Cuar. XVIII] MORNING IN THE PHILIPPINES. 835 
of the boats, to enable the Indians to run out and 
balance them when the wind comes down in strong 
puffs, and when without these they would be often 
thrown on their beam ends and capsized. 
When I awoke in the morning we were half-way 
across the lake, and day was just dawning. Those 
who have never been in eastern tropical countries 
can form no idea of the beauty and freshness of 
early morning in the Philippines. The broad 
sheet of water through which we were swiftly 
passing was smooth as glass, and shone like a mir- 
ror; there was not a breath of air to disturb it. 
The shores of the lake were rich in vegetation ; 
trees and bushes dipping their luxuriant branches 
into the water, and crowning the summit of every 
hill. In this beautiful region winter is unknown, for 
here,“ the trees ever blossom, the beams ever shine.” 
As soon as the sun began to appear above the 
horizon, the whole surface of the lake was put in 
motion by the breeze which then began to blow, 
and which gradually increased until it became a 
pretty strong gale. Our sail was close reefed, and 
all the crew except the man at the helm, stood on 
the out-riggers to balance the boat, walking out 
or in as the wind was more or less powerful. In 
less than half an hour the lake was covered with 
waves rolling like those of the sea. Every now 
and then we took one on board, and were soon, as 
well as our beds and baggage, completely drenched 
with water. Luckily we were near our destination 
on the opposite shore, where we soon arrived in 
