ay "squat," for, even in the
fine churches, the women squatted in the center aisles, while the
men were ranged in side aisles. There are few pews, and these few,
rarely occupied, were straight and uncomfortable. No effort was ever
made to make them comfortable, not to mention ornamental.

THE NATIVES.

CHAPTER NINE.

The natives are, as a rule, small, with a yellowish brown skin; noses
not large, lips not thick, but teeth very poor. Many of them have
cleft palate or harelip, straight hair very black, and heads rather
flattened on top. I examined many skulls and found the occiput and
first cervical ankylosed. It occurred to me it might be on account
of the burdens they carry upon their heads in order to leave their
arms free to carry a child on the hips, to tuck in a skirt, or care
for the cigars.

The Filipino skirt is a wonder. It is made by sewing together the
ends of a straight piece of cloth about three yards long. To hold it
in place on the body, a plait is laid in the top edge at the right,
and a tuck at the left, and there it stays--till it loosens. One
often sees them stop to give the right or left a twist. The fullness
in the front is absolutely essential for them to squat as they are so
accustomed to do while performing all sorts of work, such as washing,
ironing, or, in the market place, selling all conceivable kinds of
wares. The waist for the rich and poor alike is of one pattern, the
only variation being in the quality. It has a plain piece loose at
the waist line for the body, a round hole for the rather low neck,
the sleeves straight and extending to the wrist, about three-fourths
of a yard wide. These sleeves are gathered on the shoulder to fit the
individual. A square handkerchief folded three times in the center is
placed round the neck and completes the costume. As fast as riches
are amassed, trains are assumed. All clothing is starched with rice
and stands out rigidly.

The materials are largely woven by the people themselves, and the finer
fabrics are beautiful in texture and fineness, some of the strands
being so fine that several are used to make one thread. By weaving
one whole day from dawn to dark, only a quarter of a yard of material
is produced. The looms, the cost of which is about fifty cents, are
all made by hand from bamboo; the reels and bobbins, which complete
the outfit, raise the value of the whole to about a dollar. There is
rarely a house that does not keep from