for these islanders came on
board the ships and stole one thing after another, so that we could not protect them.
In the long run they attempted to lower the ship’s sails, in order to run our vessels
aground, and then with great dexterity they robbed us of the boat which was attached
to the admiral’s ship. The Captain-General, irritated on this account, landed with
forty armed men, set fire to from forty to fifty houses and many boats, killing seven
of the islanders. We then recovered our boat and quickly took our departure from
the islands, pursuing the same course as before. Before landing, some of our people,
who were sick, told us, that in the event of our killing an islander, man or woman,
we should bring the entrails on board, being persuaded that if they possessed them,
they would be restored to health. When we wounded any of these people with an
arrow that passed through and through a limb, they endeavoured to extract it, first
pulling one way and then another, and looking at it with wonderment. The same
did such as were struck in the chest and died of their wounds. This did not fail to
excite our compassion.” Page 50.
The Marian Islands were taken possession of for the crown of Spain by Legaspi,
the conqueror of the Philippines, in 1565, four and forty years after their discovery!
The subjugation of the poor but warlike natives was, however, a work of considerable
difficulty, for they resisted for a period of four-and-twenty years. The name which
Magellan had given to them, Islas de los Ladrones, or “ Isles of thieves,” which is
still continued as a synonym, was changed to the Marianes, which is an abbreviation
of Maria Ana, the name of Mary Anne of Austria, Queen of Philip IY.
'MARINDUQUE. One of the Philippine Islands, forming a part of the province
of Mindoro. I t is a long narrow island lying between Mindoro and Luzon, opposite to
the isthmus of Tayabas in the latter, between latitudes 13° 11' 10", and 13° 33' 30", and
longitudes 121° 45' and 122° 5'. Its length is about 29 geographical miles, its utmost
breadth 20, and its area 373 geographical square miles. The land is ’elevated and
even mountainous, the mountain of Marlanga at its southern end, forming the Cape
of the same name, being of considerable although unascertained height. From the
well-known fertility of the soil of Marinduque, and the vicinity of the island to the
most volcanic portion of Luzon, the geological formation is probably the same,
ih e natural fertility of the soil is enhanced by the existence of many brooks
applicable to irrigation. The chief production is rice, of which it exports a considerable
quantity. The port of Malagi on its southern coast is a safe and convenient
barbour tor the colonial craft that carry on the coasting trade between Luzon and
tbe Bisaya Islands. The population of Marinduque in 1850 was 19,969, giving a
density of near 50 to the square league. 6 *
MARIYELES. The name of a chain of high mountains,—of a small town,—and
ol a sea-port in the province of Bataan, and island of Luzon, in the Philippines. All
o hem are situated on the peninsula whieh forms the western boundary of the
great Bay of Manilla. The sierra of Mariveles, which is a spur of one of the Cordilleras,
runs m a direction from north to south, to the length of about twenty miles.