M. DE GUXGNES’ OBSERVATIONS ON

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fufpended, containing relics. The men drefs better, but have fomething affe&ed intheir manner.

The wife has the whole management of domeftlc affairs, the only bufinefs of thehufband being to furnifh money, which he fetches from the bodiga or magazine; whenone bag of a thoufand dollars is emptied, the wife applies for another.

The diverfions of Manila are few ; the different circles meet in the evening. So-ciety is on a dull and diftant footing ; the young ladies fing and play on the piano-the women are generally feated on one fide, and the men on the other.

The women have a fhrili voice, and fing from the throat; they all fmoke; thecigars for the women are about five or fix inches long, and thick as a good fizedfinger.

At Manila , I was prefent at feveral balls, among others at that given by Mr. Avala,.commandant of the marine fervice. The governor, his wife, and all the people ofdiftinction in the city were invited. The archbifliop and the grand vicar were there,but kept themfelves in an apartment adjoining that in which the ball was held. Coun-try dances, minuets, and even the fandango, but in a very modeft manner, were-danced. Voleros alfo, after the manner of the Spaniards, were fung, airs which tome feemed very pleafing.

The women in private houfes likewife dance minuets, but in a manner fomewhat An-gular, blending with them occafionally fome fteps of the fandango : in general they ap-pear but litttle accuftomed to this-dance, for the minuets would laft through the night,were the dancers not admonifhed of the time to conclude. I fhall not defcribe thedances of the Creoles , and fome Spaniards in private; they are lafcivious in extreme^

Being invited to a ball in a Spanifh houfe, I faw that attention had been paid to covera Chrift at the bottom of the hall in which the dancing was. The rector of the parilhprefented himfelf to fee the dancing, but flood without the door. On all thefe occa-lions a great quantity of fweetmeats, paftry, and cooling beverages are confumed.

The complexion of the Spaniards bom at Manila is flightly tawny, but thofe bomin Europe preferve their natural colour. Both- the one and other are of excellentdifpofition, civil and obliging ; and, during my refidence at Manila I had every reafonto be fatisfied with the treatment I experienced - : of the governor Mr. Aquilar I mufffay the fame, as well as of the other gentlemen in office, whofe kindnefs on feveraloccafions I have to acknowledge.

The Indians are ugly, and refemble the Malays ; their ftature is of the middle fize,and their complexion tawny ; of the women no better can be faid. The drefs of themen is a fhirt, pantaloons, a hat and flippers; the beaux among them in additionwear a black jacket, with a handkerchief in each pocket, a third round the neck, anda fourth in the hand. Thefe handkerchiefs come from Madras, and as they are after-wards embroidered at Manila they are very coflly. The Indians fmoke cigars four orfive inches long, and thick as the little finger.

The female Indians wear a half fhift and petticoat, and wrap round them moreovera long and narrow piece of fluff called tupifs made of the fibres of the banana tree.Their fhoes are very fmall, and frequently the little toe is left out of the fhoe. Theirhair is turned up, and knotted at the back of the head : at times thefe women gowholly enveloped in a large black cloak reaching to the ground, from the neck ofwhich two fmall and narrow bands hang down over each fhoulder.

The fhirouts or cigars of the Indian ladies and Creoles are a foot in length, by aninch and a half in diameter, and are calculated to laft for a fortnight; fo largeare they in fhort that, in order to put them in the mouth, they require flattening..

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