Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-04-03

well kept and the geological garden attached
is wonder In the way of its many tigers,
many of them trapped in the near jungles.
The finest specimen Of ourang outang is
found here; he is five feet In height. perfectly
tame, with q most intelligent face, and hand
which he puts out, shaped as our own with
all the lines In the palm clearly defined.
Singapore has fine wide streets, well kept
and lighted; the buildings, public and other
wise, are well built; the club, which is new,
is beautiful building; the postoff1ce adjoin.
ing, large but rather dingy; shops excellent,
and one csn Luy all needful articles at low
price except Photographic supplies, they are
about twice the price asked in the States
To return to the straits of Malacca, which
abounds 10 beautiful islands always green,
with many forts to protect the harbor Of
Singapore Our outgoing was most favora
bic but we were only out short time when
dark clouds doomed up in the distance and
we found we were In for terrific storms our
boat was an old one with but few comforts
and only tallow candles to light the tables
and cabins, but we were in for it as We had
determined to go to Manila.
The distance from Singapore to Manila lie
over fifteen hundred miles. Skirting the
island of Borneo, We had 10 get shelter from
the islands as the northeast monsoon was
blowing over our bow; for three days and
nights we were In this great storm, rain
pouring in torrents, the sea wild with huge
waves that seemed at times that our poor
old boat could not live through it, and to add
to our anxiety our captain could take no
observations for three days, and not an officer
on board had ever made this trip; every mo.
ment was fraught with danger; We could not
eat at the tables as we were pitched from
side to side every few moments and 1t was
with great difficulty We could keep ourselves
in our berths; that was only accomplished by
padding ourselves in with pillows, There
was danger, too, of the cargo of steel rails
which VIC had on board, shifting and our
boat not being able to right itself. But all
bad as well as good things must come to an
end and we at last, dirty, tired and worn out
with loss Of Sleep came into summer seas.
You cannot imagine more happy party at
our first meal in comfort and the glad ii iings
that we were only few miles out of our
course During the storm our boat made
little progress, sometimes only two or three
knots in an hour when she should have made
ten. The fifth day out in the evening we
sighted the lowest of the Philippines and
were glad to hear tina, with good weatL er we
would be in Manila in three days, which
proved to be correct. On the night of the
eighth day we sighted the red light to the
left denoting the entrance to Manila Bay.
Here the bay is 20 miles wide, but the chan
mel might be wider. Ahead OF US were two
Russian men ofwar. We followed in their
wake and anchored at their stern to await
daylight before going up to the city The
morning dawned beautifully aud we were
soon steamiLg into the harbor. Everything
was most interesting; ships from all parts Of
the world were plentiful, but the absence OF
our own flag on the many merchant vessels
was noticeable. Two of our men of.war
were in port. The Russian boats saluted
our Gag with the usual number OF guns.
When we applied for tickets for Manila in
Singapore we had to show our passports aud
answer number of questions handed to us
on a printed form. description of your per
son with age, where born, who your parents
we're, what your object in going to Manila,
where you came from last, how long you
intended staying and il you had thirty dollars
In your pocget after paying your passage.
Our tickets stated we should be landed in
Manila, but we found when our boat anchor
ed that we could only land by steam tug
at the extra cost of dollar each: the right
to land all passengers had been bought by
some enterprislng American.
Then came the custom house: you might
have supposed we were band Of thieves
trying to enter holy city; our luggage was
overhauled in the most unnecessary manner,
and enough mpertinent questions asked tina!
made us feel for the time sorry we were
Americans. At last we were able to get our
hand bags through and get on an old, rickety
two wheeled wagon en- route tor the Hotel
Oriente.
The hotel outside as well as inside is Span
ish in appearance but The table was good,
with many home dishes, the bedrooms large
and airy, with plain painted walls, polished
floors, iron bedsteads with q fancy pattern
of cane plated across. thin piece OF mating
with sheet and pillow of cane fibre 30
hard it made one tired 10 look at it, IL was
impossible to sleep at first but at last tired
nature gave way and we had come rest TO
wake up with the impress of the cane pattern
on our bodies and with stiff necks.
The houses, in fact all the buildings and
especially those in the old city, are decidedly
Spanish with many overhanging second
stories over the sidewalks.
The streets are crowded with all nationali-
ties, with frequent senorItas in their gay cos.
tunes and partly yelled faces.
Shops abound filed with American goods
and the soda water fountain is in evidence at
every corner
A driye in the Luneta between five and