f about ten feet in height, seemed very comfortable.
I never saw a more cheerful-looking rural population. All nicely and
modestly dressed. The women completely emancipated from all eastern
seclusion. I visited in this _pueblo_ another great cigar manufactory;
8,000 girls employed. I must say that this colony appears to be a
great success, as far as the natives are concerned, and I almost
regret that I am not going to see something more of the interior.
Crealock has been through the barracks, which he says are in admirable
condition. The native soldiers appear to be very well treated. We
dined yesterday with the Admiral. Just before we set out for this
dinner, a procession was announced, and I went to the balcony to see
it. The students of a college, some 350 in number, were escorting
about two spangled and sparkling images of the Virgin, and a variety
of flags. Each carried a lighted torch, and they lined both sides of
the road, the interval between their rows being occupied by the
images, three or four bands of music, the flags, &c. As all the bands
played at once, and as loud as they possibly could, the noise was
tremendous, and the cathedral bell helped, by tolling its deepest
tone as the procession passed. These processions are the great
religious stimulant here, and they form another point of resemblance
with the French part of Canada.

After little more than three days' stay among the Spaniards of Luzon, he
embarked again on the 29th on board the 'Ferooz,' and passing by Sarawak
and the north-west coast of Borneo, crossed the Line to visit the Dutch
settlement of Java.

[Sidenote: Crossing the Line.]

_February 6th_.--A fine morning, and we are going through the Gaspar
Strait in about 2 deg. 30' south, not very far from where Lord Amherst was
wrecked in the 'Alceste.' We anchored again last night, but in a calm.
Yesterday morning Neptune made his appearance, and those of us who had
not passed the Line had to pay the penalty. I compounded for his
claims on me, and the crew had a good lark in shaving with tar and
ducking some other novices. We are now in mid-summer, having passed at
a bound from mid-winter. There is little difference, however, in these
latitudes, between one part of the year and another. The principal
difference consists in the rainy and dry seasons, and as near the Line
as