A day in the country. The Governor asked us to breakfast at the government country-house. Some of us started at half-past six, and walked sharply out. On either side of us were rice fields, in which were grazing in the stubble a great many ponies, and bullocks, and buffaloes. The whole country exhibits different features from any other place I have seen in the East; it is much more European. I found, at a little distance from the town, almost every person’s possession regularly fenced in, and to each house a little enclosed garden, though rather slovenly kept, still exhibiting signs of superior cultivation. At the back of the government house are the grounds, which are kept in order by the soldiers. They produce sufficient vegetables for the consumption of 350 men: potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, beans, cabbages, onions, and garlic. Passing the government house, we came to a stone bridge crossing a beautiful, clear river, bubbling and rushing over a sandy, pebbly bed. The banks are high, and the bridge is strong, to meet the immense rush of water which comes down in the rainy season. We wandered about till past nine--my companion sketching and I lazily taking a delicious bath in pure cold water, that made me feel as fresh as ever; and with an appetite sufficient to do justice to the very admirable and substantial breakfast set before us, of fish, beef, a magnificent ham dressed in a most inviting manner, good bread, curries, and a variety of little dishes, with coffee, wine (Spanish and French), and very excellent water. Nothing is more tranquillizing than a satisfactory breakfast. There is a species of yam at Samboañgan, which we were told by one of the officers occasionally weighs above a hundred and thirty pounds. After breakfast I strolled about, forded the river, and looked into every nook and corner, finding pretty cottages and gardens amid the clumps of graceful bamboos. In the afternoon we made a cut across the country to the western road, and, following that, arrived at length at another river. The whole of the landscape was very picturesque. We spent our last day at Samboañgan in a long walk to the westward, for above three miles, until we arrived at some extensive downs that border the sea, and strolled for hours over them, admiring the beautiful swell of the land, and the purling streams that flowed over their pebbly beds. The day before we started the Governor and principal officers dined on board.