M. N. HANHART LITH. PRINTERS
NATIVES OF LUZON.
We then sailed again for Caviti, which was now again inhabited. The society is confined to the families of the civil and military officers who are stationed there. Some of the villages in the vicinity of Caviti are very picturesque: the bamboos planted on each side of the road meet over head, and form shady lanes. The women at these villages were handsomer than any I had seen at Luzon, and were dressed very tastefully. A petticoat, reaching from the hips to between the knees and ankles, a not too jealous boddice of light muslin, their long hair flowing down their backs, and a neat straw hat, composed as graceful a costume as I have ever witnessed. See two of these girls, both riding one pony, taking eggs to Caviti, as they pass through the shady lanes, and you cannot desire a more agreeable picture.
WATER CARRIERS—MANILLA.
January 3rd.—From this day till the 20th of February we were surveying various portions of the Phillippine group; but as there is nothing to interest the reader, I shall pass over a dry catalogue of mostly uninhabited islands. One of the islands was covered with cocoa-nut trees. We found on it some Malays, who had come there on an annual visit, and were loading their boats with the nuts. They were the rudest of the Malay tribe we had yet seen. Every article in our possession excited their cupidity, and they expressed their wonder and admiration by clacking their tongues against the roofs of their mouths, and emitting a very strange sound. A needle was valued by them at ten cocoa-nuts, a button at five. For the value of a few shillings we filled the ship with those highly esteemed fruit. On the 21st of February we proceeded to Samboangan, a Spanish penal settlement at the south extremity of Mindanao. The town, which is insignificant, is built on a plain. Most of the houses are constructed of leaves and bamboo, supported by stakes. The governor, however, and some of the most respectable of the inhabitants, occupy neat little white-washed cottages. There is a fine fort, in good condition, and mounting several guns, which is garrisoned by about 400 Manilla troops.
The town is surrounded nearly by groves of cocoa-nut trees and bananas, and the roads cut through them form pleasant shady walks. The plain on which the town is built is well cultivated, and watered by a fine river. It is bounded by a range of mountains, which separate the Spanish possessions from the country inhabited by the warlike natives of the interior. The people appear well-conditioned and industrious, and are remarkably neat in their dress and persons. There are several gun boats stationed here, which are employed to scour the coast of the pirates, who are very numerous and formidable.
Horses can be obtained here in any quantity, but saddles and bridles are scarce. Unfortunately, there is nothing so civilised here as an hotel, so few vessels visiting the port. The little commerce that exists is carried on by small schooners which run between this island and Manilla.