"The Spaniards kept a monopoly of their trade down to the beginning of the present century. All other Europeans were carefully excluded from the islands until 1809, when an English house was allowed to establish itself here, and this concession was followed in 1814 by permission for all foreigners to come here under certain restrictions. The Spaniards always reserve the right to send away any foreigner who makes himself obnoxious, but the occasions when they do so are very rare. Even at the present day it is difficult for a foreigner to obtain permission to visit the interior of the island; and as late as twenty years ago there was a royal order that forbade their going there under any pretext whatever." "Can we go there?" Fred asked. "I should so much like to see the interior of the island we are on." "We have not time," the Doctor answered, "to go through the whole of the island, even if we could obtain permission; but I dare say we can make some short excursions, so that we will not be entirely ignorant of the Philippines when we go away." After some further talk about the country they were in, the party separated, in order to follow the custom of Manilla, and devote an hour or two to sleep before going on their evening drive. [Illustration: MOUTH OF THE BAY OF MANILLA.] CHAPTER IV. AN EVENING PROMENADE.--VILLAGE LIFE NEAR MANILLA. Mr. Segovia called at the hotel according to agreement, and found the party ready to start on the evening drive. The boys enjoyed it greatly, if we are to judge by the following account which they wrote after their return: [Illustration: VIEW OF MANILLA FROM THE BINONDO SUBURB.] "We have found Manilla very interesting, and have seen so much in our ride, that we hardly know where to begin. The streets are wide and straight, and they have solid sidewalks of stone that remind you of some of those in New York or Boston. There is a large square or plaza, with a statue of one of the Spanish kings in the centre, and a good many people were gathered there as we drove along one side and stopped a few moments to look at the statue. The part of Manilla on the southern bank of the river is the military city, and contains the cathedral and other churches, together with the government barracks, the custom-house, and several other public buildings; the Binondo suburb on the north is not so well off, and perhaps it is for this reason that the streets are not so well paved, and not as regular and wide. But there are more people on the north bank than on the south, and the most of the foreigners live there and try to enjoy themselves.