A VISIT
TO
THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
BY
SIR JOHN BOWRING, LL.D., F.R.S.,
LATE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG, H.R.M.'S PLENIPOTENTIARY IN CHINA,
HONORARY MEMBER OF THE SOCIEDAD ECONOMICA
DE LAS FILIPINAS, ETC. ETC.
LONDON:
SMITH, ELDER & CO., 65, CORNHILL.
M.DCCC.LIX.
[The right of Translation is reserved.]
PREFACE.
The Philippine Islands are but imperfectly known. Though my visit was
a short one, I enjoyed many advantages, from immediate and constant
intercourse with the various authorities and the most friendly
reception by the natives of every class.
The information I sought was invariably communicated with courtesy
and readiness; and by this publication something will, I hope, be
contributed to the store of useful knowledge.
The mighty "tide of tendency" is giving more and more importance to
the Oriental world. Its resources, as they become better known, will be
more rapidly developed. They are promising fields, which will encourage
and reward adventure; inviting receptacles for the superfluities of
European wealth, activity, and intelligence, whose streams will flow
back upon their sources with ever-augmenting contributions. Commerce
will complete the work in peace and prosperity, which conquest began
in perturbation and peril. Whatever clouds may hang over portions
of the globe, there is a brighter dawning, a wider sunrise, over
the whole; and the flights of time, and the explorings of space,
are alike helping the "infinite progression" of good.
J. B.
CONTENTS.
CHAP. PAGE
I. Manila and Neighbourhood 1
II. Visit to La Laguna and Tayabas 30
III. History 44
IV. Geography, Climate, etc. 71
V. Government, Administration, etc. 87
VI. Population 105
VII. Manners and Superstitions of the People 144
VIII. Population--Races 165
IX. Administration of Justice 186
X. Army and Navy 191
XI. Public Instruction 194
XII. Ecclesiastical Authority 199
XIII. Languages 215
XIV. Native Produce 234
XV. Vegetables 244
XVI. Animals 272
XVII. Minerals 277
XVIII. Manufactures 282
XIX. Popular Proverbs 286
XX. Commerce 292
XXI. Finance, Taxation, etc. 320
XXII. Taxes 326
XXIII. Opening the New Ports of Iloilo, Sual and
Zamboanga 330
XXIV. Zamboanga 341
XXV. Iloilo and Panay 354
XXVI. Sual 425
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Group of Natives (Frontispiece.)
Hot Springs at Tivi (Title-page.)
Plan of Manila 10
View from my Window to face page 16
Lavanderos, or Washerwomen ,, 24
Waterfall of the Botocan 30
Village of Majajay to face page 36
Travelling by Palkee ,, 38
Crater of the Volcano at Taal 71
Indian Funeral to face page 122
Girls Bathing 134
A Gallera, or Cock-pit to face page 152
Lake of Taal, with Volcano ,, 164
Chart of Zamboanga 341
Chart of Port Iloilo and Panay 354
Chart of Port of Sual 425
Indian Song of the Philippines to face page 434
A VISIT
TO THE
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
CHAPTER I.
MANILA AND NEIGHBOURHOOD.
Three hundred and forty years ago, the Portuguese navigator Fernando de
Magalhães, more generally known by his Spanish designation Magellanes,
proposed to Carlos I. an expedition of discovery in the Eastern
seas. The conditions of the contract were signed at Zaragoza, and,
with a fleet of six vessels, the largest of which was only 130 tons
burden, and the whole number of the crews two hundred and thirty-four
men, Magalhães passed the straits which bear his name in November,
1520; in the middle of March of the following year he discovered
the Mariana Islands, and a few days afterwards landed on the eastern
coast of the island of Mindanao, where he was well received by the
native population. He afterwards visited the island of Zebu, where,
notwithstanding a menaced resistance from more than two thousand
armed men, he succeeded in conciliating the king and his court,
who were not only baptized into the Catholic faith, but recognised
the supreme sovereignty of the crown of Spain, and took the oaths of
subjection and vassalage. The king being engaged in hostilities with
his neighbours, Magalhães took part therein, and died in Mactan, on
the 26th April, 1521, in consequence of the wounds he received. This
disaster was followed by the murder of all the leading persons of
the expedition, who, being invited to a feast by their new ally,
were treacherously assassinated. Guillen de Porceleto alone escaped
of the twenty-six guests who formed the company. Three of the fleet
had been lost before they reached the Philippines; one only returned
to Spain--the Vitoria--the first that had ever made the voyage round
the world, and the Spanish king conferred on her commander, Elcano,
a Biscayan, an escutcheon bearing a globe, with the inscription,
"Primus circumdedit me." A second expedition, also composed of six
vessels and a trader, left Spain in 1524. The whole fleet miserably
perished in storms and contests with the Portuguese in the Moluccas,
and the trader alone returned to the Spanish possessions in New Spain.
About one hundred and twenty of the expedition landed in Tidore,
where they built themselves a fortress, and were relieved by a third
fleet sent by Hernan Cortes, in 1528, to prosecute the discoveries
of which Magalhães had had the initiative. This third adventure was
as disastrous as those which had preceded it. It consisted of three
ships and one hundred and ten men, bearing large supplies and costly
presents. They took possession of the Marianas (Ladrone Islands) in the
name of the king of Spain, reached Mindanao and other of the southern
islands, failed twice in the attempt to reach New Spain, and finally
were all victims of the climate and of the hostility of the Portuguese.
But the Spanish court determined to persevere, and the Viceroy
(Mendoza) of New Spain was ordered to prepare a fourth expedition,
which was to avoid the Molucca Islands, where so many misfortunes had
attended the Spaniards. The fleet consisted of three ships and two
traders, and the commander was Villalobos. He reached the Archipelago,
and gave to the islands the name of the Philippines, in honour of
the Prince of Asturias, afterwards Philip the Second. Contrary winds
(in spite of the royal prohibition) drove them into the Moluccas,
where they were ill received by the Portuguese, and ordered to return
to Spain. Villalobos died in Amboyna, where he was attended by the
famous missionary, St. Francisco Xavier. Death swept away many of the
Spaniards, and the few who remained were removed from the Moluccas
in Portuguese vessels.
A fifth expedition on a larger scale was ordered by Philip the
Second to "conquer, pacify, and people" the islands which bore
his name. They consisted of five ships and four hundred seamen and
soldiers, and sailed from La Natividad (Mexico) in 1564, under the
orders of Legaspi, who was nominated Governor of the Philippines,
with ample powers. He reached Tandaya in February, 1565, proceeded
to Cabalian, where the heir of the native king aided his views. In
Bojol, he secured the aid and allegiance of the petty sovereigns
of the island, and afterwards fixed himself on the island of Zebu,
which for some time was the central seat of Spanish authority. [1]
Manila was founded in 1581.
Illness and the despotism of the doctors, who ordered me to throw off
the cares of my colonial government and to undertake a sea voyage of
six or seven weeks' duration, induced me to avail myself of one of the
many courtesies and kindnesses for which I am indebted to the naval
commander-in-chief, Sir Michael Seymour, and to accept his friendly
offer of a steamer to convey me whither I might desire. The relations
of China with the Eastern Spanish Archipelago are not unimportant, and
were likely to be extended in consequence of the stipulations of Lord
Elgin's Tientsin Treaty. Moreover, the slowly advancing commercial
liberalism of the Spaniards has opened three additional ports to
foreign trade, of which, till lately, Manila had the monopoly. I
decided, therefore, after calling at the capital in order to obtain
the facilities with which I doubted not the courtesy of my friend
Don Francisco Norzagaray, the Captain-General of the Philippines,
would favour me, to visit Zamboanga, Iloilo, and Sual. I had already
experienced many attentions from him in connection with the government
of Hong Kong. It will be seen that my anticipations were more than
responded to by the Governor, and as I enjoyed rare advantages in
obtaining the information I sought, I feel encouraged to record the
impressions I received, and to give publicity to those facts which
I gathered together in the course of my inquiries, assisted by such
publications as have been accessible to me.
Sir Michael Seymour placed her Majesty's ship Magicienne at my
disposal. The selection was in all respects admirable. Nothing that
foresight could suggest or care provide was wanting to my comfort,
and I owe a great deal to Captain Vansittart, whose urbanities and
attentions were followed up by all his officers and men. We left Hong
Kong on the 29th of November, 1858. The China seas are, perhaps, the
most tempestuous in the world, and the voyage to Manila is frequently
a very disagreeable one. So it proved to us. The wild cross waves,
breaking upon the bows, tossed us about with great violence; and
damage to furniture, destruction of glass and earthenware, and much
personal inconvenience, were among the varieties which accompanied us.
But on the fifth day we sighted the lighthouse at the entrance of the
magnificent harbour of Manila, and some hours' steaming brought us
to an anchorage at about a mile distant from the city. There began
the attentions which were associated with the whole of our visit to
these beautiful regions. The Magicienne was visited by the various
authorities, and arrangements were made for my landing and conveyance
to the palace of the Governor-General. Through the capital runs a river
(the Pasig), up which we rowed, till we reached, on the left bank,
a handsome flight of steps, near the fortifications and close to
the column which has been erected to the memory of Magellanes, the
discoverer of, or, at all events, the founder of Spanish authority
in, these islands. This illustrious name arrested our attention. The
memorial is not worthy of that great reputation. It is a somewhat
rude column of stone, crowned with a bronze armillary sphere,
and decorated midway with golden dolphins and anchors wreathed in
laurels: it stands upon a pedestal of marble, bearing the name of
the honoured navigator, and is surrounded by an iron railing. It
was originally intended to be erected in the island of Zebu, but,
after a correspondence of several years with the Court of Madrid,
the present site was chosen by royal authority in 1847. There was
a very handsome display of cavalry and infantry, and a fine band of
music played "God save the Queen." Several carriages and four were
in waiting to escort our party to the government palace, where I was
most cordially received by the captain-general and the ladies of his
family. A fine suite of apartments had been prepared for my occupation,
and servants, under the orders of a major-domo, were ordered to attend
to our requirements, while one of the Governor's aides-de-camp was
constantly at hand to aid us.
Though the name of Manila is given to the capital of the Philippine
Islands, it is only the fort and garrison occupied by the authorities
to which the designation was originally applied. Manila is on the
left bank of the river, while, on the right, the district of Binondo
is the site inhabited by almost all the merchants, and in which their
business is conducted and their warehouses built. The palace fills
one side of a public plaza in the fortress, the cathedral another of
the same locality, resembling the squares of London, but with the
advantage of having its centre adorned by the glorious vegetation
of the tropics, whose leaves present all varieties of colour, from
the brightest yellow to the deepest green, and whose flowers are
remarkable for their splendour and beauty. There is a statue of
Charles the Fourth in the centre of the garden.
The most populous and prosperous province of the Philippines takes
its name from the fortification [2] of Manila; and the port of Manila
is among the best known and most frequented of the harbours of the
Eastern world. The capital is renowned for the splendour of its
religious processions; for the excellence of its cheroots, which,
to the east of the Cape of Good Hope, are generally preferred to the
cigars of the Havana; while the less honourable characteristics of
the people are known to be a universal love of gambling, which is
exhibited among the Indian races by a passion for cock-fighting, an
amusement made a productive source of revenue to the State. Artists
usually introduce a Philippine Indian with a game-cock under his arm,
to which he seems as much attached as a Bedouin Arab to his horse. It
is said that many a time an Indian has allowed his wife and children
to perish in the flames when his house has taken fire, but never was
known to fail in securing his favourite gallo from danger.
On anchoring off the city, Captain Vansittart despatched one of his
lieutenants, accompanied by my private secretary, to the British
consulate, in order to announce our arrival, and to offer any
facilities for consular communication with the Magicienne. They had
some difficulty in discovering the consulate, which has no flag-staff,
nor flag, nor other designation. The Consul was gone to his ferme
modèle, where he principally passes his time among outcast Indians,
in an almost inaccessible place, at some distance from Manila. The
Vice-Consul said it was too hot for him to come on board, though during
a great part of the day we were receiving the representatives of the
highest authorities of Manila. The Consul wrote (I am bound to do him
this justice) that it would "put him out" of his routine of habit and
economy if he were expected to fête and entertain with formality "his
Excellency the Plenipotentiary and Governor of Hong Kong." I hastened
to assure the Consul that my presence should cause him no expense,
but that the absence of anything which becomingly represented consular
authority on the arrival of one of Her Majesty's large ships of war
could hardly be passed unnoticed by the commander of that vessel.
Crowds of visitors honoured our arrival; among them the archbishop
and the principal ecclesiastical dignitaries; deputations from the
civilians, army and navy, and the various heads of departments, who
invited us to visit their establishments, exhibited in their personal
attentions the characteristics of ancient Castilian courtesy. A
report had spread among the officers that I was a veteran warrior
who had served in the Peninsular campaign, and helped to liberate
Spain from the yoke of the French invaders. I had to explain that,
though witness to many of the events of that exciting time, and in
that romantic land, I was a peaceful spectator, and not a busy actor
there. The bay of Manila, one of the finest in the world, and the river
Pasig which flows into it, were, no doubt, the great recommendations
of the position chosen for the capital of the Philippines. During
the four months of March, April, May, and June, the heat and dust
are very oppressive, and the mosquitos a fearful annoyance. To these
months succeed heavy rains, but on the whole the climate is good,
and the general mortality not great. The average temperature through
the year is 81° 97' Fahrenheit.
The quarantine station is at Cavite, a town of considerable importance
on the southern side of the harbour. It has a large manufacturing
establishment of cigars, and gives its name to the surrounding
province, which has about 57,000 inhabitants, among whom are about
7,000 mestizos (mixed race). From its adjacency to the capital, the
numerical proportion of persons paying tribute is larger than in any
other province.
The city, which is surrounded by ramparts, consists of seventeen
streets, spacious and crossing at right angles. As there is little
business in this part of the capital (the trade being carried on on
the other side of the river), few people are seen in the streets, and
the general character of the place is dull and monotonous, and forms
a remarkable contrast to the activity and crowding of the commercial
quarters. The cathedral, begun in 1654, and completed in 1672, is 240
feet in length and 60 in breadth. It boasts of its fourteen bells,
which have little repose; and of the carvings of the fifty-two
seats which are set apart for the aristocracy. The archiepiscopal
palace, though sufficiently large, did not appear to me to have any
architectural beauty. The apartments are furnished with simplicity,
and though the archbishop is privileged, like the governor, to appear
in some state, it was only on the occasion of religious ceremonies that
I observed anything like display. His reception of me was that of a
courteous old gentleman. He was dressed with great simplicity, and our
conversation was confined to inquiries connected with ecclesiastical
administration. He had been a barefooted Augustin friar (Recoleto),
and was raised to the archiepiscopal dignity in 1846.
The palacio in which I was so kindly accommodated was originally built
by an opulent but unfortunate protégé of one of the captains-general;
it was reconstructed in 1690 by Governor Gongora. It fills a
considerable space, and on the south-west side has a beautiful view
of the bay and the surrounding headlands. There is a handsome Hall
of Audience, and many of the departments of the government have their
principal offices within its walls. The patio forms a pretty garden,
and is crowded with tropical plants. It has two principal stone
staircases, one leading to the private apartments, and the other to
the public offices. Like all the houses at Manila, it has for windows
sliding frames fitted with concha, or plates of semi-transparent
oysters, which admit an imperfect light, but are impervious to the
sunbeams. I do not recollect to have seen any glass windows in the
Philippines. Many of the apartments are large and well furnished, but
not, as often in England, over-crowded with superfluities. The courtesy
of the Governor provided every day at his table seats for two officers
of the Magicienne at dinner, after retiring from which there was a
tertulia, or evening reception, where the notabilities of the capital
afforded me many opportunities for enjoying that agreeable and lively
conversation in which Spanish ladies excel. A few mestizos are among
the visitors. Nothing, however, is seen but the Parisian costume;
no vestiges of the recollections of my youth--the velo, the saya,
and the basquiña; nor the tortoiseshell combs, high towering over the
beautiful black cabellera; the fan alone remains, then, as now, the
dexterously displayed weapon of womanhood. After a few complimentary
salutations, most of the gentlemen gather round the card-tables.
The Calzada, a broad road a little beyond the walls of the fortress,
is to Manila what Hyde Park is to London, the Champs Elysées to Paris,
and the Meidan to Calcutta. It is the gathering place of the opulent
classes, and from five o'clock P.M. to the nightfall is crowded with
carriages, equestrians and pedestrians, whose mutual salutations
seem principally to occupy their attention: the taking off hats
and the responses to greetings and recognitions are sufficiently
wearisome. Twice a week a band of music plays on a raised way near
the extremity of the patio. Soon after sunset there is a sudden and
general stoppage. Every one uncovers his head; it is the time of the
oracion announced by the church bells: universal silence prevails
for a few minutes, after which the promenades are resumed. There is a
good deal of solemnity in the instant and accordant suspension of all
locomotion, and it reminded me of the prostration of the Mussulmans
when the voice of the Muezzim calls, "To prayer, to prayer." A fine
evening walk which is found on the esplanade of the fortifications,
is only frequented on Sundays. It has an extensive view of the harbour
and the river, and its freedom from the dust and dirt of the Calzada
gives it an additional recommendation; but fashion despotically decides
all such matters, and the crowds will assemble where everybody expects
to meet with everybody. In visiting the fine scenery of the rivers,
roads, and villages in the neighbourhood of Manila, we seldom met
with a carriage, or a traveller seeking to enjoy these beauties. And
in a harbour so magnificent as that of Manila one would expect to see
skiffs and pleasure-boats without number, and yachts and other craft
ministering to the enjoyment and adding to the variety of life; but
there are none. Nobody seems to like sporting with the elements. There
are no yacht regattas on the sea, as there are no horseraces on the
shore. I have heard the life of Manila called intolerably monotonous;
in my short stay it appeared to me full of interest and animation,
but I was perhaps privileged. The city is certainly not lively,
and the Spaniard is generally grave, but he is warm-hearted and
hospitable, and must not be studied at a distance, nor condemned
with precipitancy. He is, no doubt, susceptible and pundonoroso, but
is rich in noble qualities. Confined as is the population of Manila
within the fortification walls, the neighbouring country is full of
attractions. To me the villages, the beautiful tropical vegetation,
the banks of the rivers, and the streams adorned with scenery so
picturesque and pleasing, were more inviting than the gaiety of
the public parade. Every day afforded some variety, and most of the
pueblos have their characteristic distinctions. Malate is filled with
public offices, and women employed in ornamenting slippers with gold
and silver embroidery. Santa Ana is a favourite Villagiatura for
the merchants and opulent inhabitants. Near Paco is the cemetery,
"where dwell the multitude," in which are interred the remains of
many of the once distinguished who have ceased to be. Guadalupe
is illustrious for its miraculous image, and Paco for that of the
Saviour. The Lake of Arroceros (as its name implies) is one of the
principal gathering places for boats loaded with rice; near it, too,
are large manufactories of paper cigars. Sampaloc is the paradise
of washermen and washerwomen. La Ermita and other villages are
remarkable for their bordadoras, who produce those exquisite piña
handkerchiefs for which such large sums are paid. Pasay is renowned
for its cultivation of the betel. Almost every house has a garden with
its bamboos, plantains and cocoa-nut trees, and some with a greater
variety of fruits. Nature has decorated them with spontaneous flowers,
which hang from the branches or the fences, or creep up around the
simple dwellings of the Indians. Edifices of superior construction
are generally the abodes of the mestizos, or of the gobernadorcillos
belonging to the different pueblos.
Philip the Third gave armorial bearings to the capital, and conferred
on it the title of the "Very Noble City of Manila" (La mui noble
Ciudad), and attached the dignity of Excellency to the Ayuntamiento
(municipality).
During my stay at Manila, every afternoon, at five or six o'clock,
the Governor-General called for me in my apartments, and escorted by
cavalry lancers we were conveyed in a carriage and four to different
parts of the neighbourhood, the rides lasting from one to two hours. We
seldom took the same road, and thus visited not only nearly all the
villages in the vicinity, but passed through much beautiful country in
which the attention was constantly arrested by the groups of graceful
bamboos, the tall cocoa-nut trees, the large-leafed plantains, the
sugar-cane, the papaya, the green paddy fields (in which many people
were fishing--and who knows, when the fields are dry, what becomes
of the fish, for they never fail to appear again when irrigation has
taken place?), and that wonderful variety and magnificence of tropical
vegetation,--leaves and flowers so rich and gorgeous, on which one
is never tired to gaze. Much of the river scenery is such as a Claude
would revel in, and high indeed would be the artist's merit who could
give perpetuity to such colouring. And then the sunset skies--such as
are never seen in temperate zones,--so grand, so glowing, and at times
so awful! Almost every pueblo has some dwellings larger and better
than the rest, occupied by the native authorities or the mixed races
(mostly, however, of Chinese descent), who link the Indian to the
European population. The first floor of the house is generally raised
from the ground and reached by a ladder. Bamboos form the scaffolding,
the floors, and principal wood-work; the nipa palm makes the walls and
covers the roof. A few mats, a table, a rude chair or two, some pots
and crockery, pictures of saints, a lamp, and some trifling utensils,
comprise the domestic belongings, and while the children are crawling
about the house or garden, and the women engaged in household cares,
the master will most probably be seen with his game-cock under his
arm, or meditating on the prowess of the gallo while in attendance
on the gallinas.
------
FIGURE
VIEW FROM MY WINDOW SAN MIGUEL.
------
The better class of houses in Manila are usually rectangular, having
a court in the centre, round which are shops, warehouses, stables
and other offices, the families occupying the first floor. Towards
the street there is a corridor which communicates with the various
apartments, and generally a gallery in the interior looking into
the patio (court). The rooms have all sliding windows, whose small
panes admit the light of day through semi-transparent oyster-shells:
there are also Venetians, to help the ventilation and to exclude the
sun. The kitchen is generally separated from the dwelling. A large
cistern in the patio holds the water which is conveyed from the roofs
in the rainy season, and the platform of the cistern is generally
covered with jars of flowering plants or fruits. The first and only
floor is built on piles, as the fear of earthquakes prevents the
erection of elevated houses. The roofing is ordinarily of red tiles.
The apartments, as suited to a tropical climate, are large, and
many European fashions have been introduced: the walls covered with
painted paper, many lamps hung from the ceiling, Chinese screens,
porcelain jars with natural or artificial flowers, mirrors, tables,
sofas, chairs, such as are seen in European capitals; but the large
rooms have not the appearance of being crowded with superfluous
furniture. Carpets are rare--fire-places rarer.
Among Europeans the habits of European life are slightly modified by
the climate; but it appeared to me among the Spaniards there were more
of the characteristics of old Spain than would now be found in the
Peninsula itself. In my youth I often heard it said--and it was said
with truth--that neither Don Quixote nor Gil Blas were pictures of the
past alone, but that they were faithful portraits of the Spain which
I saw around me. Spain had then assuredly not been Europeanized; but
fifty years--fifty years of increased and increasing intercourse with
the rest of the world--have blotted out the ancient nationality, and
European modes, usages and opinions, have pervaded and permeated all
the upper and middling classes of Spanish society--nay, have descended
deep and spread far among the people, except those of the remote and
rural districts. There is little now to distinguish the aristocratical
and high-bred Spaniard from his equals in other lands. In the somewhat
lower grades, however, and among the whole body of clergy, the impress
of the past is preserved with little change. Strangers of foreign
nations, principally English and Americans, have brought with them
conveniences and luxuries which have been to some extent adopted by
the opulent Spaniards of Manila; and the honourable, hospitable and
liberal spirit which is found among the great merchants of the East,
has given them "name and fame" among Spanish colonists and native
cultivators. Generally speaking, I found a kind and generous urbanity
prevailing,--friendly intercourse where that intercourse had been
sought,--the lines of demarcation and separation between ranks and
classes less marked and impassable than in most Oriental countries. I
have seen at the same table Spaniard, mestizo and Indian--priest,
civilian and soldier. No doubt a common religion forms a common bond;
but to him who has observed the alienations and repulsions of caste in
many parts of the Eastern world--caste, the great social curse--the
blending and free intercourse of man with man in the Philippines is
a contrast well worth admiring. M. Mallat's enthusiasm is unbounded
in speaking of Manila. "Enchanting city!" he exclaims; "in thee
are goodness, cordiality, a sweet, open, noble hospitality,--the
generosity which makes our neighbour's house our own;--in thee the
difference of fortune and hierarchy disappears. Unknown to thee is
etiquette. O Manila! a warm heart can never forget thy inhabitants,
whose memory will be eternal for those who have known them."
De Mas' description of the Manila mode of life is this:--"They rise
early, and take chocolate and tea (which is here called cha); breakfast
composed of two or three dishes and a dessert at ten; dinner at from
two to three; siesta (sleep) till five to six; horses harnessed, and
an hour's ride to the pasco; returning from which, tea, with bread
and biscuits and sweets, sometimes homewards, sometimes in visit
to a neighbour; the evening passes as it may (cards frequently);
homewards for bed at 11 P.M.; the bed a fine mat, with mosquito
curtains drawn around; one narrow and one long pillow, called an
abrazador (embracer), which serves as a resting-place for the arms or
the legs. It is a Chinese and a convenient appliance. No sheets--men
sleep in their stockings, shirts, and loose trousers (pajamas); the
ladies in garments something similar. They say 'people must always
be ready to escape into the street in case of an earthquake.'" I
certainly know of an instance where a European lady was awfully
perplexed when summoned to a sudden flight in the darkness, and felt
that her toilette required adjustment before she could hurry forth.
Many of the pueblos which form the suburbs of Manila are very
populous. Passing through Binondo we reach Tondo, which gives its
name to the district, and has 31,000 inhabitants. These pueblos
have their Indian gobernadorcillos. Their best houses are of European
construction, occupied by Spaniards or mestizos, but these form a small
proportion of the whole compared with the Indian Cabánas. Tondo is one
of the principal sources for the supply of milk, butter, and cheese
to the capital; it has a small manufacturing industry of silk and
cotton tissues, but most of the women are engaged in the manipulation
of cigars in the great establishments of Binondo. Santa Cruz has a
population of about 11,000 inhabitants, many of them merchants, and
there are a great number of mechanics in the pueblo. Near it is the
burying-place of the Chinese, or, as they are called by the Spaniards,
the Sangleyes infieles.
Santa Cruz is a favourite name in the Philippines. There are in
the island of Luzon no less than four pueblos, each with a large
population, called Santa Cruz, and several besides in others of
the Philippines. It is the name of one of the islands, of several
headlands, and of various other localities, and has been carried by
the Spaniards into every region where they have established their
dominion. So fond are they of the titles they find in their Calendar,
that in the Philippines there are no less than sixteen places called
St. John and twelve which bear the name of St. Joseph; Jesus, Santa
Maria, Santa Ana, Santa Caterina, Santa Barbara, and many other saints,
have given their titles to various localities, often superseding the
ancient Indian names. Santa Ana is a pretty village, with about 5,500
souls. It is surrounded with cultivated lands, which, being irrigated
by fertilizing streams, are productive, and give their wonted charm to
the landscape--palms, mangoes, bamboos, sugar plantations, and various
fruit and forest trees on every side. The district is principally
devoted to agriculture. A few European houses, with their pretty
gardens, contrast well with the huts of the Indian. Its climate has
the reputation of salubrity.
There is a considerable demand for horses in the capital. The
importation of the larger races from Australia has not been
successful. They were less suited to the climate than the ponies which
are now almost universally employed. The Filipinos never give pure
water to their horses, but invariably mix it with miel (honey), the
saccharine matter of the caña dulce, and I was informed that no horse
would drink water unless it was so sweetened. This, of course, is the
result of "education." The value of horses, as compared with their
cost in the remoter islands, is double or treble in the capital. In
fact, nothing more distinctly proves the disadvantages of imperfect
communication than the extraordinary difference of prices for the
same articles in various parts of the Archipelago, even in parts
which trade with one another. There have been examples of famine in
a maritime district while there has been a superfluity of food in
adjacent islands. No doubt the monsoons are a great impediment to
regular intercourse, as they cannot be mastered by ordinary shipping;
but steam has come to our aid, when commercial necessities demanded
new powers and appliances, and no regions are likely to benefit by
it more than those of the tropics.
The associations and recollections of my youth were revived in the
hospitable entertainment of my most excellent host and the courteous
and graceful ladies of his family. Nearly fifty years before I had
been well acquainted with the Spanish peninsula--in the time of its
sufferings for fidelity, and its struggles for freedom, and I found
in Manila some of the veterans of the past, to whom the "Guerra de
Independencia" was of all topics the dearest; and it was pleasant to
compare the tablets of our various memories, as to persons, places
and events. Of the actors we had known in those interesting scenes,
scarcely any now remain--none, perhaps, of those who occupied the
highest position, and played the most prominent parts; but their
names still served as links to unite us in sympathizing thoughts and
feelings, and having had the advantage of an early acquaintance with
Spanish, all that I had forgotten was again remembered, and I found
myself nearly as much at home as in former times when wandering among
the mountains of Biscay, dancing on the banks of the Guadalquivir,
or turning over the dusty tomes at Alcalá de Henares. [3]
There was a village festival at Sampaloc (the Indian name for
tamarinds), to which we were invited. Bright illuminations adorned
the houses, triumphal arches the streets; everywhere music and gaiety
and bright faces. There were several balls at the houses of the more
opulent mestizos or Indians, and we joined the joyous assemblies. The
rooms were crowded with Indian youths and maidens. Parisian fashions
have not invaded these villages--there were no crinolines--these
are confined to the capital; but in their native garments there was
no small variety--the many-coloured gowns of home manufacture--the
richly embroidered kerchiefs of piña--earrings and necklaces, and
other adornings; and then a vivacity strongly contrasted with the
characteristic indolence of the Indian races. Tables were covered
with refreshments--coffee, tea, wines, fruits, cakes and sweetmeats;
and there seemed just as much of flirting and coquetry as ever marked
the scenes of higher civilization. To the Europeans great attentions
were paid, and their presence was deemed a great honour. Our young
midshipmen were among the busiest and liveliest of the throng,
and even made their way, without the aid of language, to the good
graces of the Zagalas. Sampaloc, inhabited principally by Indians
employed as washermen and women, is sometimes called the Pueblo de
los Lavanderos. The festivities continued to the matinal hours.
In 1855 the Captain-General (Crespo) caused sundry statistical returns
to be published, which throw much light upon the social condition
of the Philippine Islands, and afford such valuable materials for
comparison with the official data of other countries, that I shall
extract from them various results which appear worthy of attention.
The city of Manila contains 11 churches, with 3 convents, 363
private houses; and the other edifices, amounting in all to 88,
consist of public buildings and premises appropriated to various
objects. Of the private houses, 57 are occupied by their owners, and
189 are let to private tenants, while 117 are rented for corporate or
public purposes. The population of the city in 1855 was 8,618 souls,
as follows:--
---------------------+--------+----------+-------
---- | Males. | Females. | Total.
---------------------+--------+----------+-------
European Spaniards | 503 | 87 | 590
Native ditto | 575 | 798 | 1,373
Indians and Mestizos | 3,830 | 2,493 | 6,323
Chinese | 525 | 7[4] | 532
+--------+----------+-------
Total | 5,433 | 3,385 | 8,818
---------------------+--------+----------+-------
Far different are the proportions in another part of the capital,
the Binondo district, on the other side of the river:--
---------------------+--------+-----------+-------
---- | Males. | Females. | Total.
---------------------+--------+-----------+-------
European Spaniards | 67 | 52 | 219
Native ditto | 569 | 608 | 1,177
Foreigners | 85 | 11 | 96
Indians and Mestizos | 10,317 | 10,685 | 21,002
Chinese | 5,055 | 8[5] | 5,063
+--------+-----------+-------
Total | 16,193 | 11,364 | 27,557
---------------------+--------+-----------+-------
Of these, one male and two females (Indian) were more than 100
years old.
The proportion of births and deaths in Manila is thus given:--
----------------------+--------------+--------------+-------------
---- | Spaniards. | Natives. | Total.
----------------------+--------------+--------------+-------------
Births | 4·38 per ct. | 4·96 per ct. | 4·83 per ct.
Deaths | 1·68 ,, | 2·72 ,, | 2·48 ,,
+--------------+--------------+-------------
Excess of Births over | | |
Deaths | 2·70 per ct. | 2·24 per ct. | 2·35 per ct.
----------------------+--------------+--------------+-------------
In Binondo the returns are much less favourable:--
Births 5·12
Deaths 4·77
0·35
The statistical commissioners state these discrepancies to be
inexplicable; but attribute it in part to the stationary character
of the population of the city, and the many fluctuations which take
place in the commercial movements of Binondo.
Binondo is really the most important and most opulent pueblo of the
Philippines, and is the real commercial capital: two-thirds of the
houses are substantially built of stone, brick and tiles, and about
one-third are Indian wooden houses covered with the nipa palm. The
place is full of business and activity. An average was lately taken
of the carriages daily passing the principal thoroughfares. Over
the Puente Grande (great bridge) their number was 1,256; through
the largest square, Plaza de S. Gabriel, 979; and through the main
street, 915. On the Calzada, which is the great promenade of the
capital, 499 carriages were counted--these represent the aristocracy
of Manila. There are eight public bridges, and a suspension bridge
has lately been constructed as a private speculation, on which a fee
is levied for all passengers.
Binondo has some tolerably good wharfage on the bank of the Pasig,
and is well supplied with warehouses for foreign commerce. That
for the reception of tobacco is very extensive, and the size of the
edifice where the state cigars are manufactured may be judged of from
the fact that nine thousand females are therein habitually employed.
The Puente Grande (which unites Manila with Binondo) was originally
built of wood upon foundations of masonry, with seven arches of
different sizes, at various distances. Two of the arches were destroyed
by the earthquake of 1824, since which period it has been repaired
and restored. It is 457 feet in length and 24 feet in width. The
views on all sides from the bridge are fine, whether of the wharves,
warehouses, and busy population on the right bank of the river, or
the fortifications, churches, convents, and public walks on the left.
The population of Manila and its suburbs is about 150,000.
The tobacco manufactories of Manila, being the most remarkable of
the "public shows," have been frequently described. The chattering
and bustling of the thousands of women, which the constantly exerted
authority of the female superintendents wholly failed to control, would
have been distracting enough from the manipulation of the tobacco leaf,
even had their tongues been tied, but their tongues were not tied,
and they filled the place with noise. This was strangely contrasted
with the absolute silence which prevailed in the rooms solely occupied
by men. Most of the girls, whose numbers fluctuate from eight to ten
thousand, are unmarried, and many seemed to be only ten or eleven
years old. Some of them inhabit pueblos at a considerable distance
from Manila, and form quite a procession either in proceeding to or
returning from their employment. As we passed through the different
apartments specimens were given us of the results of their labours,
and on leaving the establishment beautiful bouquets of flowers were
placed in our hands. We were accompanied throughout by the superior
officers of the administration, explaining to us all the details with
the most perfect Castilian courtesy. Of the working people I do not
believe one in a hundred understood Spanish.
The river Pasig is the principal channel of communication with the
interior. It passes between the commercial districts and the fortress
of Manila. Its average breadth is about 350 feet, and it is navigable
for about ten miles, with various depths of from 3 to 25 feet. It is
crossed by three bridges, one of which is a suspension bridge. The
daily average movement of boats, barges, and rafts passing with
cargo under the principal bridge, was 277, escorted by 487 men and
121 women (not including passengers). The whole number of vessels
belonging to the Philippines was, in 1852 (the last return I possess),
4,053, representing 81,752 tons, and navigated by 30,485 seamen. Of
these, 1,532 vessels, of 74,148 tons, having 17,133 seamen, belong
to the province of Manila alone, representing three-eighths of the
ships, seven-eighths of the tonnage, and seventeen-thirtieths of the
mercantile marine. The value of the coasting trade in 1852 is stated to
have been about four and a-half millions of dollars, half this value
being in abacá (Manila hemp), sugar and rice being the next articles
in importance. The province of Albay, the most southern of Luzon,
is represented by the largest money value, being about one-fourth of
the whole. On an average of five years, from 1850 to 1854, the coasting
trade is stated to have been of the value of 4,156,459 dollars, but the
returns are very imperfect, and do not include all the provinces. The
statistical commission reports that on an examination of all the
documents and facts accessible to them, in 1855, the coasting trade
might be fairly estimated at 7,200,459 dollars.
At a distance of about three miles from Binondo, on the right bank
of the Pasig, is the country house of the captain-general, where he
is accustomed to pass some weeks of the most oppressive season of
the year: it has a nice garden, a convenient moveable bath, which
is lowered into the river, an aviary, and a small collection of
quadrupeds, among which I made acquaintance with a chimpanzee, who,
soon after, died of a pulmonary complaint.