296 PARTY TO CANTON. arrangements were made for a party of officers to go up. It consisted of Captain Finch, Lieutenants Sullivan, Dornin, and Lardner; Mr. Buchanan, Dr. Malone; midshipmen Bissell, Hawkins, Maury, Melville, Rowan, Wurts, and myself; but of our trip, and the few days we were in the suburbs of that city, I made only hasty notes. To write them in full would require a volume; and for the present I must be content with saying, that we were received and entertained in the most hospitable manner by C. N. Talbot, Esquire, acting consul for the United States, and by the gentlemen of the various American and other foreign houses. Our voyage up was by what is called the outside passage; but Captain Finch, Lieutenant Sullivan, Mr. Buchanan, and myself, returned by a rout which afforded us a more extensive observation of the country. We reached Macao again on the 18th inst.; took our anchor for the Philippine Islands on the 22d, and hope to arrive at Manilla, their capital, in less than forty-eight hours from the present time. MANILLA. LETTER I. DESCRIPTION OF THE BAY AND CITY OF MANILLA. U. S. ship Vincennes, Bay of Manilla, January 30th, 1830. On the morning of the 26th inst., we descried the Island of Luçonia, or Luçon, at a point fifty or sixty leagues north of the entrance of this bay; and for the two days following coasted its shore, under the alternate influence of a land and sea breeze, with the outline of a mountainous and finely variegated country in full view. The bay of Manilla is very extensive, ninety leagues in circumference, and the city situated on its southern shore, some twenty or twenty-five miles from the sea. We dropt anchor in our present berth early yesterday morning; and are surrounded by varied and beautiful scenery. The circuit of the bay is too wide to allow of distinct views of most of its shores; but the outline of the lofty hills and mountains, sweeping round it, is traceable at most times against the sky-giving to it, as a whole, much the appearance of a noble lake. 300 VIEW OF MANILLA, AND The view of the city, however, its suburbs, and the adjoining country on either side, and far inland, is full and imposing. The city itself, inclosed by walls of dark stone, and surrounded by a broad moat, lies on the north side of the river Pasig, here flowing into the bay, while the suburbs, containing a tenfold population, lie across the same stream on the north. The aspect of the two sections presents a striking contrast. The dark, moss-covered walls on the one side-screening every thing from sight except the red tile of the roofs of the houses, and the towers and domes of the cathedral and churches-stretch a half or three quarters of a mile along a green bank and carriage-drive by the waters edge; while on the other, in place of heavy walls, bastions, and embattled towers, nothing is to be seen, as far as the eye can reach, but a mass of huts of bamboo and reeds, of the slightest construction and rudest aspect, embowered in groves of the greatest luxuriance and verdure. The location both of the city and suburbs is very low-a characteristic of the surrounding country; but some miles inland it becomes more elevated and broken, and terminates at last on every side in lofty and beautiful mountains. G. W. Hubbell, Esquire, consular agent of our government, waited early upon Captain Finch and his officers, with a tender of the hospitality of his house; and it is arranged that the captain, purser, surgeon, and myself, shall take up our quarters with him during our visit. My friend Lieutenant Magruder accompanied me on shore at two o'clock to dine at the consulate, and |