Carrie Chapman Catt -Diaries, Philippines and China, July 19 - Sept 24, 1912 (Box 1, Folder 7)

114 Friday, July 19 Manila Hotel We have been in Manila a week today, but there has been no time to write. Our trip to Hong Kong was without [illegible] The China Sea was as hot as the Red Sea and second to grow hotter every hour. We came near enough the P. Isl. to see the lights and it was a pity that we had to pass by. The China Sea is reputed to be one of the roughest seas in the world, but it was smooth enough for us and one night it gave us a great pleasure in the form of a fine phosphorescence, the finest I ever saw. The Harbor of Hong Kong might be called an inland lake as only rugged and rather forbidding mountains can be seen from the sea. Once inside, the craft is numerous and even outside little boats looking like butterflies dotting the water always going by [illegible]. In every harbor the boats are of different build and carry different sails. Those of China are like this: The sails are colored like burnt umber. The water under a clear sky is intensest blue, the hills a vivid green and the combination produces a most picturesque landscape. As we slowly drew inside the picture was like this:

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And a little later it was like no. 3 for the city lies far inside the harbor behind the hills, a fact which accounts for the awful summer heat. It grew hotter and hotter as we came inside. We stopped at a sugar refinery some distance from the city and remained on the ship until nearly evening which the office launch belonging to the line of C&L took us to town. We meet w the Hong Kong Hotel which is pretty good, but it stands in a narrow street and is [illegible]. We took a walk in the streets after dinner and saw people who looked like no 4. This was on Sunday July 7. On Monday the 8th we went to Cooks and the Bank arranged our passage and it took all the money. In the late afternoon we went by train up the funicular road to the Peak Hotel where it is much cooler. The hotel was being repaired and did not seem to be very nice, but it has a magnificent view.

We came back by rickshaw over a beautiful road which was a delight all the way it would have been had our two boys (each) not put us down pretty often and demanded their pay. We gave them double price when we got out and then they followed us about sending two policemen to us to say they had not been properly paid. When we told what we had given they were sent flying. Evidently the Heathen Chinese is no more satisfied with the regular rate than is all the rest of Asia. In the morning I called on the Am. Consul and had a nice talk with his Chinese secretary. He told me the women had no suffrage and none of them had been elected to Councils or Parliament, but when we arrived on the Finnanock we were surprised to see many boats manned by women push up to our boat to get some of our passengers of whom we had many in the 2nd and 3rd class and they were so strong minded and strong limbed and so dexterous with their curious oar and tiller that one couldn't think of them as "the weaker sex". One had a baby which never whimpered, but sat still as the baby of an oarslady should. When the passengers went down the gangplank there were several ladies with tiny...

...deformed feet, but the little irls had normal feet. The contract between the boatswomen and the ladies was instruction for the character as well as the feet of the the former had ben allowed to develop and the character of the latter was as small as their poor little pegs. On Tuesday we went shopping, hocked and wer on our boat by 4 pm. The boat was not nice, but it had a good table. There were four passengers, ourselves a Showah priest and a young Englishman. We were a good deal bored but on Thursday the 11th we arrived at about 11 o'clock. We passed the Mareveles at about 6am and the Captain himself came to arouse me. When I stuck my head out of the door to see what was wanted, I found an American health officer. I was asked to come out, so we hastily dressed and reported. I was vaccinated (it didn't work) and by 7:30 we were off having left all our 2nd & 3rd class passengers and taken on those who had been left the week before for small pox is raging in Hong Kong. We had been blissfully unaware that we were in any danger of another quarantine. Had we had a mild suspicion of it only, there might have been two suicides. This is the quarantine station and is named for a poor little nun who ran away with a naughty friar. They found them on the beach and they were each sent away to life long penitence - the man to teach morals and Christianity on a distant isle, the girl to a convent. We passed Cavile and saw the spot...

...where the Spanish fleet went down. Mrs. Tuman and Mrs. Peacock were awaiting the ship and Mr. Lunnell came soon. We were hustled through all the formalities and up to the new hotel which stands on ground made by the filling in of the A.G. & P. We have a bathroom with hot water and a tub. The stars and stripes are everywhere and there is an orchestra which plays the Star Spangled Banner every day. We have hot cakes and maple syrup (which never saw a maple tree) for breakfast, corn on the cob for dinner and iced tea all the time. I was interviewed the first day three times, the last being called out of bed at 11 pm. We unpacked a bit and had a drive with Mr. Linnell on the evening before dinner. I cannot now tell just what we have done each day but socially the account at present stands thus. On Sunday Mr. Linnell took us in the company machine to Los Banos 40 miles distant where there are hot sulphur baths and a hotel. We punctured a tire which delayed us in a native village for an hour, but we did not mind. We had lunch at the hotel and after a rest we started back, but another hour's delay on repairs brought us home about 7:30. It gave us a mind of the country. Tuesday morning we dined with Mr. & Mrs. Quinau and met with Mr. John DeHuff Supt. of City Schools and Dr. Mills director of the Museum in addition to the company people. On Wednesday eve we dined with Mr. & Mrs. Peacock and met with Mrs. Strong in addition to the company. On Thursday at 5 pm in my best clothes I addressed the [illegible]...