After an early breakfast we hurried ashore, drove or walked about for a short time to see what the town was like, and then attended a popular meeting in its largest building, where we held long and frank converse with the people on local conditions, giving them every opportunity to air their views, with the result that the local orators, of whom there were usually more than a sufficiency, had an opportunity to bring their heavy guns into action.

Then followed a recess in the course of which we partook of a very elaborate lunch, and when possible conferred privately with influential men, often learning things which they did not care to tell us in public.

Then came another open meeting at which the actual organization of the province was effected and the officials were appointed and sworn in.

After this there was a long formal dinner, with the endless courses which characterize such functions in the Philippines, and then came a ball which lasted till the wee small hours.

When at last we got on board, tired out, our steamer sailed, and often brought us to some new place by sunrise.
In several instances we did not pass the act organizing a given province at the time of our visit, but for one reason or another postponed action until a later date.