on he went to Manila, where, through the influence of a relative,
employed in a humble capacity in the capital, he was admitted
into the College of San Juan de Letran under the auspices of the
Dominican friars. Subsequently he became a schoolmaster at Silan
(Cavite), and at the age of twenty-six years he was again in his
native town as petty-governor (Municipal Captain). He is a man
of small frame with slightly webbed eyes, betraying the Chinese
blood in his veins, and a protruding lower lip and prominent chin
indicative of resolve. Towards me his manner was remarkably placid
and unassuming, and his whole bearing denoted the very antithesis of
the dashing warrior. Throughout his career he has shown himself to be
possessed of natural politeness, and ever ready with the soft answer
that turneth away wrath. He understands Spanish perfectly well, but
does not speak it very fluently. Aguinaldo's explanation to me of the
initial acts of rebellion was as follows:--He had reason to know that,
in consequence of something having leaked out in Manila regarding
the immature plans of the conspirators, he was a marked man, so he
resolved to face the situation boldly. He had then been petty-governor
of his town (Cauit) sixteen months, and in that official capacity he
summoned the local detachment of the civil guard to the Town Hall,
having previously arranged his plan of action with the town guards
(_cuadrilleros_). Aguinaldo then spoke aside to the sergeant, to whom
he proposed the surrender of their arms. As he quite anticipated, his
demand was refused, so he gave the agreed signal to his _cuadrilleros_,
who immediately surrounded the guards and disarmed them. Thereupon
Aguinaldo and his companions, being armed, fled at once to the next
post of the civil guard and seized their weapons also. With this
small equipment he and his party escaped into the interior of the
province, towards Silan, situated at the base of the Sungay [178]
Mountain, where the numerous ravines in the slopes running towards
the Lake Bombon (popularly known as the Lake of Taal) afforded a
safe retreat to the rebels. Hundreds of natives soon joined him,
for the secret of Aguinaldo's influence was the widespread popular
belief in his possession of the _anting-anting_ (_vide_ p. 237);
his continuous successes, in the first operations, strengthened this
belief; indeed, he seemed to have the lucky star of a De Wet without
the military genius.

On August 31, 1896,