312 MANILLA. 



but one circumstance that tends in the least degree to lessen their 

 apparent advantage : this is the prevalence of typhoons in the China 

 seas, which are occasionally felt with force to the north of latitude 

 10° N. South of that parallel, they have never been known to pre- 

 vail, and seldom so far ; but from their unfailing occurrence yearly in 

 some part of the China seas, they are looked for with more or less 

 dread, and cause each season a temporary interruption in all the trade 

 that passes along the coast of these islands. 



The army is now composed entirely of native troops, who number 

 about six thousand men, and the regiments are never suffered to 

 serve in the provinces in which they are recruited, but those from 

 the north are sent to the south, and vice versa. There they are em- 

 ployed to keep up a continual watch on each other : and, speaking 

 different dialects, they never become identified. 



They are, indeed, never allowed to remain long enough in one 

 region, to imbibe any feelings in unison with those of its inhabitants. 

 The hostility is so great among the regiments, that mutinies have 

 occurred, and contests arisen which have produced even bloodshed, 

 which it was entirely out of the power of the officers to prevent. In 

 cases of this kind, summary punishment is resorted to. 



Although the Spaniards, as far as is known abroad, live in peace 

 and quiet, this is far from being the case ; for rebellion and revolts 

 among the troops and tribes are not unfrequent in the provinces. 

 During the time of our visit one of these took place, but it was 

 impossible to learn any thing concerning it that could be relied upon, 

 for all conversation respecting such occurrences is interdicted by the 

 government. The difficulty to which I refer was said to have 

 originated from the preaching of a fanatic priest, who inflamed 

 them to such a degree that they overthrew the troops and became 

 temporarily masters of the country. Prompt measures were imme- 

 diately taken, and orders issued to give the rebels no quarter ; the 

 regiments most hostile to those engaged in the revolt were ordered to 

 the spot ; they spared no one ; the priest and his companions were 

 taken, put to death, and according to report, in a manner so cruel as 

 to be a disgrace to the records of the nineteenth century. Although 

 I should hope the accounts I heard of these transactions were incor- 

 rect, yet the detestation these acts were held in, would give some 

 colour to the statements. 



The few gazettes that are published at Manilla are entirely under 

 the control of the government ; and a resident of that city must make 



