342- Voyage of the Novara. 



By 11 p. M. we liad got back to Manila. The weather had 

 cleared up somewhat, the rain had ceased, and the city and 

 environs were gay with the gleam of innumerable variegated 

 lamps, intended to represent the illuminations expressive of 

 the joy of the people at the birth of a prince of the Asturias. 

 This did not however continue long ; the enthusiasm that 

 was finding vent through the glitter of the lamps was drown- 

 ed in another deluge of rain, and as the exhibition had now 

 lasted for several nights in succession, people at last had got 

 weary of the trouble of constantly relighting them ; the gaudy 

 triumphal arches were decomposed into their constituent 

 atoms — rough boards, wooden pegs, nails, and filthy little 

 oil-lamps. 



The continuance of the wet weather put more distant ex- 

 cursions out of the question. We had to content ourselves 

 with having seen all that was really worth seeing in the city 

 and environs during our limited stay. 



Many additional visits were paid to the interior of the city, 

 to the fort, to the monasteries, and the various public institu- 

 tions. Of these latter, two call for a more particular notice : 

 the " Bihlioteca Militar^'' and the immense hospital of San 

 Juan de Dios, under the charge of the Charitable Friars. 



The attraction of the Military Library, which is situated in 

 one portion of the cloister of the Jesuits which had been 

 almost entirely destroyed* by a former earthquake, consisted 



• The church was utterly ruined, and a large portion of the buildings are similarly 



