The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-08-15
CORREGIDOR ISLAND.
A Sunday Excursion from Manila
Down the Bay.
BY HYLAND @. KIRK.

advertised in the Manila papers to take
excurSioniSts to Mariveles and Corregi-
dor that Sunday, and MIR. VIM. A. Ran
dali and myself, Of the Chief Paymaster's
Office, decided to make the trip. A Gov
renment launch, the New Orleans, Capt.
Becker, makes daily runs to these points,
except Sundays, but with the rush of
work in the office, Sunday was our only
available day. The following lad" in the
Bulletin we decided to take advantage Of:
GRAND EXCURSIONp'
IS. s. Luisito will sail for MARI
yeles and COrregidor. on Sunday,
18th inst, at s u. m, returning
on the same day, arriving at Ma
Mia at p. H."
Mr.. Randall, who lives in Ermita, was
at my hotel, ''Lally Ary's," opposite the
Provosts Building, Intramuros, at z
O'Clock, with a carromatta, and we were
across the Bridge of Spain by 1870 look
ing for our ''vapor." There were knots
of men with small packages, etc, along
the river front, who looked as though
they might be excursionists, and we made
inquiry of an active young man busting
around among the groups is to the where
ab0uts of the "Luisito."
1.-The 'Luisito' will not go to Mariyeles
today" he said, nor will the 'Freda,' nor
any of the launches advertised to go; but
utes and you can all go on that"
So after waiting till about $50, mean
while wondering why all the boats adVer-
tised to run to Mariveles should SO Ut
terly fail in their propositions, we
clambered over two coasters and descend
ed into stanch-appearing launch, COW
cred entirely with wood canopy.
We were delayed while boxes of sand
witches, ice, and cases of beer were being
put aboard, when the native Captain"
ordered the boat around to descend the
river. From the congested condition Of
the Pasig, it being lined with eight tiers
of cascos on the south shore next to the
bridge, with several tiers of coasters on
the north, and with the number of
under the Bridge of Spain, this turning
business was not easy.
A swiftly moving tug with two cascos
IN tow, going up, excited some apprehen-
sion lest its smOkcstack should be knocked
off by the arch, but the moment il seemed
about to strike the stonework, the stack
slid down like telescope and the tug
shot through
After numerous forward pIunges, back
movements, side-pulls from the tOw-ine
of small boats crew, sputterings of the
whistle and TagalOg yellS, we got around,
when a man was deserted on the rail of
the coaster we had embarked from, MAX
ing wild gesticulations, as if DESTROYS of
getting aboard The Captain laughed in
scorn; but when it was found that this
man was the one who had chartered the
boat, he took different view Of it, and
We had another series of struggles getting
back to the side of the COASTER
THE meat is not aboard; you'll have
to waitp' shouted the manager. So we
waited, and finally got away ut 4 quarter
to 10 o'clock.
EN- ROUTE TO MAEIvELEs.
We were just fairly in the stream when
the hospital launch New York, freighted
with patients for the RELIEF in the har-
Dor, came alongside, and we raced to the
open water beyond the pier, when she
crossed our bows astern. The manager
said our boat was good for II knots an
hour, and though Mariyeles is 80 miles
from Manila, he expected to reach that
port by 1870.
The day was fine, the water slightly
RULED by a breeze from the west, and
the shipping and distant hills stood out
sharp and clear on the blue base Of the
bay. The most notable elevations appar-
ent on the main shore We're the Sierra de
Mariveles, which increased in pFe-emi-
hence as we neared our destination. White
clouds surrounded the submits. setting
off the better by contrast the dark green
Of the heavy forests which cover the sides
sloping to the sea.
In these mountains live remnants Of the
Aetas, or Negritos, aboriginal inhabitants
of the islands. Though they are to be
found in the least accessible portions Of
LuZOn and a few other islands, OCCASION
ally specimen IS seen i'll Manila; and,
to an American, there is little in their
personal appearance TO excite surprise.
They are simply what the name implies,
little negroes" smaller than the African
t..suV- Il
ticular.
Besides various smaller vessels, we met
three large British steamers on our trip
over, which came in by the Boca Chica
or North Channel: the first was the Lin
dula," Capt. Stewart, from Yokohama,
reported tonnage 2,1S0; the second, the
''Coulsdon," Capt. Gore, from New York,
wa the Suez, Of 2 $50 tons; and the third,
Hong Kong, 2,2Sl tons.
Passing COrregidor and it's brood of
smaller islands TO the left, we entered
Mariveles Bay at 1870, and actually
landed at quarter to l p. III. The Cap
tain had taken sOundings when entering,
which seemed quite unnecessary, when we
found that the depth at the dock was p
feet at low tide.
4 row of huge posts set for the pur-
pose of constructing more cOmmodious
dock, and the Quarantine Station, com
prislnS half-doZen new buildings, were
the first objects noticeable.
A SPANISH TRADITION.
The town is not large, the dwellings be
ing principally of nipa, though there are
few fine structures of wood and some
OF stone. The former name of the place
was Camaya, and the change to Mari
yeles, according to tradition, was made
shortly after Maria Velez, a Spanish girl.
and young Franciscan priest, resolved
upon marriage, landed there with Il view
OF taking the steamer from Manila,
which made regular stops at that point
on its way to Mexico. The steamer was
delayed, party, commanded by an Al
herman, was sent out after them from
Manila, they were arrested on the beach,
where the priest was engaged in defend
ing the girl from an attack OF sayages;
and though he made gallant fight
against both classes of enemies, they were
carried back TO the Capital. the priest
sent to the ViSayaS, and the girl to
nunnery, and her name remains as a me-
mento Of the circumstance. Corregidor
Is also said to have been named after the
Alderman.
The church appears to be very old; we
passed 1t when in search of Il mango tree
and after following what appeared to be
j public path and bringing up in a
native doOr-yard from which there seemed
TO be but one egreSs-to 90 back agan-
we finally found Il shelter, and after re-
freshIng the inner man, despite the at
tack of horde OF ants which we in
cautiously stirred up, we set out to find
the famous hot spring.
We met party of seven under the