rived from these
establishments is half a million of dollars.

The natives of the Philippines are industrious. They manufacture an
amount of goods sufficient to supply their own wants, particularly
from Panay and Ilocos. These for the most part consist of cotton and
silks, and a peculiar article called pina. The latter is manufactured
from a species of Bromelia (pineapple), and comes principally
from the island of Panay. The finest kinds of pina are exceedingly
beautiful, and surpass any other material in its evenness and beauty
of texture. Its color is yellowish, and the embroidery is fully
equal to the material. It is much sought after by all strangers,
and considered as one of the curiosities of this group. Various
reports have been stated of the mode of its manufacture, and among
others that it was woven under water, which I found, upon inquiry,
to be quite erroneous. The web of the pina is so fine, that they
are obliged to prevent all currents of air from passing through the
rooms where it is manufactured, for which purpose there are gauze
screens in the windows. After the article is brought to Manila, it
is then embroidered by girls; this last operation adds greatly to
its value. We visited one of the houses where this was in progress,
and where the most skilful workwomen are employed.

On mounting the stairs of bamboos, every step we took produced its
creak; but, although the whole seemed but a crazy affair, yet it did
not want for strength, being well and firmly bound together. There
were two apartments, each about thirteen by twenty-five feet, which
could be divided by screens, if required. At the end of it were seen
about forty females, all busily plying their needles, and so closely
seated as apparently to incommode each other. The mistress of the
manufactory, who was quite young, gave us a friendly reception, and
showed us the whole process of drawing the threads and working the
patterns, which, in many cases, were elegant.

A great variety of dresses, scarfs, caps, collars, cuffs, and
pocket-handkerchiefs, were shown us. These were mostly in the rough
state, and did not strike us with that degree of admiration which was
expected. They, however, had been in hand for six months, and were
soiled by much handling; but when others were shown us in the finished
state, washed and put up, they were such as to claim our admiration.

I was soon attracted by a very different sight at the other end of the
apartmen