126 SAIL FOR SINGAPORE. 



The gardens attached to this institution were 

 pkmted upon terraces ; in them a species of 

 Althcea with blue flowers, as well as another 

 species bearing very large and splendid yellow 

 blossoms ; several large and apparently old trees 

 of the Ficus religiosa, and lofty Plumeria ; that 

 beautiful species of Draccena with dark red fo- 

 liage and stem ; Crotons, with variegated foliage, 

 imparting beauty to the gardens, were all parti- 

 cularly worthy of notice. 



The church had nothing attractive in its in- 

 ternal decorations, being fitted up in the usual 

 tawdry style of Roman Catholic churches, with- 

 out elegance or taste. 



On the 13th of November I sailed from Macao 

 for Singapore, with fine weather, and the wind 

 from north-east to east-north-east. On the 19th, 

 Cape Varella was seen at noon, bearing north- 

 west about thirty miles distant, aixd with con- 

 tinued ,breezes from the north-east and north- 

 north-east : saw Pulo Sapata at noon of the 20th, 

 the bearing being west half-south, about eighteen 

 miles distant. On the 22nd, after squally weather, 

 a hawk was for several mornings seen about the 

 ship, occasioning the fowls to make a great noise 

 at his presence ; we were then in latitude 6*^ 34' 

 north, and longitude 106"^ 28' east. On the 24th 

 at noon, Pulo Aor was in sight, bearing south- 



