LETTER TO HIS PARENTS

San Francisco, California

S.S. Belgic, 29 April 1888

My dear Parents,

Here we are in sight of America since yesterday without being able to disembark, placed in
quarantine on account of the 642 Chinese that we have on board coming from Hong Kong
where they say smallpox prevails. But the true reason is that, as America is against Chinese
immigration and now they are campaigning for the elections, the government, in order to
get the vote of the people, must appear to be strict with the Chinese, and we suffer. On
board there is not one sick person.

On the 13th of this month I left Yokohama, leaving behind Japan, for me a very pleasant
country, despite the proposals of the Spanish charge d'affaires who offered me a post in the
legation even at a salary of 100 pesos monthly. Under other circumstances I would have
accepted it; but at this moment it would be madness. Our trip, which lasted 15 days and
hours and during which we had two Thursdays, because we traveled in the direction
opposite the sun, was quite good, at least for me who never had such a long one without
being seasick. The food was bad and tiresome. Through the kindness of the Spanish
minister, or charge d'affaires, you'll receive two sets for tea and coffee of the best made in
Japan that I ordered expressly for the family. The tea service is of faience according to the
style of ancient Kyoto and the coffee set is of porcelain. To the connoisseurs they are the
best. According to the charge d'affaires, they will reach you free of charge through the
government. Also I'm sending along two doors, very beautiful and very rare, as a gift to my
brother Senor Paciano so he can make an elegant furniture with them. The charge d'affaires
himself will get in touch with my brother and will write him a letter. I hope my brother will
become his friend, for he will be useful to him when he would like to export his articles to
Japan. Don't forget to answer him.

At the entreaties of the same gentleman I stayed at the legation with him and the other
members in order to prove to the rest that I fear neither vigilance nor observation nor have
I any misgiving of any kind. As I have the firm conviction that I act uprightly and that I'm in
the hands of God who has always guided me and helped me, I have feared nothing, and I
succeeded to make myself the friend of those gentlemen. These, however, made a sad
prediction for me; they told me that in the Philippines I would be forced to become
a filibustero 1.

I'll not advise anyone to make this trip to America, for here they are crazy about
quarantine, they have severe customs inspection, imposing on any thing duties upon duties
that are enormous, enormous.

Before I left Japan, I sent you 10 combs to be distributed among my sisters. I suppose
likewise that you must have received the vaccine as well as the picture of my poor little
sister Olimpia.

Write me at London, 12 Billiter Street. Give me news about the family and the question of
the hacienda (estate) that I wish to pursue vigorously.

With nothing more, I wish you to keep in good health until we meet again, which I hope will
be soon.

I kiss affectionately your hand.

Jose Rizal