. Recollections of full years. idered very dressyand having heels which clatter on the floor, while chinelasare heelless and make a scuffing, shuffling noise. The first dance of the evening at any baile is the rigodonwhich is really the national dance of the Philippines. Iam not going to try to describe it because I know I cant,though I have danced it hundreds of times. It is the realceremony on such an occasion. It can be likened to an old-fashioned quadrille, but the square is made up of as manycouples opposite each other as there is space and there arecouples. There are a number of graceful
. Recollections of full years. idered very dressyand having heels which clatter on the floor, while chinelasare heelless and make a scuffing, shuffling noise. The first dance of the evening at any baile is the rigodonwhich is really the national dance of the Philippines. Iam not going to try to describe it because I know I cant,though I have danced it hundreds of times. It is the realceremony on such an occasion. It can be likened to an old-fashioned quadrille, but the square is made up of as manycouples opposite each other as there is space and there arecouples. There are a number of graceful and somewhat in-tricate but stately figures. It is a dance unique and, as far asI know, confined to the Philippine Islands. Im afraid wemade but a poor display in our first attempts at the rigodon,but by dint of watching others night after night both myhusband and I became most proficient at it. I always hadfor my partner the most conspicuous illustrado in any com-munity, while Mr. Taft conferred the honour of his attend- 166. 2i ^ V. Q — S\ W en - ^ / y: ^, s. ~ S. / -- / _ s - / Zj y. X RECOLLECTIONS OF FULL YEARS ance upon the lady of highest rank. This was importantas a recognition of the established formalities. We left Lucena pretty much exhausted and slightlyaghast at the prospect of sixty consecutive days of suchstrenuous festivities. Our route on the map lay like atangled thread throughout the archipelago, and its imme-diate trend was toward the Equator, further and furthersouth. Every point marked as a stopping place meant afull programme of business and festivities, but, hot as itwas, not one of us willingly would have turned was strong fascination in the very names of theplaces we were bound for. First came Boak on the island of Marinduque. Whowouldnt endure a little discomfort for the sake of seeingBoak? This province could not yet be organised because itwas not sufficiently peaceful for the successful introductionof civil government. The Commissioner
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectwashingtondcsocialli
