The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-01-10
THE TYPHOON IN MANILA.
Some Idea of the Unhappiness it Brings
to the Filipinos

Some Idea of the Unhappiness it Brings
to the Filipinos
The red lamp that hangs beneath the
white light in front of the office Of the
Captain of the port is a signal to mar
iners that typhoon is on the way The
warning has been out for several days
and the storm is predicted here. The
typhoon is bowling about the streets OF
| Manila and over the hills of Luzon
| For two days the rain has been coming
down in torrents. but it was not until
this morning that the storm took on the
characteristics of typhoon. The
whitecaps are plunging about in the bay
and vessels that are anchored in the
harbor swing heavily on their chains
and rock with the waves that swell
across this locked haven
Ships out in the ocean are watched
for anxiously. The sea possesses most
of the terror during these storms, but
on land there is trouble too. Trees are
blown down and the frail native houses
are wrecked. Inhabitants are drench-
ed and business is nearly at a stand
etill. Streets run full of water, which
creeps into the little stores and the
proprietors spend their time in bailing
out the water that is ankle deep inside
the doorsills. tb
The street car rumbles on during the
storm. The driver drones on his whis-
tie as the curtains flap wildly in the
wind and sits huddled on the front end
of his cart, while the more patient ami
NAL plods slowly along the wet street.
The water buffalo cares very little If
the rain is coming down. 1t is different
with the driver, usually Chinaman.
or, as he is known here. Chino" but
sometimes a Filipino. These people
wear a great variety of rain coats 1t
only has been this last rainy season
that some of them have appeared IN
great blue overcoats with brass buttons.
The buttons bear the eagle Of the United
States and there is reason to believe
that the Government clothing is be-
ing worn by those who never carried
a gun.
The usual raincoat of the native is
made of the husk f the cocoanut. The
fibre is woven into a sleeveless coat,
and over this there is cape of the
same material. When clad in one of
these coats the wearer looks like the
cannibals in the picture books The
legs are bare. the thin. white trousers
being rolled up to the thighs The wear
er tops out his costume with a broad
brimmed hat generally of straw. An
other protection is made of closely WOW
en- nipa, which fits over the shoulders
and slants down so AS to turn the flood
that falls to the ground. This is a good
protection if there is no wind to drive
the rain beneath the roof for it is
little else than that. The wearer looks
like caricature of a ballet girl.
With the exception of umbrellas,
which few of them possess. the women
are without protection from the storm.
they go to and from the market as they
10 on the brightest days, seeming salts
led if they can only keep their heads |
Try. When their wares are sold they |
urn the basket upside down on their |
heads andplod along smoking their |
cigarettes.
When a person has to go out during |
he rainy season he uses a carometta or
quilez They are built so the storm
'annot get in to the passenger. The
lrivers generally wear little helmets
hat are not seen in any other part of
he world. They are like a sun helmet,
My instead of pipe clay there is a coat
ng of white lead, which the sailors use
n painting ships. Some of the drivers
ave risen to the position in life where
hey can afford a white raincoat, with
!. hood, but such an outfit is considered |
cry aristocratic, and few outside of the
iveried servants can afford such lux
ry. When passengers are not in the
conveyance the driver sits back out of
he wet either behind the curtain of the |
aronetta or under the roof of the |
uilez.
The native does not enjoy this wet
eason any more than a Southerner en-
0ys 2 winter in Canada. Around the ,
,uartermaster's Department a number
f Folipinos are working. They certain
2 are the chilliest lot that ever saluted !
foreman. They make no effort to tenn
err the elements by heavier clothing, |
ut go about in the same white clothes
ney wear in May The foreman, a
earty sergeant, who goes about in a
oncho and a pair of ruber boots, greet
/ them as they left the building to-
light: "Mucha aqua much frea?" Isl,
snor," they replied, as they shivered |
a into the streets and filed away to
1eir homes. Say, you mean to say |
them fellers want TO fight in this kind
weather? No, sir-ree There's no |
ore fight in them than there is in a
ct chicken. Chicago Record. /