The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-03

at our refusal to accept his offer, but soon
decides that as friends" he will take us
for 81 a head. We finally compromise with
him at 10 cents, and are transferred TO the
bank.
Here new difficulties await US. and our
last end is worse than our first. We are
instantly surrounded by a swarm of dirty.
perspiring porters, who jostle and fight each
other for the chance TO carry our luggage,
while carriages and carts bear down on
from all directions, their drivers displaying
quite as much readiness TO transport our
persons as do the porters to carry our eff
fectS. The odd Spanish and unfamiliar ma
tive words mingle in a jargon of, TO Us,
meaningless sounds. and in disgust we
strengthen our grip on our luggage, elbow
mined to walk around a bit and take a
look at the hotels. Within two blocks we
made a discovery and on the strength of IL
we reconsider that determination. The dis
covery is that Manila is very hot place.
We decided to go back to the wharf and
take carriage; but there is no need to re-
trace our steps, for there is carriage at
our very side. Its driver is a student of hui
man nature. This is not the first time he
has seen "Ingleses' set out on foot to see
the sights. He could have told us within
fifty yards of how far we would walk be-
fore we decided to ride. and pFeferring the
certainty of bagging us to the chance of
picking up passengers at the wharf, he has
quietly followed US. With a satisfied smile
he queries. Carnage, senores?" Decidedly.
we will take carriage, and when we sit
down and mop our perspiring brows our
driver inquiries, "a donde?"
Sure enough! Where are we going? This
serious question confronts every new arrival
in Manila and there is no satisfactory an
Swer to it; for the hotels are both few and
bad 1t is a choice between evils, and as We
are now chiefly concerned in trying to cool
off, and are indisposed to unnecessary men
tai exertion, we reply, "a la fonda" and let
the driver decide which hotel it shall be. He,
OF course, takes us TO the Hotel de Orfente,
the most expensive establishment in the
city. In paying him we make the unfortu-
nate mistake of Offering him a little too
much Had we handed him the correct fare
he would have accepted it with thanks but
now he follows US into the hotel, vigorously
demanding more, and Insisting that he has
been cheated.
no officious office boy seizes our luggage.
In fact, we cannot find any office at ALL We
ask for the proprietor: He is asleep" For !,
For anybody; but for some time no one
comes. AT last the major domo appears,
and we are, assigned to a room with high
ceiling and bare floor 1t is furnished with
several beds, and to them our attention is at
once attracted. Each has four high posts
which support a mosquito net, In place of
woven-wire mattress we find woven rat
tan, over which is spread a thin. hard Malay
palate, or sleeping mat. The bedding con-
sists of bolster, pillow and two sheets.
1t is now high noOn and before we have
time to investigate our quarters further a
bell summons us to the midday meal. The
guests, all Spaniards, are seated when we
reach the table, and regard us with frank
curiosity which we fully reciprocate. Our
probable nationality is openly discussed,
and, finding that we speak little Spanish,
our nearest neighbor settles the matter with
direct question. The guests are pleased
to learn that are Americans and not
English; at least they would have been
in 1S93l
We note with some surprise that they all
eat vegetables and gravy with their knives.
The service is abomnia ble and the meal is
enlivened by the antics of newly arrived
Spanish colonel, who finally loses his tenn
per, jumps up from his place, and chases
a delinquent boy around the table, while
the guests applaud pursued or pursuer, as
their sympathies dictate Finally, believing
himself to be within range, the colonel
launches terrific kick at the boy, which
fails to land, but sends his slipper soaring
through the air into the salad dish, and in
the roar of laughter which follows the col
onel regains his temper, RECEIVERS his foot
gear, and resumes his place.
The meal comes to an end, and as we
cannot get into the custom house until the
next day. and the steadily increasing heat
is fast becoming uncomfortable, we retire to
our room, don our pajamaS and refresh our
selves with a siesta.
When we awaken at o'clock the slant
ing rays of the sun have lost some of their
fiery intensity, and a cool breeze has be-
gun to blow over the Scorched city from
| the bay. Our interest in the external world
revlves, and as dinner will not be served
until o'clock, we sally forth on a voyage
of discovery. We may now go comfortably
on foot, but before starting we make some
inquiries, and learn that we are not really
in Manila at all. Manila proper, or, as it
is commonly called. Old Manila, is a walled
city, perhaps mile square, on the oppo-
site side of the Pasig and distant more than
mile from hotel, while we are in
Binondo, one of the important districts in
the New Manila which has sprung up out
side the walls of the old city and In which
we are informed the life and business of
the place now center.