s and two French storekeepers having large
establishments. One of the most profitable businesses is said to be that
of selling cheap jewelry to the natives. Breastpins which dealers buy in
Europe for twelve cents each are readily sold for from $1.50 to $2.00
each to the simple Filipinos. Almost everything that is manufactured
abroad has a fine prospective market in the Philippines, when the
condition of the people permits them to buy.

A certain charm attaches to many specimens of native handiwork. The
women weave exquisitely beautiful fabrics from the fiber of plants. The
floors of Manila houses are admired by all foreigners. They are made of
hard wood and polished with banana leaves and greasy cloths until they
shine brightly and give an aspect of cool airiness to the room.

[Illustration: A WEDDING PROCESSION.

As in Asiatic countries, weddings in the Philippines are occasions of
great ceremony. No marriage would be considered "in style" without a
gorgeous procession.]

Any kind of amusement is popular with the Filipinos--with so much
leisure on their hands--provided it does not require too great exertion
on their part. They are fond of the theatre, and, up to a few years ago,
bullfighting was a favorite pastime; but the most prominent of modern
amusements for the natives and half-castes is cockfighting. It is said
that every native has his fighting cock, which is reared and trained
with the greatest care until he shows sufficient skill to entitle him to
an entrance into the public cockpit where he will fight for a prize. The
chickens occupy the family residence, roosting overhead; and, in case of
fire, it is said that the game "rooster" is saved before the babies.
Professor Worcester tells an amusing story of the annoyance of the
crowing cocks above his head in the morning and the devices and tricks
he and his companions employed to quiet them. The Manila lottery is
another institution which intensely excites the sluggish native, and
takes from him the money which he does not lose on the cockfights. Under
the United States Government this lottery will, no doubt, be abolished
in time. It formerly belonged to the Spanish Government, and Spain
derived an annual profit of half a million dollars from it.

GENERAL COMMERCE OF THE PHILIPPINES.

It is hardly necessary, so far as the commercial world is concerned, to
mention any other locality outside of the city of Manila. To commerce,
this city (whose total imports