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piastres, still costs Spain every year 1,500,000 livres, which are sent hither from Mexico.

The immense possessions of the Spaniards in America seem to have prevented the government from essentially applying its attention to the Philippines. M. de la Perouse asserts, that a great nation which should not have any other colony than the Philippines, and which would establish the best kind of government there that could be constituted, might without envy behold all the European settlements in Africa and America.

The city of Manilla, with its environs, is very considerable; its population is estimated at 30,000 persons, among which there are not more than 1000 or 1200 Spaniards; the rest are Mulattoes, Chinese, or Indians, who cultivate all the arts, and are employed in every species of industry.

The poorest of the Spanish families have one or more carriages: two fine horses are purchased for thirty piasters; the board and wages of a coachman amount to not more than six piasters a month; thus there is not any country where the expence of a coach is more necessary, and at the same time less weighty.

The neighbourhood of Manilla is delightful; a beautiful river flows by it, branching into different channels, the two principal of which lead to that famous lagoon, or lake of Bahia, which is seven leagues within the country, bordered by more than 100 Indian villages, situate in the midst of a highly fertile territory.

M. de la Perouse, who, attended by some of his officers, took an opportunity of visiting these parts, relates, that they neither met with handsome houses, nor parks, nor gardens ; but that nature is there so beautiful, that a simple Indian village on the bank of the river, a house in the European style, surrounded by a few trees, forms a view more picturesque than that of the most magnificent palace, and the coldest imagination could not avoid painting happiness to itself in this delightful simplicity. The Spaniards in general quit their town houses after the Easter holidays, in order to pass the summer, which is intensely hot, in the country. There has been no attempt to embellish a country which has no need

of the assistance of art. A neat house, built on the water's edge, with very convenient baths, without avenues or gardens, but shaded by a few fruit trees, constitutes the dwelling of the most opulent citizens; to which description M. de la Perouse adds, that this would be one of the most delightful spots in the world to live in, if a more moderate government, and fewer prejudices, would secure the civil liberty of every inhabitant.

After passing the Bashees, captain Wilson, on the 20th of November, got into soundings and passed several Chinese fishing boats, and on the following day, came to anchor in Macao roads. On the 9th of December, he obtained permission to go up the river, and on the 2d of January, 1798, he returned to Macao, with a cargo of tea on board. The devo tion of the crew of the Duff, induced the English sailors to call her The Ten Commandments.

On the 16th, the Duff came to anchor in Malucca road, and having obtained a supply of water and provision, sailed again on the 20th. Near Prince of Wales island, the Duff seperated from the Bombay ships, and passing the Maldives, steered direct to the cape of Good Hope.

The Maldives are a cluster of interesting small islands, more than 1300 in number. They form as it were an oblong inclosure of small low regular isles, around a clear space of sea, with very little shallow water between each. They are governed by a chief, called Atoll, and the trade is in cowrie shells, with cocoa-nuts, and fish. The inhabitants are mild and gentle, their language is Singalese, and there are some Mahometans.

On the 17th of March, the Duff anchored in Table bay, on the 1st of April, sailed for England, and on the 11th of July came to anchor in the river Thames. Thus the Duff had run about 46,000 miles in nineteen months, fifteen of them at sea, without the crew experiencing any sickness.

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