JUNKS AND SAMPANS. 147 



contain 20,000 tons of coal. Including some premises in Singapore itself, some 70,000 

 or 80,000 have been expended 011 their station a tolerable proof of the commercial 

 importance of the place. Two other companies have extensive wharfs also. The passengers 

 land here, and drive up to the city, a distance of some three miles. Those who remain on 

 board, and " Jack " is likely to be of the number, for the first few days after arrival, find 

 entertainment in the feats of swarms of small Malay boys, who immediately surround 

 the vessel in toy boats just big enough to float them, and induce the passengers to throw 

 small coins into the water, for which they dive to the bottom, and generally succeed in 

 recovering. Almost all the ships visiting Singapore have their bottoms examined, and 

 some have had as many as twenty or thirty sheets of copper put on by Malay divers. 

 One man will put on as many as two sheets in an hour, going down a dozen or more 

 times. There are now extensive docks at and around New Harbour. 



On rounding the eastern exit of New Harbour, the shipping and harbour of Singapore 

 at once burst on the view, with the white walls of the houses, and the dark verdure of 

 the shrubbery of the town nearly hidden by the network of spars and rigging that 

 intervenes. The splendid boats of the French Messageries, and our own Peninsular and 

 Oriental lines, the opium steamers of the great firm of Messrs. Jardine, of China, and 

 Messrs. Cama, of Bombay ; and the beautifully-modelled American or English clippers, 

 which have taken the place of the box-shaped, heavy-rigged East Indiamen of days of 

 yore, with men-of-war of all nations, help to make a noble sight. This is only part 

 of the scene, for interspered are huge Chinese junks of all sizes, ranging up to 600 or 

 700 tons measurement. The sampans, or two-oared Chinese boats, used to convey passengers 

 ashore, are identical in shape. All have alike the square bow and the broad flat stern, 

 and from the largest to the smallest, on what in a British vessel would be called her 

 "head-boards/' all have two eyes embossed and painted, glaring out over the waten. 

 John Chinaman's explanation of this custom is, that if " no got eyes, no can see." During 

 the south-west monsoon they are in Singapore by scores, and of all colours, red, green, 

 black, or yellow ; these are said to be the badge of the particular province to which they 

 belong. Ornamental painting and carving is confined principally to the high stern, which 

 generally bears some fantastic figuring, conspicuous in which can invariably be traced 

 the outlines of a spread eagle, not unlike that on an American dollar. Did "spread- 

 eagleism" as well as population first reach America from China? 



" It is difficult," says Mr. Cameron, " while looking at these junks, to imagine how 

 they can manage in a seaway; and yet at times they must encounter the heaviest weather 

 along the Chinese coast in the northern latitudes. It is true that when they encounter 

 a gale they generally run before it; but yet in a typhoon this would be of little avail to 

 ease a ship. There is no doubt they must possess some good qualities, and, probably, 

 speed, with a fair wind in a smooth sea, is one of them. Not many years ago a boat- 

 builder in Singapore bought one of the common sampans used by the coolie boatmen, 

 which are exactly the same shape as the junks, and rigged her like an English cutter, 

 giving her a false keel, and shifting weather-board, and, strange to say, won with her 

 every race that he tried." 



Passing the junks at night, a strange spectacle may be observed. Amid the beating 



