384 AN OPIUM-SMOKER. 



rustling of serpents beneath their feet ; and, in the trees, 

 the flying Squirrel (Pteromys Petauristd) or, by a rarer 

 chance, the beautiful Galeopitkecus variegatus may be 

 seen towards the evening, besides the pretty little active 

 Tupaia Tana, and Squirrels and Monkeys of one or two 

 descriptions. Many rare animals may occasionally be 

 observed confined in the menagerie of the Governor, and 

 other places ; I have seen the black variety of the Leopard, 

 the Orang-Utan, and Wou-Wou, the Argus Pheasant, 

 Black Cockatoo, and several large Pythons, exhibited in 

 this manner ; the Dugong has been caught off the island, 

 and I have seen the Sword-fish in the boats of the fisher- 

 men, who also bring off for sale numbers of ' Neptune's 

 Cups, 5 a species of Alcyonum, and vast quantities of Corals 

 and shells ; among the latter, Aspergilla, Fistulance, Car- 

 dissae, Lithodomi, and Gastrocliante are very numerous. 



In a certain large Caravansary, belonging to the 

 Malay village near Singapore, a place where Buffaloes 

 and Goats occupy the centre, and where pallets are 

 arranged around for its human occupants, I had a good 

 opportunity of observing the effects of Opium on the 

 physical aspect of the Malay. I was particularly struck 

 with one old confirmed Opium-smoker, with whom I 

 enjoyed a " hubble-bubble." He was a feeble worn-out 

 old man, with an unearthly brilliancy in his eye. His 

 body was bent forwards, and greatly emaciated ; his face 

 was shrunken, wan, and haggard ; his long skinny arm, 

 wasted fingers, and sharp-pointed nails, resembled more 

 the claw of some rapacious bird, than the hand of a lord 

 of creation ; his head was nodding and tremulous, his 

 skin wrinkled and yellow, and his teeth were a few de- 



