First View of Manila. 279 



14tli June we were in sight of tlie coast of Luzon, and on 

 the following day we ran on before the freshening monsoon 

 into the broad, beautiful gulf of Manila. As we passed be- 

 tween the rock La Monja (the Nun) and '' El Corregidor,'' 

 or Governor's Island, which lie right in the channel, we met 

 the Cleopatra, a large English screw- steamer, which had a 

 freight of 1150 Chinese, who Avere to be imported into 

 the Havanna as so-called " free " labourers. These poor 

 wi'etches came from Amoy, and, as we afterwards learned, 

 had been put on board so scantily provided, and so little 

 cared for by the authorities, that thus early, during the voy- 

 age from Amoy to Manila, only 700 miles, eleven of these 

 " passengers " had died, and the captain found himself com- 

 pelled to bear up for the nearest harbour in consequence of 

 a sort of malignant fever having broken out on board, so 

 virulent that there were deaths occurring almost every day. 

 We shall treat more particularly of this hideous trade in men, 

 which is chiefly carried on by the Portuguese, when describ- 

 ing our visit to Macao. 



The Bay of Manila is a beautiful land-locked basin, of 

 such splendid proportions that when we had passed Governor's 

 Island the city of Manila was still below the horizon. We 

 anchored on the afternoon of 18th June in the harbour of 

 Cavite (seven nautical miles south of Manila), because during 



make so rapid a voyage. In Manila we fell in with a ship-captain, who had left 

 Batavia in April, and, owing to the prevalence of calms and contrary winds, had been 

 59 days on the passage ! 



