red with a contemplated visit to a manufactory of
Manilla cordage in the neighborhood.

Breakfast was awaiting our return at the hotel, at half-past nine,
and this dispatched, spent some time expecting a permit to visit the
"Fabrica del Tobago," in which being disappointed, made our cochero
drive us through the suburbs. As I have before stated, these form the
principal part of the town, and are of considerable extent, but the
houses in them are generally constructed of bamboo.

There are a number built of stone, but many of them were in a
dilapidated condition.

In the after part of the day drove again to the Calcada, where we spent
the evening passing up and down, and occasionally slipping out of place
in the line when we could escape the vigilant eye of the guard, to
enable us to pass the equipage and to see the face of "some gay beauty,"
the exquisite shape of whose neck and shoulders had tempted us to risk
fine and imprisonment for the sake of a "front view."

After a refreshing sleep, which was superinduced by a glorious shower
bath, and made doubly delicious by the remembrance of the glances of the
beauties of the Prado, which, like fire-flies, flitted through our
dreams, started again upon the Balsa road with an intention of visiting
the "Rope factory," from seeing which the rain deterred us yesterday.

Our command to the cochero upon his mounting, was _a la Balsa_, trusting
to be able to direct him on the way, but as we depended somewhat upon
the fellow's knowledge of the proper place to turn off, found ourselves
again disappointed, for the confounded postillion either could not or
would not find the road, and out to the ferry again he drove us, in
spite of my teeth, and all the Spanish I could get through them. I
rather thought he made ignorance a plea for unwillingness, until I
afterwards learned that these men, the cocheros, who are a class _sui
generis_, being of the Indian race, understand but little more of the
Spanish language than what they pick up at hotels, in the way of their
profession--their own tongue being the Tagalo, of which tribe they are
generally natives. My vanity somewhat soothed by this information, after
breakfasting drove within the walls of the city, and entered the "city
of Manilla," little more now than a citadel for the surrounding
population. These walls are in themselves thick and massive, and cover a
considerable space in their foundation, although the area which they
inclose