Myths and Legends
of
Our New Possessions

Copyright, 1899
By
J. B. Lippincott Company

Printed by J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, U. S.A.

This book is
affectionately
dedicated to
Cornelia Otis
Skinner, our
new possession

Table of Contents

1. In the Caribbean PAGE
   1. The Mysterious Islands 23
   2. The Buccaneers 33
   3. The Boat of Phantom Children 46
   4. Early Porto Rico 48
   5. The Deluge 55
   6. How Spaniards were Found to be Mortal 56
   7. Ponce 58
   8. Water Caves 61
   9. How a Dutchman Helped the Spaniards 65
   10. The Ghost of San Geronimo 67
   11. Police Activity in Humacao 71
   12. The Church in Porto Rico 74
   13. The Mermaids 78
   14. The Aborigines 83
   15. The Caribs 88
   16. Secret Enemies in the Hills 92
   17. Sacred Shrines 98
   18. Tobacco 103
   19. The Two Skeletons of Columbus 106
   20. Obeah Witches 108
   21. The Matanzas Obeah Woman 113
   22. How Havana Got its Market 121
   23. The Justice of Tacon 127
   24. The Cited 133
   25. The Virgin’s Diamond 141
   26. A Spanish Holofernes 144
   27. The Courteous Battle 150
   28. Why King Congo was Late 153
   29. The Chase of Taito Perico 156
   30. The Voice in the Inn 163
2. In the Pacific
   1. Finding of the Islands 177
   2. Ancient Faiths of Hawaii 178
   3. The Giant Gods 188
   4. The First Fire 189
   5. The Little People 190
   6. The Hawaiian Iliad 194
   7. The Hawaiian Orpheus and Eurydice 201
   8. The Rebellion of Kamiole 206
   9. The Japanese Sword 212
   10. Lo-Lale’s Lament 217
   11. The Resurrections of Kaha 220
   12. Hawaiian Ghosts 224
   13. The Three Wives of Laa 225
   14. The Misdoing of Kamapua 226
   15. Pele’s Hair 233
   16. The Prayer to Pele 234
   17. Lohiau and the Volcano Princess 237
   18. A Visit of Pele 239
   19. The Great Famine 243
   20. Kiha’s Trumpet 248
   21. How Moikeha Gained a Wife 252
   22. The Sailing of Paao 254
   23. The Wronged Wife 256
   24. The Magic Spear 259
   25. Hawaiian Witches 262
   26. The Cannibals 267
   27. The Various Graves of Kaulii 270
   28. The Kingship of Umi 273
   29. Keaulumoku’s Prophecy 276
   30. The Tragedy of Spouting Cave 277
   31. The Grave of Pupehe 283
   32. The Lady of the Twilight 285
   33. The Ladrones 286
   34. Old Beliefs of the Filipinos 290
   35. Animal Myths 300
   36. Later Religious Myths and Miracles 304
   37. Bankiva, the Philippine Pied Piper 315
   38. The Crab Tried to Eat the Moon 317
   39. The Conversion of Amambar 319
   40. The Bedevilled Galleon 322
   41. Two Runaways from Manila 329
   42. The Christianizing of Wong 333
   43. The Devil’s Bridge 335
   44. The Great Earthquake 339
   45. Suppressing Magic in Manila 345
   46. Faith that Killed 348
   47. The Widow Velarde’s Husband 351
   48. The Grateful Bandits 352

Illustrations

1. Gate of the Walled City of Manila Frontispiece
2. A Cuban Residence Page 146
3. Down the Valley came Pouring a Flood of Lava Page 232
4. Avenue of Palms, Hawaii Page 262