The sun., 1898-05-29

Over 5000 people were killed by Phil.
pine earthquakes in 1894, and on the
single island of LeyteSlast year 1000
people were killed. The city of Manila
proper lies on the south bank of the lazy,
yellowish river OF Passig. There are
wide canals and heavy walls all about
Manila.
They were constructed in the early
part of the eighteenth century to pro-
tect the citizens from invasion from the
interior-for even then there were re-
belions at the Spanish rule.
There is always a green scum on the
water in the ancient canals, and dead
cats and dogs and other animals may be
seen rotting in the stagnant water there
almost any day in the year. Coleridge,
who distinguished forty distinct smells
in Cologne, would have been over
,whelmed at the magnitude of his task in
some of the suburbs of Manila and San
Fernando.
In the hottest weather poisonous
malarial odors come from these stagnant
waters that cause mortal epidemics for
weeks at a time.
Although next to Goa, the Oldest city
in the Indies, Manila, with its numerous
monasteries, converts, barracks, etc.,
reminds one more of a Spanish provin-
cial town than OF an Oriental city.
Foreigners live in Bidondo, a suburb,
which is the headquarters of commerce.
The Spaniards and natives view each
other with jealousy-the colonial policy
of Madrid everywhere, and which pre-
vents unity among the people, at the
price of their prosperity.
Then there is no planter class to break
down this spirit OF exclusiveness, and
the Spaniards only too much regard a
residence in the islands as temporary
makeshift.
The very houses in Manila are gloomy,
ugly and badly ventlated-a fatal error
in such scorching climate. Instead of
light jalousies they are fitted with heavy
sash windows, with thin oyster-shell
panes, scarcely two square inches in
area.
The ground floors, on account of the
damp, are generally uninhabited, and
are used for stables and offices. The
dwellings are of plank, bamboo and
palm leaves, the palm being everybody's
friend in these islands. The houses
are lightly put together, and, including
furniture, often weigh less than 200
pounds.
This is land of siestas and Iaziness.
Indeed, the summer climate is too severe
to permit any physical effort for the un-
acclimated People in Manila from other
and cooler clmes often suffer and die
with the excessive heat.
Apoplexy is common among the
Spanish who live too high in this coun-
try. Everyone who can, does his busi-
ness in the early hours, Willing away
the heat OF the day in sleep.
Late in the afternoon Mania begins to
awaken. The Escolta, or principal
street, is crowded with loungers Of all |
ranks and colors, each with segarito
stuck penIike behind the ear.
Caromattas, a species of two-wheeled |
hooded cabrioets peculiar to the natives,
crowd the roadway, together with the
buggies and open carriages OF the foreign
element.
The Spanish carriages have a certain
but barbaric gorgeousness,
the harness being thickly laden with
silver ornaments, while the coachman
wears curious hat OF tortoise-shell,
bound and tilleted'with silver
At sunset the various tobacco stores
close and their thousands of employees
pour out into the streets. They form a
motley yet effective feature among the
wayfarels, with their cotton suits, big
pink checks, or of the color of lemon,
lilac, chocolate, yellow or green-com-
binations which harmonize charmingly
with their rich, dusky skins under the
mellow light of the afternoon.
Manila is a ''slow" place. The plays
are poor, the newspapers barren c!ron-
lclers OF stale court gossip, and the most
exciting incidents are religious process
sions and cock fights.
Every Indian who can afford it keeps
4 fighting cock, and the ring around the
cock pit, crowded with perspiring and
Unlocking natives, is common and dis
agreeable sight. In spite of all its draw
backs, Mania has its picturesque side
During the religious festivals especially,
beautiful women are to be seen thrOng-
ng the illuminated and flower bedecked
streets
Some of the most charming of the In.
liam women are OF the fair European
,ype. From the province cCme the ma
i've and half-caste women. The Indian
women are beautifully formed, with us-
rous black hair and melting dark eyes
The upper part of their bodies is clad in i
material OF transparent tinehess and ,
:nowy purity.
From the waist downward comes
lowing drapery in the form of brightly ,
striped cloth, wi ich as far as the knee, :,
8 SO tightly compressed with dark
shawl closely drawn around the figure ,
hat the folds Of the saJa (cloth) burst ,
'ut beneath it like blossoms of a pomc.
Sranate. .
The police Of the city is under military
llsclplInc, and Is composed ot natives. ,
\ new department Of the police has re- ,
emily been formed, called the Municipal =
iuaru.
There are six daily papers, FL Diario i
le Manila, La Occania E-panoln, pub ,
lshed in the morning, and Fl COmcrcio. r
IA Noz Espanoa, ri E,panoa and Fl i
>oticicro, which appear in the evening. t
he lot season commences in March and r
ontinucs until july. The rains COM
ncnce in August and continue to Decem-
cr, during winch time the roads and =,
trcets are in Il horribly muddy condl- S
ion.
The maximum annual rainfall re- Il
orded is | II inches and the minimum /