MANILA AND THE PHILIPPINES 67 



of the American fleet behind it became visible; not only these, 

 but also the wrecks of the sunken Spanish ships came into view. 

 The victorious American fleet was anchored on the watery battle- 

 field, and the spoils of her glorious fighting lay between her and 

 the shore. 



In front, just before the city of Manila, was a great squadron 

 of neutral ships. There were three German, two French, two 

 British, and one Japanese men-of-war, while between them 

 were anchored chartered steamers full of refugees of the respect- 

 ive nationalities which Admiral Dewey's humanitarian warfare 

 and broad-mindedness had allowed to be brought out of the 

 besieged toAvn, the only condition being that the Spanish vessels 

 had to fly the flags of the respective countries which were re- 

 sponsible for their return to the American authorities after the 

 surrender of the town. 



Behind the neutral fleet, whose size was changed almost every 

 day by incoming or outgoing ships, the churches and towers of 

 Manila, still four miles away, rose one by one out of the sea, 

 and then the palm and banana trees and the bamboo jungles 

 became visible, inclosing, like another green ocean, the lower 

 houses and buildings of the old city. 



Far away the delicate blue line of high ranges of hills bor- 

 dered this wonderful tropic picture with its warlike foreground, 

 but peace seemed to rule ever3'whereon the beach. The steam 

 launches of the neutral men-of-war rushed to and fro, carrying 

 officers in white tropical dress who were making or returning 

 calls. Boat drill was going on, and the yards of the neutral 

 ships were hung with the laundry of their crews. 



Small Tagal sailing boats alongside the men-of-war- were bar- 

 gaining with stewards about the price of fruits and vegetables. 

 Sometimes a vessel flying a strange and hitherto unknown triang- 

 ular flag crossed the waters of the bay from Cavite to Malabon 

 filled with dark men — the Filipinos under their new colors. 



When the moon rose in her full tropical grandeur over the 

 darkening sea, when the electric lights shone here and there on 

 the great iron and steel structures Avhich rocked quietly in the 

 phosphorescent waters of the ba3 r like big whales, then flashed 

 out the search-lights of the American fleet over from Cavite, then 

 could you see also the dark red fire balls of exploding shells near 

 Malate and hear the continuous crackling of musketry. 



Then you knew that there was war. that another of the Filipino 



