304 
MANILLA. 
and permanently closed up; but in the whole cemetery there were but 
five thus secured. This would seem to indicate an indifference on the 
part of the living, for their departed relatives or friends; at least such 
was my impression at the time. The centre of the enclosure is laid 
out as a flower-garden and shrubbery, and all the buildings are washed 
a deep buff-colour, with white cornices; these colours, when contrasted 
with the green foliage, give an effect that is not unpleasing. In the 
chapel are two tombs, the one for the bishop, and the other for the 
governor. The former, I believe, is occupied, and will continue to be 
so, until another shall follow him; but the latter is empty, for, since the 
erection of the cemetery, none of the governors have died. In the 
rear of the chapel is another small cemetery, called Los Angelos; and, 
further behind, the Osero. The former is similar to the one in front, 
but smaller, and appropriated exclusively to children; the latter is an 
open space, where the bones of all those who have been removed from 
the niches, after three years, are cast out, and now lie in a confused 
heap, with portions of flesh and hair adhering to them. No person is 
allowed to be received here for interment, until the fees are first paid 
to the priest, however respectable the parties may be; and all those 
who pay the fees, and are of the true faith, can be interred. I was 
told of a corpse of a very respectable person being refused admittance, 
for the want of the priest’s pass, to show that the claim had been satis¬ 
fied, and the coffin stopped in the road until it was obtained. We 
ourselves witnessed a similar refusal. A servant entered with a dead 
child, borne on a tray, which he presented to the sacristan to have 
interred; the latter asked him for the pass, which not being produced, 
he was dismissed, nor was he suffered to leave his burden until this 
requisite could be procured from the priest, who lived opposite. The 
price of interment was three dollars, but whether this included the 
purchase of the niche, or its rent for three years only, I did not learn. 
The churches of Manilla can boast of several fine-toned bells, which 
are placed in large belfries or towers. There was one of these towers 
near the Messrs. Sturges’, where we stayed; and the manner in which 
the bell was used, when swung around by the force of two or three 
men, attracted our attention; for the ringers occasionally practised 
feats of agility by passing over with the bell, and landing on the 
coping on the opposite side. The tower being open, we could see the 
manoeuvre from the windows, and, as strangers, went there to look on. 
One day, whilst at dinner, they began to ring, and as many of the 
officers had not witnessed the feat, they sought the windows. This 
excited the vanity of those in the belfry, who redoubled their exertions, 
and performed the feat successfully many times, although in some in- 
