Yesterdays in the PhilippinesStevens, Joseph Earle
History
Yesterdays in the Philippines
Stevens, Joseph Earle
Philippines -- Description and travel
It had now got pretty dark, and the audience joined in the pandemonium
of howls coming from the various cages. People began to light matches
to see their programmes, and the circus-ring looked as if it were
filled with fireflies. Then the programmes themselves were ignited
for more light, and cries of "Give us back our money," "What's
the matter with the tiger?" and others of a less printable order,
arose. Men jumped into the ring, but the tiger refused to move for
anybody. In the hope of stirring things up, a couple of panthers
were again hastily wheeled up and pushed into the cage, where the
bull was standing with an expression of wonder on his face. But the
bull merely licked one panther on the nose and wagged his tail at the
other, while the show was declared off on account of darkness. Then
everybody filed out in disgust, and the man with the tiger, panthers,
and pitchfork made arrangements to sail for foreign shores by the first
steamer. Such was the last performance in the Plaza de Toros de Manila.
It was a pleasant contrast after the fight to adjourn to the
Luneta. The day was Carnival Sunday, and all the young children
of the community were rigged up in many sorts of inconceivable
gowns. Clowns and ballet-dancers, devils and angels, all wandered
up and down the smooth walk, and the crowd was immense. Numbers of
the older people also took part, and many of the smart traps were
occupied with grotesque figures. The artillery-band rendered some of
its finest selections. The ships off in the bay were almost completely
reflected in the calm water. The mountains rose blue, like velvet,
in the distance, and a red glow in the Boca Chica told where the sun
had gone down for us, only to rise on the distant snows of New England.
III
A Philippine Valet--The Three Days Chinese New Year--Marionettes
and Minstrels at Manila--Yankee Skippers--Furnishing a
Bungalow--Rats, Lizards, and Mosquitoes--A New Arrival--Pony-Races
in Santa Mesa--Cigars and Cheroots--Servants--Cool Mountain
Breezes--House-snakes--Cost of Living--Holy Week.
February 16th.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account