' SINGAPORE. 415 



upon with disfavour and treated accordingly. No European looks 

 upon the East as a home, and all those of every nation I met with 

 invariably considered his sojourn temporary. The habit of constantly 

 expressing this feeling gives a stranger the impression that those he 

 meets with are devoid of happiness and contentment, and this with 

 comforts and conveniences, nay, luxuries of life around them, which 

 they would be very far from enjoying in their own country. 



The market was well filled with venders, so much so, indeed, that 

 the passages through it are rendered narrow and tortuous ; the prin- 

 cipal article for sale was fish, fresh and dried, and prawns. This 

 kind of fish is numerous and abundant. The part of the market 

 where they are sold is built over the water, and being furnished with 

 a loose flooring, the filth is easily got rid of. The butcher-meats 

 consisted for the most part of pork, which is raised in large quantities. 

 Fowls and ducks were also very numerous. A number of eggs were 

 seen with the shell broken, to exhibit the dead chicken, and others 

 that were rotten, in which state they were favourite food of the 

 Chinese. Vegetables and dried fruits were also in great abundance ; 

 these latter were imported from China. Of vegetables, there were 

 lettuces, onions, garlic, sweet-potatoes, and large quantities of germi- 

 nating rice, which is sold for planting. Of the quantities of fresh 

 fruit it is almost impossible to give an adequate idea, and they are 

 all of fine kinds, many of which I had never before seen. 



The bazaars form the general resort of those who frequent the 

 market. Every avenue, arcade, or veranda approaching it is filled 

 with money-changers, and small-ware dealers, eager for selling 

 European goods, Chinese toys, and many other attractive curiosities. 

 It is necessary to be careful in making even the smallest offers, for 

 although it may be but half or a fourth of what is asked, it is instantly 

 accepted. The money-changers seem to be a peculiar class; they 

 are much darker in colour than the rest of this singular throng-, and 

 are seen sitting cross-legged on their tables, with extensive rouleaux 

 of copper coin, heaps of cowrie-shells, and some silver. 



I was much surprised at the great difference existing in these 

 countries, when compared to our own, in respect to the coin, which 

 is divided into pieces of extremely small value ; and I could not help 

 viewing this contrast as tending to show the depreciation of labour on 

 the one hand, and the value both of time and money on the other. 

 Indeed, the difference between the condition of these people and that 



