th smiles the noble father of the system which gave
them employment, the honorable and the honest Henry Clay, but had never
anticipated meeting with so many of the sex, within a mile, in these
latitudes.

The crowd was so great as to materially affect our progress. We had
often to haul up to allow them to pass, and when our cochero received
the order "_ander_" it was coupled with the caution "_despacho_" that he
might drive carefully for fear of injuring some of them.

Did not count, but suppose there could not have been less than two
thousand women in this mob; but, alas! though some were young, but few
were beautiful, and, as they shuffled along, in their short jackets, and
the ungainly _sciar_ wrapped around their nether extremities, they made
a display of charms by no means attractive. Their style of dress
differing from Nora Creena's in this, that whilst her gown was

"Flowing free as mountain breezes,"

their substitute for that portion of woman's apparel appeared as if the
strongest kind of a "mountain breeze" had wrapped it tightly round their
forms, and continued to keep them enveloped in its Laocoon-like folds;
and although "_every beauty_" was not left exactly "_free_" yet there
could be no disputing the evidence of _sinking_ and _swelling_ so
sweetly described by the poet, as the peculiar charm exhibited in the
costume of his admired Nora. They were generally barefooted, and those
whose feet were clad, had them covered with that wonderful slipper,
which barely covers the extremity of the foot, and is kept in its place
by the adhesion of the smallest toe to its neighbor.

Getting clear, at length, of this crowd of feminines, "presto" was the
word, and away we bowled along one of the most beautiful roads I have
ever seen. The foliage was luxuriant, the air of the early morning cool
and refreshing, and filled with fragrance. The road (a natural one) even
as a bowling green.

A drive of about one hour brought us to the river. I forget its name; it
is a small stream flowing into the Bay of Manilla at Cavite, where we
found the float formed of bamboo, which is drawn across by _ropes_ (?)
made of the same material. By this means that immense concourse of
women had been transported, and great as is my devotion and subjection
to their charms, should have declined the office of ferryman, after the
morning's rencontre.

A sudden shower prevented our making a long stay at this romantic spot,
and also interfe