The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-23
HOW TOWNSEND LIVES IN
HIS PHILIPPINE ISLAND

, supply, though we had to wait for q
steamer from Singapore to bring US Sc
common a thing as a bag OF Hour. It
was amusing TO read, under the gorgeous
Chinese label which decorated the bag
the name of a California mill.
Servants? Wen yes; l think We have
! servants here. In fact, We seem to have
the solution Of the whole servant ques-
tiOn in the 'muchacho." or boy. The
muchacho can do but one kind of work
and to that he gives his whole attention.
one is called the cook-not that lie
knows anything about cooking but be-
cause he likes to watch the lady of the
house cook. Yet he learns rapidly. and
wilhin a week knows how 10 turn off the
flame of an oil stove. But this Is not
cooking and is apt to result unsat;s-
factorily. Unless ne is told when to turn
1t off and is watched while he does it,
the flame is ant ia burn fram one
meal TO another. unless the oil in the
tank is all burned oUt. All this confusion
results from trying to get the muchacho
away from his favorite calling
The cook cannot wash dishes and he
refuses to compromise himself with try
ing. He has Cooked for all the prin-
cipal people, past or present. on the
island. and he has always had a dish
washer. The dish-washer may not know
your way, but. like the cook, he is quick
to learn. He viii put his dish-pan on the
floor, sit down by it to do his work, and
stand the dishes in the sun about the
kitchen door TO dry unless you object
But when you have once shown him
your way he will always follow il there
after-provided You stand by and compel
him to do so, vi ct arms.
Another muchacho Acknowledges his
obligations TO sweep the floors. carry in
water and wait on the table. He waits
on the table better than he does any
thing else, because ne is under closer
supervision. AS 10 his house-work, he
could probably give points TO the most
negligent servant who ever swept a bach
elor's room in Hawaii. But the most
marked characteristic of this muchacho
which he shares also with the dish
washer, is the facility with which he can
get out of the way OF his work. As
muchachos do not live at the house Of
the employer. they have to be watched
with the greatest of care or they will
disappear like the morning dew But
they will return very promptly when the
pleasures of the town pail upon their
stated souls. Great is the mUchacho!
The muchacho has an unfortunate rep
utation for his taking ways" but We
have not found this reputa ton deserved.
We trust him as we trusted servants in
Hawaii. and have not found our trust
betrayed.
Since coming to this town. little more
than two months ago, l have travelled
about twelve hundred miles on official
business. Travelling here is much more
difficult and unsatisfactory than in Ha-
wall. Twice within the last week l have
passed along a coast for a hundred miles
without seeing a house, though / did see
some evidences of the existence of habi-
tations in the interior. OF course, there
are no roads on such coasts, and my
travelling must be by sea, either In n
coasting steamer or in a Moro boat For
the most part | am studying the situa-
ton and the people What l learn has
no place in this letter. but viii be told
later. HENRY =. TOW NSEND.
Zamboanga, NIindaHao, Nov. %, 1901.