Rizal arrived in Manila the 26th of June, 1892. It was on a Sunday, at 12 o’clock, noon. A number of carbineers, including a major, met him. A captain and a sergeant of the Guardia Veterana were there in civilian clothes. Rizal disembarked with his luggage, and they inspected it at the custom house.
From there, he went to the Oriente Hotel. He occupied Room No. 22, which overlooks the Binondo Church.
That afternoon, at four, he presented himself to His Excellency, Governor-General Despujol. He told Rizal to return at seven in the evening and Rizal did so. Despujol granted Rizal's petition for the liberty of his father, but not for the liberty of his brother and sisters. He told Rizal to return on Wednesday evening at half past seven.
From there, Rizal went to see his sisters. First he saw his sister Narcisa, afterwards Neneng (Saturnina). On the following day, Monday, at six o’clock in the morning, he was at the railway station, bound for Bulacan and Pampanga. He visited Malolos, San Fernando, and Tarlac. On the return he stopped at Bacolor, reaching Manila on Tuesday at five o’clock in the afternoon.
Seven-thirty on Wednesday saw Rizal with His Excellency. But not even then did he get Despujol to revoke the deportation decrees. Still His Excellency gave him hope for his sisters. As it was the festival of Saints Peter and Paul, their interview ended at 9:15. Rizal was to present himself on the following day, at the same hour.
That day, Thursday, they spoke on unimportant matters. Rizal thanked His Excellency for having revoked the order to banish his sisters and told him that his father and brother would come by the first mail-steamer. Despujol asked him if he wished to return to Hongkong and Rizal answered, “Yes”. He was told to come again on Wednesday.
Wednesday, Despujol asked Rizal if he persisted in his intention of returning to Hongkong. Rizal told him that he did. After some conversation Despujol said that Rizal had brought political circulars in his baggage. Rizal replied that he had not. Despujol asked him who was the owner of the roll of pillows and petates with his baggage. Rizal said that they belonged to his sister. Despujol told him that because of them, Rizal was going to be sent to Fort Santiago.
Don Ramón Despujol, his nephew and aide, took Rizal into one of the palace carriages. At Fort Santiago Don Enrique Villamor, the commander, received him. Villamor assigned him to an ordinary room containing a bed, a dozen chairs, a table, a washstand, and a mirror. The room had three windows. One, without bars, looked out on a court; another had bars, and overlooked the wall and the beach; the third served also as a door and had a padlock. Two artillerymen were on guard as sentinels. They had orders to fire on anyone who tried to make signs from the beach. Rizal could not talk with anyone except the officer of the guard, and he was not allowed to write.
Don Enrique Villamor, the commander of the fort, gave him books from the library.
Each day the corporal of the guard proved to be a sergeant. They cleaned the room every morning. For breakfast, Rizal had coffee with milk, a roll, and coffee-cake. Lunch was at 12:30, and consisted of four courses. Dinner was at 8:30, and was similar to the lunch. Commander Villamor’s orderly waited on Rizal.
On Thursday, the 14th, about 5:30 or 6 p. m., the nephew notified Rizal that at ten o’clock that night he should sail for Dapitan. Rizal prepared his baggage, and at 10 was ready, but as no one came to get him, he went to sleep. At 12:15, the aide arrived with the same carriage which had brought Rizal there. By way of the Santa Lucia gate, they took Rizal to the Malecon, where were General Ahumada and some other people. Another aide and two of the Guardia Veterana were waiting for him in a boat.
The “Cebu” sailed in the morning at nine. They gave him a good stateroom on the upper deck. Above the doors could be read “Chief”. Next to Rizal's cabin was that of Capt. Delgras, who had charge of the party.
Ten from each branch of the military service were in the party. There were artillery, infantry of the 70th, 71st, 72nd, 73rd, and 74th regiments, carbineers, cavalry and engineers, and Guardia Civil. Of artillerymen there were at least twelve.
They were carrying prisoners loaded with chains, among whom were a sergeant and a corporal, both Europeans. The sergeant was to be shot because he had ordered his superior officer, who had misbehaved while in Mindanao, to be tied up. The soldiers who obeyed orders and tied the officer up were given twenty years’ imprisonment; and the officer himself was dismissed from the service because he had let them tie him up.
Rizal ate in his stateroom, the food being the same as the officers had. He always had a sentinel and a corporal on guard. Every night, Captain Delgras took him for a promenade on deck till 9 o’clock.
They passed along the east coast of Mindoro and the west coast of Panay. They came to Dapitan on Sunday, at seven in the evening. Captain Delgras and three artillerymen accompanied him in a boat rowed by eight sailors. There was a heavy sea.
The beach seemed very gloomy. They were in the dark, except for their lantern, which showed a roadway grown up with weeds.
In the town they met the governor, or commandant, Captain Ricardo Carnicero. There was also a Spanish ex-exile, and the practicante, Don Cosme. They went to the town hall, which was a large building.
Rizal's life now was quiet, peaceful, retired and without glory, but he thought it was useful too. He taught reading, Spanish, English, mathematics and geometry to the poor but intelligent boys there. Moreover he taught them to behave like men. He had taught the men how to get a better way of earning their living and they thought he was right. They had begun and success was crowning their trials.
Source: Rizal's Own Story of His Life