During the dawn another day we ran for the harbour off Misamis into 3rd date, becoming only for a lengthy period to determine your cable is functioning satisfactorily, after which we sailed again for Iligan, leaving around 24 hours later to possess Cagayan, delivering soundings all of the half hour when preparing toward laying from the new cable ranging from both of these places. Brand new early morning was so rainy and disagreeable one to zero bearings you will become got, and we had been approaching the latest harbour of Cagayan, at about four on the afternoon, brand new mist eliminated out, the sun’s rays came out wetly away from trailing quite a few clouds, as well as over the harbour to your the southern area of expanded a ribbon off pledge, on city of Cagayan position during the you to end of one’s arc such as the proverbial cooking pot regarding silver wherein we hunted in the youth.
Cagayan
Immediately after Dumaguete, Misamis, and you will Iligan, brand new harbour out-of Cagayan demonstrated a truly urban looks, just what having a shipping, a great coasting vessel, and you may an excellent navy gunboat, all in at the same time. On Burnside we are able to discover nothing of the city help save a very dingy wharf, a few white camping tents pitched nearby the water’s boundary to the capability of troops guarding the brand new handling out of vessels, and you may a settlement from nipa shacks, facing that happen to be gaily colored washings strung out to lifeless regarding the sensuous sunshine. To own miles in virtually any guidance slopes, having but absolutely nothing vegetation on the eruptive corners, rose level a lot more than level as far as the eye you will started to, plus the bay reflected towards the their placid surface all cloud when you look at the this new heavens, all the tree towards the coast.
The enough time two and a half mile push from the wharf out of Cagayan with the area right is actually lined on either side that have better-based nipa homes, an excellent schoolhouse, and lots of local shops, at the geek2geek online time all empty. The newest screen stared back within that like greater-unlock sightless vision; brand new doors swung to and fro on the warm breeze, and periodically provided a passing look from good shrine into the Virgin otherwise certain saint, the fresh faded vegetation nevertheless from the vases, this new candle lights burned out, and placid face appearing straight into one’s individual, ridiculous within its overlook.
Discontinued Village is writ high on this subject entrances to help you Cagayan, nevertheless area alone appeared prosperous; the little shop was basically booming; and the residents, with ill-undetectable attract, peered away furtively of around its jalousie drapes as great moving Dougherty truck, using its five strapping mules, tore down the broad roads, getting us to or regarding the watercraft.
Chapter V
Which Dougherty truck is at our very own discretion all day i are there, thanks to the courtesy of brand new colonel commanding, in the event either, when there can be an unusually large team throughout the watercraft, i female was put into a two-sitting barouche of great antiquity, as dingy and you can faded as its very own cerulean liner, nevertheless just carriage in town. The latest officials called which wonderful equipage “the ultimate unction,” since it try belonging to new padres before the authorities purchased they, and you will try by the him or her utilized in last visits towards passing away. The latest neighbors entered themselves towards the passing this conveyance, and you can do no further has ridden in it compared to an excellent hearse, but i located “the extreme unction” very comfortable and you will read zero groans otherwise death-sleep confessions in its rusty creak, neither noticed aught within the moth-used tapestry but that it got immediately following started most good looking. To your frivolous brains the existing carriage resembled little a great deal since the Cinderella’s mentor just as the time clock is hitting several, and then we were constantly pregnant they to make to the a good pumpkin lower than our most sight.