They passed a craft which Mr. Webb called a passage-boat. It was a sort of canoe, manned by three men, two of them rowing, and one working a paddle to steer her. Over the after part was an awning, made of the big leaves of the nipa palm; and under it were two men and two women, bound up the river. But a freight-boat interested the young men most. The hull of it looked more like a canal-boat than any other craft they could think of. The planking of the sides extended a little higher up forward and aft than amidships; and the whole was covered with an arched roof woven on hoops, like those of a baggage-wagon, with palm leaves. The portion at the bow and stern could be removed, as the whole could. The man at the helm was under the stern section of the cover, and it was lifted about a foot to enable him to look ahead.
A wide plank was secured on iron brackets fastened to each side of the craft, on which were two men poling the boat up the stream. It was so far like the mud-scows formerly in use on some of the waters of New England, except that the men who worked her with poles walked on the gunwale of the scow. The boys watched it till it passed out of view astern. The Blanchita made a landing near the bridge, on the Binondo side; and all the passengers went on shore.
CHAPTER XXX.
EXCURSIONS ON SHORE AND UP THE PASIG
The Pasig flowed from east to west in the city; and landing on the north side of the stream, the tourists soon came to the Escolto, which extended both ways parallel to the river. It was the principal street for shoppers and promenaders, and was exactly what they wished to find, as they had informed Mr. Webb and Mr. Gollan, the two consuls who had brought them there.
The avenue was filled at this hour with a motley variety of people of all the races known in the islands, from the Tagal Indian up to the native-born of Spain. Some of them were disposed to laugh at the strangeness, not to say the absurdity, of some of the costumes which confronted them; but all of them were too well bred to indulge their mirth, or to stare offensively at the subjects of their suppressed merriment. One young man excited their attention especially; and Louis at the side of Miss Blanche, and the rest of the quartet of young Americans, were also interested.
"He is one of the swells of the city," said Scott, looking industriously at the clear blue sky.
"He looks like it," replied Louis, as he and his female companion each gazed with one eye into a shop window while they fixed the other upon the native, who was sporting a cane in fantastic twirls, and evidently believing he was worth looking at.
The subject of their mirth, variously concealed, was what would be called a colored man at home, though not a negro; but he was not many removes in complexion from the original Negrito. He was toying with a cigar, and wore a monocle and a "stovepipe" hat. His trousers were a sort of plaid; and his upper works were covered with what looked like a blouse, though it was really his shirt, with a linen bosom, secured with studs. At the base of his figure was a pair of patent-leather shoes, though he did not affect the luxury of stockings.