The Manilians are of a swarthy complexion, large and well made; their dress is composed of a shirt of a kind of linen made of the filaments of the abaca, a species of palm; this shirt is very short, and is worn over a large and wide pair of drawers: but their greatest luxury consists in handkerchiefs, with red borders, of the finest quality; of these they usually wear three, one on the head, one on the neck, and the third is held in the hand. The English manufacture them at Madras expressly for their consumption.
The women wear a kind of little shift, which scarcely reaches to the navel, with a handkerchief loosely covering the neck; a white linen cloth encircles the body, and is fastened by a button at the waist: they throw over this a coloured stuff, manufactured by the inhabitants of Panay. Over all is worn a mantle, for the most part black, which covers the body from head to foot. Their hair, which is black and highly beautiful, sometimes reaches to the ground: they bestow the greatest care on it, anoint it with cocoa-nut oil, plait it in the Chinese fashion, and, towards the crown of the head, form it into a knot, fastened with a gold or silver pin. They wear embroidered slippers, so very small that they only cover the toes.
The houses of the Indians of Manila are constructed of bamboo, covered with palm leaves. They are erected on pillars of wood, at the height of from eight to ten feet from the ground, and they ascend to them by a small ladder, which is drawn up every night. The custom of thus raising their houses to this elevation, has for its object their protection from the humidity of the soil; but that of drawing up the ladders, by which they mount to them, has in view their security against ferocious animals, and those of their neighbours who live in a savage state. Their bed is, for the most part, a simple mat, spread on the floor.
Their food is rice, plain boiled, which they eat either with salted fish, or by putting into the water in which it is dressed a spice, which takes off its insipid taste.
There are many lakes in the island of Luçon; the most considerable is that called by the Spaniards Laguna de Bay. The river, which washes the walls of Manila, flows out of this lake, and thus a communication, by means of boats, is open to its surrounding shores. This lake is about 30 leagues in circumference, and about 120 fathoms in depth. In the middle of it is an island, which holds out a refuge to some Indian families. They live by fishing, and preserve their liberty by prohibiting the approach of strangers to their asylum. This lake is bounded on the west by high mountains; the level country is fertile, and is inhabited by a people of gentle manners: they employ themselves in manufacturing matting, cloth, and different fabrics, from the abaca. Perhaps the first monks who were sent to convert them were attracted there by the mildness of their character.
The Spaniards, in supplying them with a religion, have left their laws unaltered; in fact, their ancient usages are retained, and they are governed by an Indian of their village, nominated, however, by the Spaniards, and whose authority they acknowledge.
This people, though of a mild character, treat crimes with severity; the greatest, in their opinion, is adultery, which is the only one punished with death.
Eastward of the lake there are immense plains; large and deep rivers traverse them, and spread to a great distance a natural fertility. This country might be the residence of a numerous population, which might live happy in the cultivation of it. Only a few villages, however, are to be seen scattered here and there; miserable dwellings, inhabited by men devoid of honesty, without justice, who, in a constant state of warfare, entertain mutual fear of each other, and who, instead of laws, of the protection of which they are ignorant, place their security in their arms; these they never quit, they hold them in readiness in approaching each other, and the intercourse they have together less resembles a social act than a state of perpetual warfare. Even the rights of blood afford no security: parents, brothers, wife and husband, live in constant distrust of each other, and, consequently, in a state of reciprocal hatred. The origin of manners, so far removed from the mild character of their neighbours, may be found in the mode adopted for their subjection, and the recollection of those punishments they have been exposed to by the priests, in compelling them to adore the cross.
There are many volcanos in the island of Luçon, which, it is most probable, is the cause of the frequent earthquakes to which it is subject; not a year passes without two, three, or four. The Spaniards of Manila construct their houses accordingly; the whole is of wood, and raised on wooden pillars; but to guard against such visitations they are provided with a small apartment made of bamboo, placed in the court or garden. There the whole family sleeps, when the state of the atmosphere seems to indicate an earthquake.
It has been well observed by M. Gentil, that the earthquakes appear to occur more frequently at the end of the year, and most commonly in the night-time. I witnessed two in the month of December, 1770: the first was violent, and threw down many houses; it was announced at nine o’clock at night by a strong southerly wind, which considerably agitated the sea; the atmosphere became charged with a reddish vapour, and in two hours time I felt three successive shocks, which produced in me a kind of sea sickness. The vessels in the road were sensible of the motion, and thought they had struck. The Spaniards employed themselves in chaunting the rosary.