SPECIMEN PAGES FROM RIZAL’S DIARY

(It was more a series of notes to assist his memory than a daily record of events. Some of the entries are illegible.)

Saturday, April 28 (1888). We arrived at San Francisco in the morning. We anchored. It is said that we shall be quarantined. The Custom House boat visited us: its flag has this look: [American Customs flag drawn]. The sacks or bags of silk were taken away; a sack costing $700. They are not afraid of the silk; and they were to take their breakfast on board.

Sunday, April 29. Second day of the quarantine. We are greatly troubled and impatient aboard. I have not eaten; it gets my nerve.

Monday, 30. The quarantine is continued. I read in the paper a statement of the Sanitary Doctor against quarantine.

Tuesday, May 1. The quarantine is continued. We signed a petition against the quarantine; and the Englishmen wrote to their Consul.

Thursday, May 3. Six days of quarantine.

Friday, May 4, at 3 P.M. the quarantine is ended. I stayed at Palace Hotel: $4 a day with bath and everything. Stockton-Str. 312. I saw the Golden Gate.… The Custom House. A letter of recommendation. On Sunday stores were closed. The best St. in San Francisco is Market St. I took a walk.—Stanford, the rich man.—A street near the China Town. We left San Francisco on Sunday, the 6th, at 4.30 P.M.—Sailed till Oakland—Railroad—On board from Port Costa to Benicia—Plantations—Herds of cattle—No herdsmen—Stores at the camp—Dinner at Sacramento, 75 cents. We slept in the coach. Regular night. We woke up an hour from Reno, where we took our breakfast at 7.30 of Monday, May 7.… I saw an Indian [Indio] attired in semi-European suit, and semi-Indian suit, leaning against a wall. Wide deserts without plants nor trees. Unpopulated. Lonely place. Bare mountains. Sands. A big extension of white land, like chalk. Far from this desert can be seen some blue mountains. It was a fine day. It was warm, and there was still snow on the top of some mountains.

Tuesday, May 8: This is a beautiful morning. We stop from place to place. We are near Ogden. I believe with a good system of irrigation this place could be cultivated. We are at Utah state, the 3rd. state we crossed over. In approaching Ogden the fields are seen with horses, oxen, and trees. Some small houses are seen from a distance. From Ogden to Denver. The clock is set one hour ahead of time. We are now beginning to see flowers with yellow color on the way. The mountains at a distance are covered with snow. The banks of Salt Lake are more beautiful than other things we saw. The mules are very big. There are mountains in the middle of the lake like the islands of Talim in Laguna de Bay. We saw three Mormon boys at Farmington. There were sheep, cows and horses in the meadows. This region not thickly populated. A flock of ducks in the lake. There were beautiful houses with trees, straight streets, flowers, low houses. Children greeted us at Salt Lake City. In Utah the women serve at the table. It is known that dinner will be cheap (?). We changed train at Ogden, and we will not have any change until Denver. In Provo I ate much for 75 cents. We are passing between two mountains through a narrow channel.

Wed. May 9. We are passing through the mountains of rocks along a river; the river is noisy and its noise gives life to the lifeless scenery. We woke up at Colorado the 4th state we crossed over. At 10/30 we climb up a certain height, and this is why snow is seen along the way. There were many pines. The snow on the mountain top is white and shiny. We passed through tunnels made of wood, to protect the road against snow. Icicles in these tunnels are very bright which gives majestic effect.—The Porter of the Pullman Car, an American, is a sort of thief.—Colorado has more trees than the three states we passed over. There are many horses.

Thursday, May 10. We woke up at Nebraska. The country is a plain. We reached Omaha, a big city at 4 P.M., the biggest since we left San Francisco. The Missouri river is twice as wide as the Pasig river in its wide part. It is marshy. Islands are formed in the middle of the river; its banks are not beautiful. This region has many horses and cattle. The train passed over the Missouri bridge for 2 and 1/2 minutes; the train goes slowly. We are now in Illinois.

Friday, May 11. We wake up near Chicago. The country is cultivated. It shows our nearness to Chicago. We left Chicago at 8:1/4 Friday night. What I observed in Chicago is that every cigar store has an Indian figure, and always different. (27–75 Washington Street. Boston. Miss C. G. Smith.)

Saturday, May 12. A good Wagner Car—we are proceeding in a fine day. The country is beautiful and well populated. We shall arrive at the English territory in the afternoon, and we shall soon see Niagara Falls. We stop for some time to see the points that are beautiful; we went at the side below the Falls; I was between two rocks and this is the greatest cascade I ever saw. It is not so beautiful nor so fine as the falls at Los Baños; but much bigger, more imposing and could not be compared with it. The cascade has various falls, various parts. We left the place at night. There is a mysterious sound and persistent echo.

Sunday, May 13. We wake up near Albany. This is a big city. The Hudson river which runs along carries many boats. We crossed over a bridge. The landscape is beautiful; and it is not inferior to the best in Europe. We are going along the banks of the Hudson. They are very beautiful, although a little more solitary than those of the Pasig. There were ships, boats, trees, hills; and the major part is cultivated. The Hudson is wide. Beautiful ships. Sliced granite rocks were paved along the railroads. Some points widely extended. There were beautiful houses between trees. Day fine. Our grand transcontinental trip ended on Sunday, May 13. at 11:10 A.M. We passed through various arches in tunnels:—The Art Age, 75 W. 23 Street.

We left New York on May 16, 1888. There were many people at the dock. The first and second class entrances are separated. At 9 o’clock sharp the bell rang to warn the visitors away. At 9 1/30, the pier was full of people. White handkerchiefs were waved; ribbons and flowers of different colors are seen here and there.

May 24—Arrived in Liverpool.