Peaceful Life in Dapitan

During the early part of his exile in Dapitan, Rizal lived at the commandant’s
residence. With his prize from the Manila Lottery and his earnings as a farmer and a
merchant, he bought a piece of land near the shore of Talisay near Dapitan. On this
land, he built three houses- all made of bamboo, wood, and nipa. The first house
which was square in shape was his home. The second house was the living quarters of
his pupils. And the third house was the barn where he kept his chickens. The second
house had eight sides, while the third had six sides.

In a letter to his friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt, on December 19, 1893, Rizal described
his peaceful life in Dapitan.

"I shall tell you how we lived here. I have three houses-one square, another
hexagonal, and the third octagonal. All these houses are made of bamboo, wood, and
nipa. I live in the square house, together with my mother, my sister, Trinidad, and my
nephew. In the octagonal house live some young boys who are my pupils. The
hexagonal house is my barn where I keep my chickens.

"From my house, I hear the murmur of a clear brook which comes from the high
rocks. I see the seashore where I keep two boats, which are called barotos here.

"I have many fruit trees, such as mangoes, lanzones, guayabanos, baluno, nangka,
etc. I have rabbits, dogs, cats, and other animals.

"I rise early in the morning-at five-visit my plants, feed the chickens, awaken my
people, and prepare our breakfast. At half-past seven, we eat our breakfast, which
consists of tea, bread, cheese, sweets, and other things.

"After breakfast, I treat the poor patients who come to my house. Then I dress and go
to Dapitan in my baroto. I am busy the whole morning, attending to my patients in
town.

"At noon, I return home to Talisay for lunch. Then, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., I am busy
as a teacher. I teach the young boys.

"I spend the rest of the afternoon in farming. My pupils help me in watering the
plants, pruning the fruits, and planting many kinds of trees. We stop at 6:00 p.m. for
the Angelus

"I spend the night reading and writing."

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Rizal's First Christmas in Dapitan

After a short time, Jose Rizal began to enjoy the simple life of Dapitan.

Rizal became prosperous. Aside from his lottery prize, Rizal earned more money by
practicing medicine. Some rich patients paid him well for curing their eye ailments. He
began to buy agricultural lands in Talisay, a barrio near Dapitan. He planned to build
his house in this scenic barrio by the seashore.

As Christmas came nearer, Rizal became more cheerful. His savings increased, for the
cost of living in Dapitan was cheaper than in Calamba. His health improved. Many
Dapitan folks, who were formerly indifferent to him, became his friends.

No wonder, Rizal enjoyed his first Christmas in Dapitan. He was one of the guests of
Captain Carnicero at a Christmas Eve dinner in the comandancia (house of the
commandant). The other guests were three Spaniards from the neighboring town of
Dipolog and a Frenchman named Jean Lardet. It was a merry feast. The guests
enjoyed the delicious dishes prepared by the commandant’s native cook. With the
exception of Rizal, they drank beer, for he disliked hard liquor. At midnight, Captain
Carnicero, Rizal, and other guests went to church to hear the Mass of the Noche
Buena.

In a letter to his mother, dated January 5, 1893, Rizal described how he enjoyed his
first Christmas in Dapitan. He said:

"I spent a merry Christmas here. It could not have been merrier. I had a happy dinner
on Christmas eve, together with my host (the commandant), three Spaniards from a
neighboring town, and a Frenchman. We heard Mass at 12:00 midnight, for you know
I go to Mass here every Sunday."

Rizal as a Farmer in Dapitan

To prove to his people that farming is a good a profession as medicine, Rizal became a
farmer in Dapitan. In a letter to his sister, Lucia, on February 12, 1896, he said: "We
cannot all be doctors; it is necessary that there would be some to cultivate the soil."

During the first year of his exile (1893), Rizal bought an abandoned farm in Talisay, a
barrio near Dapitan. This farm had an area of sixteen hectares and was rather rocky.
It lay beside a river that resembled the Calamba River-clear fresh water, wide and
swift current. In his letter to his sister Trinidad on January 15, 1896, Rizal said: "My
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land is half an hour’s walk from the sea. The whole place is poetic and very
picturesque, better than Ilaya River, without comparison. At some points, it is wide
like the Pasig River and clear like the Pansol, and has some crocodiles in some parts.
There are dalag (fish) and pako (edible fern). If you and our parents come, I am going
to build a large house where we can all live together."

On this land in Talisay, Rizal actually built a permanent home. With the help of his
pupils and some laborers, he cleared it and planted cacao, coffee, coconuts, and fruit
trees. Later, he bought more lands in other barrios of Dapitan. In due time, his total
land holdings reached 70 hectares. They contained 6,000 abaca plants, 1,000 coconut
palms, many coffee and cacao plants and numerous kinds of fruit trees.

On his lands, Rizal introduced modern methods of agriculture which he had observed
during his travels in Europe and America. He encouraged the Dapitan farmers to
replace their primitive system of cultivation with these modern methods. These
modern methods of farming consisted of the use of fertilizers, the rotation of crops,
and the use of farm machines. Rizal actually imported some farm machines from the
United States.

Rizal dreamed of establishing an agricultural colony in the sitio of Ponot near

Sindangan Bay. This region contained plenty of water and good port facilities. He
believed that it could accommodate about 5,000 heads of cattle and 40,000 coconut
palms. It was also ideal for the cultivation of coffee, cacao, and sugar cane because of
its fertile soil and favorable climate.

He invited his relatives and friends in Luzon, especially those in Calamba, to colonize
the Sindangan Bay area. Unfortunately, his plan of founding an agricultural colony in
Sindangan Bay did not materialize, like that of his former project to colonize North
Borneo. He did not get the support of the Spanish government.

Before Rizal was exiled in Dapitan, he already knew many languages. These languages
were: Tagalog, Ilokano, Spanish, Latin, Greek, English, French, German, Arabic,
Hebrew, Sanskrit, Catalan, Dutch, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Swedish,
and Russian-19 in all.

His knowledge of many languages was one aspect of Rizal’s amazing genius. Few men
in history were gifted by God with such ability to learn any language easily. And one
of these rare men was Rizal.

To learn a new language, Rizal memorized five root words every night before going to
bed. At the end of the year, he learned 1,825 new words. He never forget these

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foreign words because of his retentive memory. 

Rizal made a good use of his knowledge of many languages in his travels in Europe
and America, in communicating with foreign scholars and scientists, and in his
writings. Many times during his travels abroad, he acted as interpreter for his fellow
travelers who belonged to various nationalities-Americans, British, French, German,
Italians, Spaniards, Japanese and others.

During his exile in Dapitan, Rizal increased his knowledge of languages. He studied
three more languages- Malay, Bisayan and Subanun. On April 5, 1896, he wrote to his
Austrian friend, Professor Blumentritt: "I know Bisayan already, and I speak it quite
well. It is necessary, however, to know other dialects."

By the end of his exile in Dapitan on July 31, 1896, Rizal had become one of the
world’s great linguists. He knew 22 languages, namely, Tagalog, Ilokano, Spanish,
Portuguese, Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, English, French, German, Arabic, Hebrew, Catalan,
Dutch, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Swedish, Russian, Malay, Bisayan, and Subanun.

Rizal as a Painter in Dapitan

In Dapitan, Rizal demonstrated his talent for painting. Before the Holy Week of 1894,
Father Vicente Balaguer, a young Jesuit parish priest, was worried. He needed a good
backdrop (canvas oil painting behind the main altar) for the annual Lenten
celebration. In his native city of Barcelona, Spain, a church had one that showed a
colonnaded court, viewed from a wide open gate- a scene depicting the court of
Pontius Pilate.

Upon hearing of Rizal’s painting ability, Father Balaguer went to Talisay to talk with
the exiled doctor. He was accompanied by a convent helper named Leoncio Sagario.

"Doctor," he told Rizal, "I need your help. I would like to have a beautiful backdrop
behind the church altar that shows the spirit of the Holy Week. I’ve in mind
something similar to one in a church in Barcelona."

Father Balaguer made some rough sketches as he described the backdrop in the
Barcelona church. " Can you paint in oil such a picture on a huge canvas, Doctor?" he
asked.

"I’ll try, Father. You see, I haven’t done any painting for many years, but I’ll do my
best."

The following day, Rizal went to the Jesuit priest, bringing his own sketch based on

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the latter’s ideas. Father Balaguer was satisfied and urged Rizal to begin the painting
job at once.

The actual painting of the backdrop was a difficult task. Rizal obtained the help of two
assistants-Sister Agustina Montoya, a Filipina nun from Cavite who could paint, and
Francisco Almirol, a native painter of Dapitan.

The trio-Rizal, Sister Montoya, and Almirol- made the sacristy of the church as their
workshop. Rizal sketched in soft pencil the general outline of the picture, after which
his two assistants applied the oil colors.

Daily, Rizal supervised the work of his assistants. He himself put the finishing touches.
He was glad to note that he still had the skill in painting.

Father Balaguer was very much satisfied with the finished oil painting of the
backdrop. " Beautiful, very beautiful," he said. He warmly thanked Rizal and his two
assistants for the work well done.

The gorgeous backdrop became a precious possession of the Dapitan church-

Santiago Church. It was truly a masterpiece.

Senate President Manuel L. Quezon saw Rizal’s painting masterpiece during his visit
to Dapitan. He was deeply impressed by its majestic beauty. At one time General
Leonard Wood, governor-general of the Philippines, saw it and said that it was truly
"a Rizalian legacy".

After the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the beautiful

backdrop was sent to the Museum of the Ateneo de Manila for safekeeping.

Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the Second World War when fires and bombs
razed the city of Manila.

Rizal as a Scientist in Dapitan

Three rare specimens of animals discovered by Rizal earned him high praises from
European scientists who named them in his honor: the Draco rizali, a small lizard
popularly known as a flying dragon; Apogania rizali, a rare kind of beetle; and the
Rhacophorus rizali, a peculiar frog species.

He invented a cigarette lighter, which he called sulpakan, and sent it to Blumentritt in

1887 as a gift. The lighter used a compressed air mechanism. While in Dapitan, Rizal
also invented a wooden machine for making bricks which turned out about 6,000
bricks daily.

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Rizal's Son Dies

By the beginning of 1896, Rizal was very happy. His beloved Josephine was heavy with
child. Within a few months, she would give birth to a child. As an expectant father,
Rizal had every reason to be cheerful and gay.

"I wish it would be a boy," he told Josephine.

"I also have the same wish," she replied.

"Let us hope and pray," said Rizal, " that it will be a boy. I will name him after my
father."

"Suppose," asked Josephine in joking manner, "that it will be a girl?"

"Then, I will name her after my mother."

Unfortunately, Rizal and Josephine were not destined to have a child. One day in early
March 1896, Rizal played a practical joke on Josephine, which frightened her terribly.
As a result of her great fright, she gave birth prematurely to an eight-month baby
boy.

The baby was very weak and was gasping for breath. Seeing the baby’s condition,
Rizal immediately baptized him Francisco in honor of his father. He did everything he
could to save the life of his infant son, but in vain. All his knowledge and skill as a
physician could not save little Francisco. Sorrowfully, Rizal saw his child die three
hours after birth.

With a heavy heart, he drew a sketch of his dead son. Then he buried him under a
shady tree near his home. He prayed": "Oh, God, I give you another tiny angel. Please
bless his soul."

Rizal's Last Christmas in Dapitan

The Christmas of 1895 was one of the happiest events in Rizal’s life. It was because of
the presence of Josephine, who proved to be a loving wife and a good housekeeper.

She was now used to living a simple rural life in the Philippines. She was industrious
and learned to cook all sorts of native dishes.

In his letter to his sister, Trinidad, on September 25, 1895, Rizal praised Josephine,
thus: "She cooks, washes, takes care of the chickens and the house. In the absence of
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miki for making pancit, she made some long macaroni noodles out of flour and eggs,
which serves the purpose. If you could send me a little angkak, I should be grateful to
you, for she makes bagoong. She makes also chili miso, but it seems to me that what
we have will last for 10 years."

On December 25, 1895, Rizal and Josephine gave a Christmas party at their home in
Talisay. By a strange twist of fate, it proved to be Rizal’s last Christmas in Dapitan.

Rizal roasted a small pig to golden brown over a slow fire. He also made chicken broth
out of a fat hen. He invited all his neighbors. They all danced and made merry until
dawn.

Writing to his sister, Trinidad, on January 15, 1896, Rizal described his last Christmas
party in Dapitan. "We celebrated merrily, as almost always. We roasted a small pig
and hen. We invited our neighbors. There was dancing, and we laughed a great deal
until dawn."

Adios Dapitan

On the morning of July 31, 1896, his last day in Dapitan, Rizal busily packed his things.
He was scheduled to leave the town on board the España, which was sailing back to
Manila. He had sold his lands and other things he owned to his friend, mostly natives
of Dapitan.

At 5:30 in the afternoon, he and eight other companions embarked on the steamer.
His eight companions were Josephine; Narcisa (his sister); Angelica (daughter of
Narcisa); his three nephews, Mauricio (son of Maria Rizal ), Estanislao (son of Lucia
Rizal), and Teodosio (another son of Lucia Rizal); and Mr. And Mrs. Sunico.

Almost all Dapitan folks, young and old, were at the shore to see the departure of
their beloved doctor. The pupils of Rizal cried, for they could not accompany their
dear teacher. Captain Carnicero, in full regalia of a commandant’s uniform, was on
hand to say goodbye to his prisoner, whom he had come to admire and respect. The
town brass band played the music of the farewell ceremony.

At midnight, Friday, July 31, 1896, the steamer departed for Manila. The Dapitan folks
shouted "Adios, Dr. Rizal!" and threw their hats and handkerchiefs in the air. Captain
Carnicero saluted his departing friend. As the steamer left the town, the brass band
played the sad music of Chopin’s Farewell March.

Rizal was in the upper deck, with tears in his eyes. He raised his hand in farewell to
the kind and hospitable people of Dapitan, saying: " Adios, Dapitan!" He gazed at the

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crowded shore for the last time. His heart was filled with sorrow.

When he could no longer see the dim shoreline, he turned sadly into his cabin. He
wrote in his diary: "I have been in that district four years, thirteen days, and a few
hours."