"Close behind them was another couple that our friend said were Chinese Metis, or half-breeds. The costume of the man was not much unlike that of the other, but his trousers were not as gay, his frock was gathered in at the waist, and his shirt was white. The woman was prettier than the other one, and the handkerchief she wore on her head was very becoming; it fell in graceful folds down to her shoulders, which were covered with a cape of thin muslin, held in place by a pin at the throat, and her dress was very pretty: it consisted of a skirt or native sarong, in which there was a good deal of red, and over the skirt there was a wide sash of rich Chinese silk in red and yellow stripes. It is wound around the waist in such a way that it holds the figure quite closely, and hangs below the knee. Her feet were in slippers, without stockings, and it does not seem to be the fashion for anybody to put on stockings in Manilla, or at least only among the foreigners.
SPANISH METIS OF THE WEALTHY CLASS.
"Frequently we saw people on horseback, and were told that many of them belonged to the wealthy class of the Spanish Metis. Their dress was much like that of the pedestrians, except that it was somewhat richer, and the woman wore a tall hat like that of the man; but as the equestrian costume for a lady in Europe or America is generally supposed to include a high chapeau, we suppose the head-covering for the fair rider in Manilla will not be considered out of fashion. They say that fashions change very little in Manilla from year to year, and milliners do not make fortunes. The Spanish ladies make some attempt to keep in style, but, with all their efforts, they do not succeed very well. There is little chance for variety in a country where it is so hot that only the lightest garments can be worn with comfort.
"These Metis are in the same social position as the mulattoes of the United States—they will not associate with persons whose skins are darker than their own; and, on the other hand, the whites altogether despise and look down upon them. But they are the richest and most enterprising of the population, and it is said that a Chinese Meti can generally beat a genuine Chinese at a trade, no matter whether he is buying or selling. One of the wealthiest native merchants is the son of a Chinese trader who married a Tagal wife, and he has made his entire fortune by his own industry and shrewdness.
"There is this difference between the Spaniards in the Philippines and the Dutch in Java: that the former have instructed the natives in their religion, while the latter have not tried to give the Javanese any religious instruction whatever. All through the Philippines the natives have been converted to the Catholic Church, and in many districts the only white inhabitants are the priests. They instruct the natives not only in religion, but in agriculture and manufactures; but it often happens that, as they have no practical knowledge of the arts they are teaching, their instruction does not amount to much.
"When we reached the promenade, we got out of the carriage for a stroll. Everybody seemed to be there, as it is the fashion to go to the promenade whenever the band plays, and it happened to be one of the musical evenings. All the Spanish officials were in uniform, and the gentlemen who did not happen to hold office wore their black coats. Most of the other foreigners followed their example, though there were some that did not. The fashion promises to die out; but it will be some time before it does, as the Spanish are very conservative.