imperial master's
old enemy. The envoy was received with delight by the Spaniards,
who invited him to accompany them to Manila to interview the Governor.

Li-ma-hong still held out, but perceiving that an irresistible
onslaught was being projected against him by Salcedo's party, he
very cunningly and quite unexpectedly slipped away, and sailed out
of the river with his ships by one of the mouths unknown to his
enemies. [23] In order to divert the attention of the Spaniards,
Li-ma-hong ingeniously feigned an assault in an opposite quarter. Of
course, on his escape, he had to abandon the troops employed in this
manoeuvre. These, losing all hope, and having indeed nothing but
their lives to fight for, fled to the mountains. Hence it is popularly
supposed that from these fugitives descends the race of people in the
hill district north of that province still distinguishable by their
oblique eyes and known by the name of Igorrote-Chinese.

"_Aide-toi et Dieu t'aidera_" is an old French maxim, but the Spaniards
chose to attribute their deliverance from their Chinese rivals to
the friendly intervention of Saint Andrew. This Saint was declared
thenceforth to be the Patron Saint of Manila, and in his honour High
Mass was celebrated in the Cathedral at 8 a.m. on the 30th of each
November. In Spanish times it was a public holiday and gala-day, when
all the highest civil, military and religious authorities attended
the _Funcion votiva de San Andres_. This opportunity to assert the
supremacy of ecclesiastical power was not lost to the Church, and for
many years it was the custom, after hearing Mass, to spread the Spanish
national flag on the floor of the Cathedral for the metropolitan
Archbishop to walk over it. However, a few years prior to the Spanish
evacuation the Gov.-General refused to witness this antiquated formula
and it subsequently became the practice to carry the Royal Standard
before the altar. Both before and after the Mass, the bearer (_Alferez
Real_), wearing his hat and accompanied by the Mayor of the City,
stood on the altar floor, raised his hat three times, and three times
dipped the flag before the Image of Christ, then, facing the public,
he repeated this ceremony. On Saint Andrew's Eve the Royal Standard was
borne in procession from the Cathedral through the principal streets
of the city, escorted by civil functionaries and followed by a band
of music. This ceremony was known as the _Paseo del Real Pendon_.