[The City of Cebu]
Cebu, the metropolis of the Visayan Islands, is the oldest European
city in the Philippines and one of the oldest occidental settlements
in the East. Discovered and temporarily occupied by Magellan in 1521,
it became a permanent Spanish possession in 1565, having thus almost
exactly the same age as the other Spanish settlement, St. Augustine,
in Florida. It is situated about midway of the east coast of the island
of the same name. The island itself is practically coextensive with
the Province of Cebu, of which the city is the capital. The province
has the largest population of any in the Archipelago and is one of
the most thickly inhabited. The city has a good harbor, protected
by the Island of Mactan, and the scene which unfolds itself from
the moment of entering the channel, between this Island and that of
Cebu proper is a very busy one. There are good harbor facilities,
and seagoing vessels of large draft are able to tie up along the docks.
Cebu is a fascinating mixture of old and new and contains a
considerable number of places of special interest. The waterfront is
busy with the various activities arising from the city's position
as one of the chief centers of the Islands' hemp trade. Here is a
good opportunity to see the finest grades of this important staple,
of which the Philippines have practically a monopoly.
[Places of Historic Interest]
Most of the places of historic interest are within a short distance of
this point. Calle Colon, the oldest street in the Islands, is in this
city. On the main plaza is a small building housing a large hollow
cross. This contains within it another cross, which, according to the
most probable story, is the original one erected to mark the spot where
Magellan and his companions gathered for the first mass on Philippine
soil. But a short distance away is the old triangular Fort San Pedro,
standing approximately on the site of Magellan's fortifications; and in
the same neighborhood stands the Augustinian church and convent. Here
the sacristan will show to visitors the curious image known as the
"Holy Child of Cebu." It is agreed by historians that this is the
one which was given by Magellan in 1521 to the temporarily converted
wife of the rajah of Cebu, and recovered forty years later after the
landing of Legaspi.
An automobile road through the Province of Cebu gives a pleasing
succession of views of the sea through arcades of coconut palms that
fringe the long narrow island of Cebu; a second road cuts across its
backbone, giving finer views still.