"The ladies were out in goodly numbers, and Doctor Bronson said many of them were quite pretty. Most of them wore veils after the Spanish fashion, and they talked and laughed with the gentlemen, just as they might do in Madrid or any other Spanish city. The ladies in Manilla do not appear to spend as much time in-doors as the Dutch ladies do in Java, for they go a good deal among the shops, and like to turn over silks and other things by the hour without buying anything. They give the Chinese salesmen ever so much trouble, but the latter have to smile, and pretend to like it, exactly as the salesmen in a New York store have to do when the American ladies go on shopping excursions. In every house where they can afford it, they have a small army of servants to look after them; and as the place is in charge of a _major-domo_, or house-keeper, there is not much for a lady to look after. Mr. Segovia says the most of the ladies who come to Manilla prefer to remain there rather than go back to Spain, and the reason probably is that they find life much easier. It is the same with the men, as not more than one out of ten ever goes home to Spain for more than a short visit; though it is proper to say many of them would be glad to go back, only they never have the means of doing so. "While we were at the promenade, the bells suddenly rung the hour for evening prayers. Everybody stopped on the instant; not only those on foot, but those on horseback and in carriages. It was like one of the fairy scenes we read about, where the goddess waves her wand, and everybody becomes petrified till she waves it again, and restores them to life. The gentlemen raised their hats, and the ladies bowed their heads, and for a few moments the time was devoted to universal prayer. Then the bells stopped, and the movement of horses, carriages, and pedestrians was resumed; the conversation became as lively as ever, and we had to rub our eyes to make sure we had not been dreaming. [Illustration: PALM-TREE IN THE BOTANICAL GARDEN.] "There is a botanical garden near the promenade, but it is not very well kept; it reminded us of the gardens at Singapore only by contrast, as it was overgrown with weeds, and the most of the plants had died or were dying. A few palm-trees remain, and some of them are quite interesting. We are told that botanical gardens in all the Spanish possessions do not appear to flourish; and if this one is to be taken as a sample, we can readily accept the statement.