Rizal in Hong Kong
Rizal in Hong Kong 19 November 1891 In the evening Rizal arrived at Hong Kong. 26 November 1891 From Hong Kong Rizal sent to Manuel Camus in Singapore 20 copies of the Fili, 6of the Morga and 4 of the Noli. He gave Camus 25 percent commission for thebooks sold. 1 December 1891 He asked permission from his parents to join them in Manila in their sacrifices andat the same time, encouraged them to have a little endurance. He said: ” I havelearned of the exile of four townmates to Jolo and of the return of my brother toManila.
I have also learned that mother, Pangoy and Trining, have beensummoned again by the civil government. I am burning with desire to embraceyou. Patience, a little patience! Courage! ” 6 December 1891 Francisco Mercado, Paciano and his brother-in-law, Silvestre Ubaldo, escapedfrom the Philippines to avoid persecution, and arrived at Hong Kong to join him. 12 December 1891 In a letter sent to Maria, one of his sisters in the Philippines, Rizal broached hisplan of establishing a Filipino colony in North British Borneo. 17 December 1891
On this day Governor General Despujol, offering his services and cooperation forthe common good. He wanted to point to the latter the ills of country in order tohelp cure the wounds of mal-administration. 27 December 1891 An article was published in the La Epoca carrying false news about Rizal’s stay inthe Philippines and his influence among the natives. This article carries noauthor’s name and was believed to have been inspired by a Dominican friar. December 1891 Rizal was visited by an Augustinian friar in his house. The friar pulled his ears andwanted to attack him.
But Rizal stopped the intruder by twisting the latter’s hand. 25 January 1892 The duplicate of his diploma in Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery was issued bythe Ministry of Development in Madrid. 30 January 1892 In a letter, Juan Luna favorably endorsed Rizal’s plan of establishing a Filipinocolony in North Borneo. He wished Rizal luck and success in this project. January 1892 Everyday, after his medical practices in his clinic, he continued writing his thirdnovel. It treated exclusively about the Tagalog customs, usages, virtuesanddefects.
Meanwhile, his brother Paciano translated the Noli into Tagalog. 1 February 1892 Rizal paid thirty-five pesos (P35. 00) to D. Mallunko for the rent on the premisesof A-2 Rednaxela from January 1st to 31st. 6 February 1892 Rizal wrote a letter addressed to “My beloved friend” and signed it with the nameCabisa. 15 February 1892 The Hong Kong Telegraph published the letter of Rizal signed Philippines in whichhe denounced the vandalistic actions of the friar manager of the Dominicans indestroying the houses of those who refused to pay the exorbitant rentalsdemanded of them in Calamba. 23 February 1892
Rizal wrote a letter to Blumentritt in which he informed the latter of his plan of emigrating to Borneo where he could establish another Calamba free from theabuses of the friars and the civil guards. 2 March 1892 He visited Victoria Gaol in Hong Kong. Dr. Lorenzo Pereira Marquez who was thephysician of the state prison accompanied him. People met: josemariabasa, balbinomauricioImpression:Hong Kong is a small but very clean commercial city. Many Portuguese, Hindus,English, Chinese, and Jews live in it. There are also some Filipinos, the majority of whom being those who had been exiled to the Mariana Islands in 1872.
They arepoor, gentle, and timid. Formerly they were rich merchants, industrialists, andfinanciers. Only one is a republican and progressive; very suspicious. They willnot return to Manila; they fear the phantoms . One is very sick and will die soon. He was a rich financier, not very well educated, but very rich, who married adissolute woman. It was his fault. Now he is poor, very poor. He left the country passing Hong Kong and was welcomed by Filipino residents,among them, Jose Maria Basa, Balbino Mauricio, and Manuel Yriarte, the son of the mayor of Laguna.
