APPEARANCE OF THE SETTLEMENT. 129 



the settlement has been formed, has a very pic- 

 turesque and beautiful appearance, when seen 

 from the ships at anchor in the roads ; and 

 does not prove less attractive to the stranger 

 on landing : the government hill, with its neat 

 bungalow and flag-staff, forms a prominent fea- 

 ture in the view ; and the undulating character 

 of the land, with the thickly-timbered country 

 in the distance, imparts a pleasing variety. Who 

 can regard this settlement, so very recently 

 established, yet now become a place of im- 

 portance by the enterprise of British merchants, 

 (almost unaided by any assistance from govern- 

 ment,) without feeling how just the conclu- 



ing an estimated area of about two hundred and seventy 

 square miles. The latitude of Singapore flag-staff is in 1" 17' 

 22" north, and longitude 103° 51' 43" east. 



Singapoor is derived from Sing-gah, signifying to call or 

 touch at, bait, stop by the way, and Poor, a village, (generally 

 fortified,) a town, &c. (Marsden's Malay Dictionary.) It 

 is considered at this island, or rather at this part of the island 

 where the town is now situated, (the name, however, has 

 been given by Europeans to the whole island,) there was for- 

 merly a village, inhabited principally by fishermen. The 

 Malays, who traded from the eastward to Malacca, and other 

 of the ports to the westward, touched at this place. Singa 

 also signifies a lion, (known by name only in the Malay 

 countries,) from which the name of the island has been (no 

 doubt erroneously) supposed to be derived. 



VOL. II. K 



