Smallpox is a disease of such common occurrence that the natives have no dread of it; the mortality from this one cause alone is appalling. This brings to mind the funeral ceremony, which, since the natives are all Catholics, is always performed by the padre or priest.
In red, pink, or otherwise gayly decorated coffin, the corpse, which is often exposed to view and sometimes covered with cheap paper flowers, bits of lace and jewelry, is taken to the church, where there are already as many as five or six bodies at a time awaiting the arrival of the priest to say prayers and sprinkle holy water upon them. If the family of the deceased is too poor to buy or rent a coffin, the body is wrapped in a coarse mat, slung on a pole, and carried to the outer door of the church, to have a little water sprinkled thereon or service said over it. If the families are unable to rent a spot of earth in the cemetery, their dead are dumped into a pile and left to decay and bleach upon the surface. In contrast with this brutal neglect of the poor, is the lavish expenditure of the rich. The daughter of one of the wealthy residents having died, the body was placed in a casket elaborately trimmed with blue satin, the catafalque also was covered with blue satin and trimmed with ruffles of satin and lace. In the funeral procession, the coffin was carried on the shoulders of several young men, while at the sides walked young ladies, each dressed in a blue satin gown with a long train and white veil, and each lavishly decorated with precious jewels. They held long, blue satin ribbons fastened to the casket. At the door of the church the casket was taken in charge by three priests, attended by thirty or forty choir boys, acolytes, and others, and placed upon a black pedestal about thirty feet high and completely surrounded by hundreds of candles, many of which were held in gilded figures of cherubim; the whole was surmounted by a flambeau made by immersing cotton in alcohol. The general effect was of a huge burning pile. Incense was burned every where in and about the edifice, which was elaborately decorated with satin festoons, palms, artificial flowers, emblems wrought in beads, all in profusion and arranged with native taste. All this, with the intonation of the priests, the chanting of the choir, and the blaring of three bands, made a weird and impressive scene never to be forgotten. After the ceremony, which lasted about an hour, the body was taken to the cemetery, and, as it was by this time quite dark, each person in the procession carried a torch or candle. I noticed quite a number of Chinese among the following, evidently friends, and these were arrayed in as gorgeous apparel as the natives. The remains having been disposed of, there was a grand reception given in the evening in honor of the deceased.
It is customary to have a dance every Sunday evening, and each woman has a chair in which she sits while not dancing. The priests not only attend, but participate most heartily.
I was told that among the papers captured in Manila was a document which proved to be the last bull issued by the Pope to the King of Spain (1895 or 96). This was an agreement between the Pope and the King, whereby the former conveys to the latter the right to authorize the sale of indulgences. The King, in turn, sold this right to the padres and friars in the islands. Absolution from a lie cost the sinner six pesos, or three dollars in gold; other sins in proportion to their enormity and the financial ability of the offender. The annual income of the King of Spain from this system has been estimated at the modest figure of ten millions.
The discovery of this and other documents is due to a party of interpreters who became greatly fascinated by the unearthing process. In the same church in which these were found, the men investigated the gambling tables and found them controlled and manipulated from the room below by means of traps, tubes, and other appliances. An interesting fact in this connection is that one of the interpreters was himself a Romanist, and loath to believe his eyes, but the evidence was convincing, and he was forced to admit it. Gambling is a national custom, deeply rooted.
I shall never forget the joy I experienced when we got two milch cows. What visions of milk, cream, and butter,—fresh butter, not canned; then, too, to see the natives milk was truly a diversion; they went at it from the wrong side, stood at as great a distance as the length of arms permitted, and in a few seconds were through, having obtained for their trouble about a pint of milk—an excellent milk-man’s fluid—a blue and chalky mixture.
One day I heard what seemed to be a cry of distress, half human in entreaty, and I rushed to see what could be the matter. There, on its back, was a goat being milked; there were four boys, each holding a leg, while the fifth one milked upward into a cocoanut shell. It was a ludicrous sight.
One of their dainties is cooked grasshoppers, which are sold by the bushel in the markets. I cannot recommend this dish, for I never was able to summon sufficient courage to test it, but I should think it would be as delectable as the myriad little dried fish which are eaten with garlic as a garnish and flavor.
The poor little horses are half starved and otherwise maltreated by the natives, who haven’t the least idea of how to manage them. They beat them to make them go, then pull up sharply on the reins which whirls them round and round or plunges them right and left, often into the ditches beside the road. It was no uncommon sight to see officers or men getting out of their quielas to push and pull to get the animal started, only to have the driver whip and jerk as before.
Some of the natives bought the American horses and it was painful to see them try to make our noble steeds submit to methods a la Filipino.