more easily accounted for, from the Spaniards fostering and keeping
alive the jealousy and hatred that existed at the time of the discovery
between the different tribes.

It seems almost incredible that Spain should have so long persisted
in the policy of allowing no more than one galleon to pass annually
between her colonies, and equally so that the nations of Europe should
have been so long deceived in regard to the riches and wealth that
Spain was monopolizing in the Philippines. The capture of Manila,
in 1762, by the English, first gave a clear idea of the value of this
remote and little-known appendage of the empire.

The Philippines, considered in their capacity for commerce, are
certainly among the most favored portions of the globe, and there is
but one circumstance that tends in the least degree to lessen their
apparent advantage; this is the prevalence of typhoons in the China
seas, which are occasionally felt with force to the north of latitude
10 deg. N. South of that parallel, they have never been known to prevail,
and seldom so far; but from their unfailing occurrence yearly in some
part of the China seas, they are looked for with more or less dread,
and cause each season a temporary interruption in all the trade that
passes along the coast of these islands.

The army is now composed entirely of native troops, who number about
six thousand men, and the regiments are never suffered to serve in
the provinces in which they are recruited, but those from the north
are sent to the south, and vice versa. There they are employed to keep
up a continual watch on each other; and, speaking different dialects,
they never become identified.

They are, indeed, never allowed to remain long enough in one region,
to imbibe any feelings in unison with those of its inhabitants. The
hostility is so great among the regiments, that mutinies have occurred,
and contests arisen which have produced even bloodshed, which it was
entirely out of the power of the officers to prevent. In cases of
this kind, summary punishment is resorted to.

[Conditions not peaceful.] Although the Spaniards, as far as is known
abroad, live in peace and quiet, this is far from being the case; for
rebellion and revolts among the troops and tribes are not unfrequent in
the provinces. During the time of our visit one of these took place,
but it was impossible to learn anything concerning it that could
be relied upon, for all conversation respecting suc