AND THE MALAY STATES 79 



it to him. He leaves you at Johnson's pier at about 3.15, where the 

 coolie who takes your luggage in charge informs you that the launch 

 to the Sappho, advertised to leave at 3.30, has gone. It is, therefore, 

 your duty to engage a sampan, and get its owner to put you aboard. 

 This is really more fun than it is to go in the launch, provided it is not 

 raining. All this I did. Once aboard, I found that the Sappho was a 

 steamer of three hundred and twenty-nine net tons, and, according to 

 the written statement of some dock official, had sufficient rice, fuel, and 

 water for the voyage. I was, therefore, content. I had a very comfort- 

 able stateroom and soon made the acquaintance of two young English 

 mining engineers who had come down to Singapore for the holidays, 

 were going to get off at Malacca and then ride fifty miles on bicycles, 

 mostly up-hill, to their station. 



