"The Spaniards kept a monopoly of their trade down to the beginning of the present century. All other Europeans were carefully excluded from the islands until 1809, when an English house was allowed to establish itself here, and this concession was followed in 1814 by permission for all foreigners to come here under certain restrictions. The Spaniards always reserve the right to send away any foreigner who makes himself obnoxious, but the occasions when they do so are very rare. Even at the present day it is difficult for a foreigner to obtain permission to visit the interior of the island; and as late as twenty years ago there was a royal order that forbade their going there under any pretext whatever."
"Can we go there?" Fred asked. "I should so much like to see the interior of the island we are on."
"We have not time," the Doctor answered, "to go through the whole of the island, even if we could obtain permission; but I dare say we can make some short excursions, so that we will not be entirely ignorant of the Philippines when we go away."
After some further talk about the country they were in, the party separated, in order to follow the custom of Manilla, and devote an hour or two to sleep before going on their evening drive.
MOUTH OF THE BAY OF MANILLA.