Skip to content

Wednesday, May 24th, 1899

Manila, Luzon Island – Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Tondo

Typhoon all day. Bay rough. Elements are calm tonight but sky overcast with clouds. There may be a “recurvature” of this peculiar storm & we have the destroyer return this way again.

Rush marked the flying hours. Visited town twice.

First thing this morning out in my kitchen while washing my face the second of the 2 unconverted sailors entered. Tackled him about his soul & urged him to give up sin & seek salvation thro’ Christ, seemed interested. Returned to my bedroom, locked myself in & read one Chapter of Number & the 32d psalm. Then prayed.

Commenced writing again on my Philippine narrative before breakfast. Rev. Owens invited me in to breakfast. Gladly accepted the offer to save time. After breakfast had family worship together. While at breakfast a Filipino came in & presented a bill for $4 Mex. 2 months – 24th March to 24th May – subscription to the Manila Daily “Times”. Paid it & gave him a list of missing back numbers to send me already paid for. I did not subscribe for the paper. Bro’s Oden & Lloyd paid for the paper one month. They went to the front where they have been up to date. Sub. remained unpaid & I had to make it good.

Applied myself diligently to the narrative & completed it about noon. Added 4 pages foolscap to the 6 of yesterday. Divided the article under the following subheads: “H.M.S. Powerful”, “Malolos”, “Dewey’s Departure”, “Malabon”, “Sailor’s Rest”, “Bilibid Meetings”, “The Black Hole”. Wrote & copied a letter to Lt.-Col. Wm Evans & enclosed it with the War Cry copy. Also sent 3 pictures – photos – main plaza in Malolos, San Bartolome church at Malabon – Santiago Citadel, Manila facing the Malecon. Away I went with it to catch the mail but missed the street car & walked to the post office. Arrived about 1 p.m. U.S. mail closed 12 noon, & U.S. mail via Hongkong at 2 p.m.

Dropped into a Spanish barbershop on the Escolta & got shaved; 20 cts. Mex.

Purchase some beautiful & rare seashells from a Filipino dealer on the Escolta. Shells such as I have never seen even in museums, are kept on sale here at times. By watching the Filipino dealer’s stock I secure prizes for my cabinet.

Rode back home. Took a few peanuts & a cup of lemonade for dinner then read some articles in the North American Review while resting.

Wrote & copied a letter to the Geo. Berry, Hospital, Corregidor Is. Hope to visit the Is. soon. Set no date.

Off to the post office again. Inquired for mail & dropped B’s letter in. Met ex-Private Gerome of 4th U.S. Cavalry on the Escolta. Is just back from San Francisco. Re-enlisted in the hospital corps. Says Honolulu S.A. officer send love to me.

Saw a young soldier on Escolta. Claims to be a Salvationist. Invited him to visit No. 2 & gave him good advice.

Purchased some medicine & condensed milk for Rev. Owens. Asked me for a statement of a/c. For money loaned & supplies bought they owe me $4.01 Mex. I heard Mrs. Owens say she expects to embark for home in a week or week & a half. Sold her sewing machine to Rev. Rodgers today for $30 U.S. coins.

Revs. Rodgers & Hibbard, Presbyterian missionaries called. Rodgers introduced me to his new colleagues. Rev. Hibbard who is a bran new arrival.

The sailors are still with us. Sleep here every night & eat from one to 2 meals per diem.

Cooked supper of 2 duck eggs fried & bacon. A cup of chockolate & hard bread completed my meal.

After supper wrote & copied Weekly Letter No. 27 to Lt.-Col. Alice Lewis, 12.4, W. 14th St. New York.

When I commenced to write this entry after supper the boom of a heavy cannon sounded thro’ the night at intervals. Perhaps one of our monitors is bombarding Paranaque or another bay town.

Queen Victoria is 80 years old today.