290 MANILLA. 



ployed in the manufactories is about fifteen thousand ; this includes 

 the officers, clerks, overseers, &c. 



As nearly as I could ascertain, the revenue derived from these esta- 

 blishments is half a million of dollars. 



The natives of the Philippines are industrious. They manufacture 

 an amount of goods sufficent to supply their own wants, particularly 

 from Panay and Ylocos. These for the most part consist of cotton 

 and silks, and a peculiar article called pina. The latter is manufactured 

 from a species of Bromelia (pine-apple), and comes principally from the 

 island of Panay. The finest kinds of pina are exceedingly beautiful, 

 and surpass any other material in its evenness and beauty of texture. 

 Its colour is yellowish, and the embroidery is fully equal to the material. 

 It is much sought after by all strangers, and considered as one of the 

 curiosities of this group. Various reports have been stated of the mode 

 of its manufacture, and among others that it was woven under water, 

 which I found, upon inquiry, to be quite erroneous. The web of the 

 pina is so fine, that they are obliged to prevent all currents of air from 

 passing through the rooms where it is manufactured, for which purpose 

 there are gauze screens in the windows. After the article is brought 

 to Manilla, it is then embroidered by girls; this last operation adds 

 greatly to its value. We visited one of the houses where this was in 

 progress, and where the most skilful workwomen are employed. 



On mounting the stairs of bamboos, every step we took produced its 

 creak ; but, although the whole seemed but a crazy affair, yet it did not 

 want for strength, being well and firmly bound together. There were 

 two apartments, each about thirteen by twenty-five feet, which could be 

 divided by screens, if required. At the end of it were seen about forty 

 females, all busily plying their needles, and so closely seated as appa- 

 rently to incommode each other. The mistress of the manufactory, who 

 was quite young, gave us a friendly reception, and showed us the whole 

 process of drawing the threads and working the patterns, which, in many 

 cases, were elegant. A great, variety of dresses, scarfs, caps, collars, 

 cuffs, and pocket-handkerchiefs, were shown us. These were mostly 

 in the rough state, and did not strike us with that degree of admiration 

 which was expected. They, however, had been in hand for six months, 

 and were soiled by much handling; but when others were shown us in 

 the finished state, washed and put up, they were such as to claim our 

 admiration. 



I was soon attracted by a very different sight at the other end of 

 the apartment. This was a dancing-master and his scholar, of six 

 years old, the daughter of the woman of the house. It was exceedingly 

 amusing to see the airs and graces of this child. 



