ments of our ship. The shore was lined with broken spars, boards, planks, and other vestiges of the wreck.

I soon discovered that two of the seamen were alive; one of them was considerably wounded, and the other was quite exhausted. I went along the shore, and there I found the bodies of three of the sailors who had perished. The remains of the captain I could not find.

I need not tell you the distress I now felt. This was indeed the most painful period of my life. I thought not of the difficulties of my situation, but I was oppressed with the sad idea that so many of my countrymen and companions, had thus suddenly been cut off from existence.

But I must hurry on in my story. We were soon discovered by the natives, who came in great numbers to gather the spoils of the wreck. They treated my companions and myself with great kindness. We stayed with them in the mountains, for three or four days; we did not

understand their language, but we communicated with them by signs.

When the wounded sailor was able to travel, two of the natives set out to guide us across the country to Manilla. This was a journey of several days, for we had been wrecked on the northern coast of Luzon, and Manilla was situated in the southwestern part.

At length we reached that city. It was built by the Spaniards, and many Europeans resided there. I went to an English merchant and told him our story. We were entirely destitute; and in the kindest manner, he relieved our necessities.

CHAPTER XIII

About the Philippine Isles. Description of the inhabitants. Productions. Parley enters a British ship. About James Jenkins. About Borneo, Sumatra, Java, and the Spice Islands.

THE Philippine islands, as I have said before, are more than one thousand in number. The

largest of these are Luzon and Mindanao. The natives are nearly of a copper color. They are mild and unsuspicious, and the common people go mostly naked. Some of them who are rich, are well dressed, and they bear a strong resemblance to the Polynesian islanders.

They are great smokers; not the men only, but women, boys, and even children before they can talk, practise smoking. The women are not content with common segars, but have them made a foot long, and twice as large as your thumb. It is a curious sight to see these women going about, looking as if they had burning brands in their mouths.

These islands are very fruitful. They produce yams, potatoes, pumpkins, water-melons, plantains, bananas, guavas, cloves, nutmegs, betel nuts, cocoa nuts, oranges, and sago. The betel nut is chewed by the natives, particularly by the women, partly as a luxury, and partly for the purpose of making their teeth black. The people make a species of wine

from the palm tree.

The fruitfulness of their

country, enables them to lead a life of indolence; they are fond of pleasure, and are passionately devoted to cock-fighting.

For many years, the Spaniards have ruled over the greater part of the Philippine isles. Some of them, however, are governed by their native chiefs.

After I had been several weeks at Manilla, I had an opportunity to leave that place in a British ship. I need hardly tell my readers, that I was very anxious to return to my native land. The melancholy termination of our voyage had sickened me of the sea. In the wreck of the ship, I had lost what little property I possessed. With disappointed hopes, and painful recollections, I entered the British vessel, intending, if I reached Boston in safety, never again to venture upon the treacherous ocean.

The fate of Jenkins had long weighed heavily upon my heart. It is true, he was a rough sailor, and somehow or other he was always