S O O L O O. 327 



design, not only on my own account and that of the Expedition, but 

 because of the gratification it would have afforded personally to the 

 naturalists. 



The town of San Jose - has about thirty bamboo houses, some of 

 which are filled in with clay or mortar, and plastered over, both inside 

 and out. Few of them are more than a single story in height. That 

 of the governor is of the same material, and overtops the rest ; it is 

 whitewashed, and has a neat and cleanly appearance. In the vicinity 

 of the town are several beautiful valleys, which run into the mountains 

 from the plain that borders the bay. The landing is on a bamboo 

 bridge, which has been erected over an extensive mud-flat, that is 

 exposed at low water, and prevents any nearer approach of boats. 

 This bridge is about seven hundred feet in length; and a novel plan 

 has been adopted to preserve it from being carried away. The stems 

 of bamboo not being sufficiently large and heavy to maintain the 

 superstructure in the soft mud, a scaffold is constructed just under the 

 top, which is loaded with blocks of large stone, and the outer piles are 

 secured to anchors or rocks, with grass rope. The roadway or top is 

 ten feet wide, covered with split bamboo, woven together, and has 

 rails on each side, to assist the passenger. This is absolutely neces- 

 sary for safety; and even with this aid, one unaccustomed to it must 

 be possessed of no little bodily strength to pass over this smooth, slip- 

 pery, and springy bridge, without accident. 



Two pirogues were at anchor in the bay, and on the shore was the 

 frame of a vessel which had evidently been a long while on the stocks, 

 for the weeds and bushes near the keel were six or eight feet high, and 

 a portion of the timbers were decayed. Carts and sleds drawn by 

 buffaloes were in use, and every thing gave it the appearance of a 

 thriving village. Although I have mentioned the presence of soldiers, 

 it was observed on landing that no guard was stationed about or even 

 at the fort; but shortly afterwards a soldier was seen hurrying towards 

 the latter, in the act of dressing himself in his regimentals, and another 

 running by his side, with his cartridge-box and musket. In a little 

 while one was passing up and down on his post, as though he was as 

 permanent there as the fort itself. 



After completing these duties, the light airs detained us the re- 

 mainder of the day under Panay, in sight of the bay. On the 29th, 

 at noon, we had been wafted by it far enough in the offing to obtain 

 the easterly breeze, which soon became strong, with an overcast sky, 

 and carried us rapidly on our course ; my time would not permit my 

 heaving-to. We kept on our course for Mindanao during the whole 



