The passengers had asked the steward2 on watch in the cabin to call them at half-past five, and they were all on deck as soon as it was light enough for them to see the shore clearly. But the bay is so large that they could make out the shores only ahead of the ship. They could see the mountains in the distance, with a lower stretch of land between them and the low ground of the shore. All that they could observe was tropical verdure, with lofty palms on every hand. The low ground, covered with water in the rainy season, was planted with rice-fields.
The ladies declared that the view was lovely; and certainly it presented variety enough, with the high[271] lands in the background, and the rich and luxuriant growth near the bay. The pilot was a Spaniard who could speak a little English; and the commander ordered him to bring the ship to anchor at a safe place, as near as convenient off the end of the two piers3 at the mouth of Pasig. The Blanche took a position abreast4 of her, off the fort, while the first was off the lighthouse.
The health-officer came on board, and by this time it was after sunrise. He was blandly5 received by the commander, as every official or visitor was, and the conversation was carried on in English. All the ship's company and the passengers were mustered6 on the upper deck. The papers, including lists of all the persons on board, were examined, and compared with the number presented, which made it clear that no one was sick in his stateroom or in the forecastle.
The custom-house officers were not far behind, and the character of the steamer was explained. There was no manifest, for there was no cargo7 to be invoiced8. The principal officer was very minute in his inquiry9, and not particularly courteous10. He was evidently impressed by his authority; and the captain did not invite him to breakfast, as he would have done if he had been somewhat less conscious of the magnitude of his office.
The duties on merchandise brought into the islands were formerly11 discriminating12 in favor of Spanish vessels14, which caused other merchantmen to avoid the[272] port to its commercial injury; but about twenty years before a uniform tariff15 was established, without regard to the flag under which the ship sailed, and all export duties were abolished. The official went over the ship, and the arrangement of her accommodations ought to have been enough to convince the man that the vessel13 was a pleasure yacht. The self-sufficient officer retreated in good order when he had completed his examination, leaving a subordinate on board to see that no merchandise was landed. The latter was a gentlemanly person, spoke16 English, and was disposed to make himself agreeable. He was invited to breakfast in the cabin.
The passengers had seated themselves on the promenade17 during the official examination, observing all the proceedings18, and watching the boats in sight, some of which were different from anything they had seen before. They were near enough to the piers to see some distance up the river. Of course the Blanche was subjected to the same examination; but a different set of officials had boarded her, and completed their work in a much shorter time. It could be seen that her crew were putting the steam-launch into the water.
"The Blanchita will be exceedingly serviceable here," said the commander, who had taken a stand near the steps of the promenade. "We can go on shore, and land anywhere we please; for there are quays19 all along the river."
"Boat coming down the river with the American[273] flag at the stern, Captain Ringgold," said Mr. Scott, saluting20 the commander.
"Our consul21 probably," added the captain. "Would you like to go to a hotel in Manila, ladies?" asked he.
No one answered the question, but three of them glanced at Mrs. Belgrave, as though they expected her to reply; but she made no sign.
"You don't answer, ladies," added the captain.
"We are waiting for Mrs. Belgrave to speak," said Mrs. Woolridge.
"I beg you will excuse me," said that lady, laughing. "I do not know why I am expected to voice the sentiments of the party."
"Because, like the wife of the President of the United States at home, you are the first lady on board," returned the wife of the magnate of the Fifth Avenue. "Your son is the owner of the Guardian-Mother, and you are the mother for whom the ship is named."
"I most respectfully decline to be so regarded; and if I have ever put on any airs, I will repent22 and reform," replied Mrs. Belgrave, laughing all the while.
"You have never put on airs, or assumed anything at all," protested Mrs. Woolridge.
"I consider my son a very good boy, and an earnest advocate of fair play with others," continued the "first lady" more seriously; and all the party heartily23 approved the remark. "Louis found that[274] the other members of the 'Big Four' were disposed to rely upon him, and wished to do as he desired. On the Borneo question he took a secret ballot24, and would not express his own opinion till the vote was declared, though he voted himself. Every one voted for himself, and could not have been influenced by his desire. I propose to follow my son's example. I wish the commander to be guided by the views of all rather than mine."
All the passengers, gentlemen included, applauded her unselfish stand. The lady tore off a blank leaf from a letter she took from her pocket, and made it into twelve pieces, which she proceeded to distribute among the passengers.
"I think the gentlemen are just as much interested in the question as the ladies; and I invite them to vote, Mr. Scott included. The question is, Shall we go to a hotel in Manila, or live on board of the ship," said the lady. "You will vote yes or no; yes for the hotel, and no for the ship."
"Perhaps I ought to inform you before you vote that there are at least three hotels in Manila,—the Catalana, the Universo, and the Madrid. Of the merits of each I cannot speak; but we can obtain correct information before we go to any one of them, and probably there are more than I have mentioned," interposed the commander, very much amused at the proceedings.
"Please to separate now; and I put you on your honor to be secret, and not consult any person in[275] regard to your vote," Mrs. Belgrave added. "I appoint Mr. Gaskette to collect, sort, and count the ballots25. After voting, please return to the promenade."
The passengers went individually to various corners, and wrote their votes. The second officer collected them in his cap, and then went into the pilot-house to make out his return. It required but three minutes to do this, as there was no scattering26 votes; and he returned to the promenade.
"Whole number of votes, 12; necessary to a choice, 7; Yes, 2, No, 10, and the No's have carried it," read Mr. Gaskette, handing the paper to Mrs. Belgrave, and retiring with a graceful27 bow.
"Yes means hotel, and no means ship," said the lady. "Mr. Commander, the party have voted to live on board of the ship. I am willing to acknowledge that I cast one of the two yes ballots. But I am infinitely28 better satisfied than I should have been if I had influenced you the other way. I hope you all consider that the thing has been fairly done."
"Boat coming alongside, sir," reported Mr. Scott to the captain. "Another boat near, flying the English flag, headed for the Blanche."
Captain Ringgold hastened to the gangway to receive the occupant of the boat, whoever he might prove to be. One of the men on the platform brought him a card, on which he found the name of the American consul, who mounted at once to the deck just as the gong sounded for breakfast.
"I am very glad to meet you, Mr. Webb, and to[276] welcome you to my ship, which is the steam-yacht Guardian-Mother, on a voyage around the world," said the captain, as he grasped the hand of the official. "Captain Ringgold, at your service."
"I am very happy to meet you, Captain, for I have heard of you; and I tender my services for any assistance I may be able to render to you and your party," replied the consul.
"Now I will introduce you to the ladies and gentlemen on board, and you will do us the honor to breakfast with us," added the commander, as he took the arm of his guest, and conducted him to the promenade, where he was duly presented to all the passengers individually.
Louis Belgrave was presented as the owner of the steamer, for the captain never omitted to give him a prominent position. The breakfast was the usual one; but it was always very nice, and Mr. Sage1 had hailed a boat, and obtained some very fine fish for the meal. Mr. Webb was placed on the right of the commander, Louis's usual place; but he was glad enough always to get the seat next to Miss Blanche. The consul was next to Mrs. Belgrave; and he found her very agreeable, as she never failed to be.
"Now, what are we going to do here, Mr. Commander?" asked the "first lady," as some had actually begun to call her already.
"We are going to see the city, of course," he replied.
"I feel for one as though we had already seen[277] it, and I can see it all in my mind's eye now," added the lady. "You and the professor have given us such a minute account of the place and its surroundings that it seems to me that I have taken it all in."
"I think most of us have," said Mrs. Woolridge; and several of the company expressed themselves to the same effect.
"We have several books in the library about the city and the islands, and some of us have read them all," suggested Louis.
"What books have you on board, Mr. Belgrave?" asked the consul.
"We have 'Twenty Years in the Philippines' by Monsieur de la Gironière, which some say was written by Alexandre Dumas, but I don't know about that; 'Travels in the Philippines,' by F. Jagor, with an epitome29 of the work in Harper's Magazine; and we have Chambers's Encyclopædia, Lippincott's Gazetteer30 of the present year, and some other works."
"You seem to be well provided with information, and with the best extant, unless you consult the archives of Spain at Madrid," returned the consul.
"The Blanchita is coming alongside, Captain," said Mr. Scott, to whom a message to this effect had been sent down by the officer of the deck.
The breakfast was nearly finished when the word came; and the party soon went on deck, where they found all the passengers of the Blanche and the British consul. The usual hugging and kissing on[278] the part of the ladies and handshaking by the gentlemen followed, and the two consuls31 were duly presented to all.
"It is time for us to go on shore," said General Noury, looking at his watch. "The Blanchita is at the gangway, and I have engaged a pilot for her. Of course you are all invited to go on shore in her."
The two consuls volunteered to act as guides; and the company took their places in the launch, which was large enough to accommodate double the number. The pilot took her into the river; and if the ears of the tourists had been filled full of Manila, there was plenty for the eyes to take in, and it was not five minutes after they passed the lighthouse before most of the passengers were laughing at some of the queer costumes worn by the people.
They passed a craft which Mr. Webb called a passage-boat. It was a sort of canoe, manned by three men, two of them rowing, and one working a paddle to steer32 her. Over the after part was an awning33, made of the big leaves of the nipa palm; and under it were two men and two women, bound up the river. But a freight-boat interested the young men most. The hull34 of it looked more like a canal-boat than any other craft they could think of. The planking of the sides extended a little higher up forward and aft than amidships; and the whole was covered with an arched roof woven on hoops36, like those of a baggage-wagon, with palm leaves.[279] The portion at the bow and stern could be removed, as the whole could. The man at the helm was under the stern section of the cover, and it was lifted about a foot to enable him to look ahead.
A wide plank35 was secured on iron brackets fastened to each side of the craft, on which were two men poling the boat up the stream. It was so far like the mud-scows formerly in use on some of the waters of New England, except that the men who worked her with poles walked on the gunwale of the scow. The boys watched it till it passed out of view astern. The Blanchita made a landing near the bridge, on the Binondo side; and all the passengers went on shore.
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1
sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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piers
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| n.水上平台( pier的名词复数 )；（常设有娱乐场所的）突堤；柱子；墙墩 | |
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abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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blandly
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| adv.温和地，殷勤地 | |
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mustered
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| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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invoiced
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| 开发票（invoice的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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11
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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discriminating
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| a.有辨别能力的 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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tariff
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| n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表 | |
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16
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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promenade
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| n./v.散步 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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quays
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| 码头( quay的名词复数 ) | |
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saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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consul
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| n.领事；执政官 | |
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repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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ballot
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| n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票 | |
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ballots
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| n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 ) | |
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26
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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epitome
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| n.典型，梗概 | |
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gazetteer
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| n.地名索引 | |
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consuls
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| 领事( consul的名词复数 )； （古罗马共和国时期）执政官 （古罗马共和国及其军队的最高首长，同时共有两位，每年选举一次） | |
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steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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33
awning
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| n.遮阳篷；雨篷 | |
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34
hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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36
hoops
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| n.箍( hoop的名词复数 )；（篮球）篮圈；（旧时儿童玩的）大环子；（两端埋在地里的）小铁弓 | |
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