16 February 1887

Leitmeritz

Leitmeritz, 16 February 1887

Esteemed Friend,

I have recovered slightly from the strong catarrh that has bothered me for two weeks, but I’m still as pale as the dead and I feel very weak. In short, I’m a ruin, half-blind, and with weak nerves. Moreover, I’m very susceptible to colds. I wait most anxiously for summer, which is the only season during which I feel really well. Unfortunately our summer is very short.

I’m glad you find the issues of Globus interesting. Montano has written two great works on the Philippines, one of which contains many linguistic data relating to Tagalog, Bikol, etc.; the vocabularies above all are interesting. There are many errors in his descriptions and travels; many errors in his illustrations have already been pointed out by Mr. Isabelo de los Reyes[1] in La Oceanía Espańola.

From the grand military expedition undertaken by the Most Excellent Terrero against Datu Utó of Mindanao I expect not only the success of Spanish arms and the Christian religion but also the enrichment of our geographical knowledge because the interior of Mindanao can almost be called terra incognita. I hope that Spanish victory will liberate the Tirurays from the danger of falling into slavery by the Moros.

They say there had been disorders in Sulu[2]— perhaps by the juramentados — whose new sultan will render homage to the Captain General in Manila in October.

Yesterday I received from the author V. V. Haardt his magnificent and large ethnographic wall map of Asia, which is very well done.

With affectionate greetings.

Very affectionately yours,

F. Blumentritt

03-197 [Reformists]