Stat from 15th to 21st April, 1858. 



Position of the Island. — Its previous history. — Sir Stamford 

 C Raffles' propositions to make it a port of the British Govern- 

 ment free to all sea-faring nations. — The Island becomes part of the 

 Crown property of England. — Extraordinary development under the 

 auspices of a Free Trade policy. — Our stay shortened in consequence of 

 the severity of the cholera. — Description of the city. — Tigers. — Gambir. 

 — The Betel plantations. — Inhabitants. — Chinese and European labour. — Climate. 

 — Diamond merchants. — Preparation of Pearl Sago. — Opium farms. — Opium manu- 

 facture. — Opium smokers. — Intellectual activity. — Journalism. — Logan's " Journal 

 of the Indian Archipelago." — School for Malay children. — Judicial procedure. — 

 "Visit to the penal settlement for coloured criminals. — A Chinese provision merchant 

 at business and at home. — Fatal accident on board. — Departure from Singapore. — 

 Difficulty in passing through Caspar Straits. — Sporadic outbreak of cholera on 

 board. — Death of one of the ship's boys. — First burial at sea. — Sea-snakes, — Ar- 

 rival in the Roads of Batavia. 



The island of Singapore or Singhapura * is situated at the 

 southernmost point of the peninsula of Malacca, from which it 

 is only separated by a strait nowhere above a mile in breadth. 



* City of Lions, from Singha, the Sanscrit for Lion, a title of Indian princes, 

 which we again meet wnth in Singhala, the kingdom of Lions, as Ceylon is called in 

 ancient records and histories. 



