The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-04-21

ufeu, anu tnuS nOt only saved lodging
but were sure of not being left the next
morning. To use familiar if rough
expression, they are packed in like
sardines. Nearly all kinds of freight
are carried, such as chickens, pigs,
ponies. fruit, vegetables, and the re
suits of shopping excursions.
Three Americans who came down
early have secured cane chairs which
are placed in the front part of the
boat where the air will be pure We
consider ourselves fortunate to get
clear place on the rail on which to lean
CT sit. There are not dozen "Ameri-
cans" on board, but there are over
hundred natives who either stand or
sit on low stools, which the porter
presently brings up from the no OF
the ship. Owing to the press of bust
ness, tits twenty minutes after schedule
time when we are finally Off and head
ed up stream.
A man comes to the wharf just as we
are leaving, shouting, and waving his
hands, and soon puts off in a banca
and is taken aboard, So considerate
While we are swinging around to pass
under the bridge, a loaded canoe bumps
into us, but little things like that don't
amount to much. The smoke-stacks
of all sthe boats which go up to the
Laguna de Bay, are hinged so that they
can be lowered when they are passing
under the low bridges that span the
river. We are Off. The sun smiles Sc
renely and gives us a warm welcome.
The wind breathes upon US and brings
refreshment. The low banks of the
river afford us pretty good view of
the surrounding country, even though
the river is very low.
The first building OF note that we pa So
is Governor Taft's palace where pref
ty boat-landing is enclosed, and the
spacious yard and orderly trees, to say
nothing of tho building itself, is almost
enough to make one wish that he
1
Post OF Manila and a good military
road runs right to the rivers edge
where boat landing is constructed.
We stop at the town or suberb of Pasig
where more produce and live cargo is
taken on. Three youthful banca pro-
pellers bring out some passengers to
to our boat. They. the baneueros, are
as destitute of clothing as the day
they were born. Others have on only
a vest, but no attention is paid to this
poverty of dress. Here also are several
RATS of bamboo poles, perhaps 500 or
more ingeniously dashed together.
Built on the rear of these is small
shelter or hut where the man in charge
and his family live while the raft is
slowly drawn down to Manila by the
current. Perhaps some of these have
been towed across the Laguna, dis.
lance of 40 to 10 miles, Poles delivered
in Manila are worth about $50 hun
bred, so | am told.
Here and there are ruined churches
which tell more plainly than words Of
the conflict that took place in these
parts several years ago. The river is
''riprapped' nearly its entire course
with soft native stone which seems
nothing more than compressed clay
and which wears off quite easily by &C
tion of water and climate. we are tolc
that Gen. Weyler did this piece of i'm
provement when he was Governor-G zen
eral here.
The river makes numerous turns ant
so the scenery is always changing
About two and one-half hours after
leaving Manila, we are at the source O
the Pasig river or in other words, have
reached the Laguna. There seem tt
be numerous channels and islands a
first, and on all sides are mazes of fish
weir. AS the lake is somewhat rough
we go out of our way some to get under
protection of a large island right il
front.
Ours is the slowest of the boats or
the lake. The wind catches the shallow
water of the lake, nowhere more thar
10 Or II feet deep, and breaks ther
against or over the sides of the boat
Soon some of the rice-gorged natives
assume peculiar don't care if do
expression and go to the rail and aftel
awhile sit down again. | see othel
folks would make poorer sailors than |
1t nears two o'clock when at last WI
cast anchor at Calamba, and small
fleet of bancas envelope the sides of tn,
boat, shouting, striking. pushing tt
get the vantage ground, for with theil
outriggers. it is not easy to snugglt
close, together. We pile ourselves in
to one that looks stanch and becker
the men to push off, and we leave the
fighting mob to remove the freight ant
native passengers. With long poles
we are pushed ashore, the fare being
20 cents Mexican each tho for our six