El Filibusterismo (El Fili) – Chapter 1
Chapter Title: On Deck
Setting: December morning, Steamship Tabo (Pasig)
Characters:
- Skipper
- Dona Victorina
- Don Custodio
- Ben Zayb
- Padre Camorra
- Padre Irene
- Simoun
- Padre Salvi
- Padre Sibyla
- Paulita Gomez (mentioned)
- Don Tiburcio (mentioned)
- Capitan General (mentioned)
Chapter Summary:
The book starts with the quote:
“Sic itur ad astra.”
(This way to the stars.)
While sailing, steamship Tabo gets stuck in mud. The skipper tries to steer it out of the mud.
Dona Victorina rants and blames the Indios (even though she is Indio) and the group ignores her. Ben Zayb argues with Padre Camorra and Padre Salvi joins the argument. They suggest different ways about how to straighten out the river and develop ports.
Simoun says to dig a canal from the entrance of the river (to make a new channel), and close up old Pasig. Everyone agrees except Don Custodio, who says that it would be expensive and require tearing down villages. Simoun says they should go ahead and do that.
Don Custodio says there is no money to pay laborers, and Simoun says the villagers can work for 3-5 months and bring their own food and tools. Simoun argues that even the Pyramids and Coliseum were built by workers in the same way.
Don Custodio says the people would rebel. Simoun says that back then, the Egyptians and Jewish people did not rebel. But Don Custodio says Indios are different and have rebelled before. Simoun says they won’t rebel again, since Indios who built the house and hospital of Los Banos did so without rebelling.
Simoun leaves to go below deck. The rest wonder what Simoun’s background and race are.
Don Custodio complains to Ben Zayb that Simoun suggested an expedition to the Caroline Islands, which means they would have to build a ship (cruiser).
Don Custodio suggests his project to clear the sandbars of Laguna: inhabitants of towns near sandbars should breed ducks to eat snails, so the gathering of snails will deepen the river. Ben Zayb agrees but Dona Victorina gets angry because more ducks would mean there would be too many balut eggs.
Trivia:
- Steamship Tabo sails upstream
- People who stay below deck: Indios, Chinese, half-breeds
- People who stay up on deck: Europeans, friars and office workers.
- People who stay up on deck are covered by a tarpaulin and get to sit on armchairs.
Quotes:
Ben Zayb remained silent, half-smiling, perhaps out of respect or because he did not know what answer to give, despite his being the only thinking head in the Philippines!
Simoun: Only the dead remain dead; and only the strong are given credit by posterity.
Don Custodio: Y ab actu ad posse valet illatio. (what happened before can happen again).
Simoun: What are you friars for if the people can rise in revolt?
Ben Zayb thought it his duty to reply; with his standing as a journalist he was supposed to be well-informed about everything.
Don Custodio’s projects were as famous as a quack doctor’s prescriptions.
Dona Victorina: But Don Custodio! If everyone were to breed ducks there would be an excess of balut eggs. Ugh! How disgusting! Leave the sandbars alone!
