142 Voyage of the Novara. 



of course to be abandoned, and we determined at once to get 

 under weigh, so soon as the ship had been re-victualled and 

 sundry other matters of imperative necessity carefully looked 

 to. Meanwhile the naturalist corps landed, and proceeded to 

 see and examine as much as they possibly could. 



The town of Singapore, situated at the southern extremity 

 of the island of the same name, is divided by the river Singa- 

 pore, on whose banks it is built, into two parts, in the north- 

 ernmost of which are the churches, the law courts, the residences 

 of the European settlers, and a little further away the native 

 dwellings, as also the Kampong-Klam or Bugis quarter, so 

 called from the number of Bugis from Celebes who congre- 

 gate there to do business ; while on the south bank of the 

 river, only a few feet above the level of the sea, are the 

 warehouses and offices of the various European and Chinese 

 merchants. Still further to the southward and in another 

 small cove, called New Harbour, are the buildings and docks 

 of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam-Ship Company. 



Behind the city are visible three hills of inconsiderable 

 height, called Pearl Hill, Government' Hill, and Soj^hia Hill. 

 The middle one, on which stands Government House, rises 

 on the left bank of the river, about half a mile from the sea- 

 shore, to a height of about 156 feet above sea-level. On 

 Pearl Hill, which commands the Chinese and mercantile 

 quarters of the town, a citadel has been constructed. The 

 environs of the town on every side consist of a rolling sweep 

 of hilly country, diversified in outline by about 70 different 



