MANILLA. 305 



stances they narrowly escaped accident, by landing just within the 

 outside coping. This brought us all to the window, and the next turn, 

 more force having been given to the bell, the individual who attempted 

 the feat was thrown headlong beyond the tower, and dashed to pieces 

 on the pavement beneath. Although shocked at the accident, I felt 

 still more so when, after a few minutes, the bell was again heard 

 making its usual sound, as if nothing had occurred to interrupt the 

 course of its hourly peals. 



In company with Dr. Tolben, I visited one of the convents where he 

 attended on some of the monks who were sick, and who was well ac- 

 quainted with them all. I was much struck with the extent of the build- 

 ing, which was four stories high, with spacious corridors and galleries, 

 the walls of which were furnished with pictures representing the mar- 

 tyrdom of the Dominican friars in Japan. These were about seventy 

 in number, in the Chinese style of art, and evidently painted by some 

 one of that nation, calling himself an artist. From appearances, how- 

 ever, I should think they were composed by the priests, who have not 

 a little taxed their invention to find out the different modes in which a 

 man can be put to death. Many evidently, if not all, had been in- 

 vented for the pictures. So perplexed had they apparently been, that 

 in one of the last it was observed that the executioner held his victim 

 at arms' length by the heels, and was about to let him drop headfore- 

 most into a well. From the galleries we passed into the library, and 

 thence into many of the rooms, and finally we mounted to the top of 

 the monastery, which affords a beautiful view of the bay, city, and 

 suburbs. There I was presented to three of the friars, who were 

 pleasant and jolly-looking men. Upon the roof was a kind of observa- 

 tory, or look-out, simply furnished with billiard-tables and shuffleboards, 

 while the implements for various other games lay about on small tables, 

 with telescopes on stands, and comfortable arm-chairs. It was a place 

 where the friars put aside their religious and austere character or ap- 

 pearance, and sought amusement. It was a delightful spot, so far as 

 coolness and the freshness of the sea air were concerned, and its 

 aspect gave me an insight behind the curtain of these establishments 

 that very soon disclosed many things I was ignorant of before. All 

 the friars were of a rotund form, and many of them bore the marks 

 of good living in their full, red, and bloated faces. It seems to be 

 generally understood at Manilla, that they live upon the fat of the 

 land. We visited several of the rooms, and were warmly greeted by 

 the padres, one of whom presented me with a meteorological table for 

 the previous year. 



The revenues of all these religious establishments are considerable ; 

 vol. v. 2A2 39 



