338 



Variety of shipping in the roads. 

 View of the town. 



SINGAPORE. 



American consul at Singapore. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

 SINGAPORE. 



VARIETT OP SHIPPING IN THE ROADS VIEW OP THE TOWN AMERICAN CONSUL ENTRANCE OF THE RIVER 

 LANDING VARIETY OP COSTUMES, RACES, RELIGIONS, AND LANGUAGES POLICE AND MILITARY FORCE TIGERS 

 BOTANY AND CULTIVATED PLANTS SOIL AND SUGAR MODE OF CONVEYANCE CHINESE INHABITANTS THEIR 



GAMBLING THEIR APPEARANCE AND DRESS THEIR FESTIVAL OP THE NEW YEAR THEIR THEATRICALS 



CONVICTS MARKET CURRENCY TRADES MALAYS ARMENIANS PARSEES ARABS CAFFRES MIXTURE OP 

 RACES SHIP OF THE KING OF COCHIN-CHINA CHINESE JUNKS TRADE OP SINGAPORE OPIUM SHOPS 



POPULATION op SINGAPORE CLIMATE OF SINGAPORE SALE OP PLYING-FISH DEPARTURE PROM SINGAPORE. 



WE found at Singapore a collection of shipping, 

 of various sizes, from the tiny cockboat to the 

 stately and well-formed Indiaman, from the vast 

 hulk-like junk to the light and skipping sampan*. 

 Not only were a great part of the vessels of a 

 novel description, but their national flags were 

 equally strange. Many of the latter were now 

 seen by us for the first time, and were displayed 

 in various ways ; some flew at each masthead, 

 others floated from horizontal yards, while the more 

 civilized nations were distinguished by ensigns 

 pendent from the peak. 



The variety in the style of paint and ornament 

 was equally great. The Chinese junks exhibited 

 their arched sides painted in curved streaks of red, 

 yellow, and white ; the Siamese ships, half Euro- 

 pean hi structure and model, showed huge carved 

 sterns ; and these were contrasted with the long, 

 low, and dark hulls of the prahus and the opium- 

 smuggler. The two latter classes perhaps excited 

 the greatest attention, in consequence of the war 

 they are continually carrying on against the property 

 and lives, as well as the morals and laws, of the 

 natives of the surrounding countries. 



It is difficult to estimate the average number of 

 vessels that are to be seen in the roads of Singa- 

 pore ; for on some days they appear crowded, while 

 on others they are comparatively empty. While 

 many vessels are continually arriving and depart- 

 ing, the Chinese junks alone appear as fixtui'es; 

 more than fifty of them were counted, with sails 

 unbent, yards housed, and rudders unhung, in 

 which state they resemble floating shops, wherein 

 are offered for sale assortments of every article 

 produced or manufactured in the Celestial Empire ; 

 samples of which, by way of sign, are to be seen 

 hanging about them in all directions. These junks 

 make no more than one voyage a year, performing 

 their passage in either direction during the favour- 

 ing monsoon. 



Unlike other ports, the water presents at first so 

 many objects to attract the attention, that the land 

 and town remain unnoticed until the curiosity in 

 relation to those which are afloat is satisfied. On 

 turning to view the town, its situation appears to 

 be low, as well as that of the island on which it is 

 built. The highest point of the latter is not more 

 than five hundred feet above the level of the sea, 

 and even this elevation is distant, so that there is 



* The sampan is a light and easy-pulling boat, used at 

 Singapore to carry passengers to and from the shipping in 

 the roads. 



nothing to render the scenery picturesque, nor has 

 it much of the character that is styled Oriental. 

 The distant jungle, however, relieved by the white 

 portions of buildings in the European style, fur- 

 nishes a landscape pleasing to the eye. These 

 buildings seem to be upon the very beach, while a 

 hill in the rear is crowned by the dwelling of the 

 governor, near which is the flag-staff. The inter- 

 vening space is filled with buildings, whose style 

 holds an intermediate place between that of Eu- 

 rope and that of the Chinese and Malays, neither 

 of which predominates so much as to give its dis- 

 tinctive character to the scene. 



The stranger, after anchoring in the roads, is not 

 long before he discovers the point at which the 

 river discharges itself; for one continued stream of 

 boats, sampans, and prahus, is seen tending to a 

 point in the beach, where the entrance is partly 

 concealed from view; neither can he be long igno- 

 rant how large a concourse of various races is here 

 assembled. Our ship was crowded from an early 

 hour with tailors, shoemakers, washerwomen, and 

 venders of curiosities. The latter brought shells, 

 birds of paradise, monkeys, parrots, corals, and 

 mats. Without board there were innumerable 

 bumboats, bringing for sale fresh bread, eggs, milk, 

 chickens, and ducks, both alive and cooked, fish, 

 fruit, and vegetables. All sued piteously for per- 

 mission to come alongside, and made a prodigious 

 clatter. The features, dress, and language of the 

 venders were as various as the articles they had to 

 sell; and they agreed only in the common cha- 

 racter of a dark skin. The specimen thus pre- 

 sented of the population of Singapore prepared us 

 for the sight of the motley group we were to 

 meet on shore. 



At Singapore I had the pleasure of renewing my 

 acquaintance with Mr. Balestier, our worthy consul. 

 To him, his lady, and his son, we are under many 

 obligations for their kind treatment and attention. 

 Mr. Balestier is so well known among men of 

 science in the United States, it would be needless 

 for me to say that from him I derived much in- 

 teresting information relative to the place, its com- 

 merce, &c., for which I here offer my acknow- 

 ledgments. He was extensively engaged in the 

 cultivation of sugar, on a plantation of one thou- 

 sand acres, within two miles of Singapore, nearly 

 half of which was under cultivation. This extent 

 of ground he has by his exertions reclaimed 

 from the jungle, and it bids fair to repay the 

 labour and expense he has incurred in clearing 

 and bringing it into cultivation. He is the first 



