OBSERVATIONS ON SINGAPORE, EAST INDIES. 345 



up with provisions and water. This being accomplished, we 

 again spread our sails, and on the 22d of January we reached 

 Singapore, where we found the United States frigate 

 " Constellation," Cemmodore Kearney, and the sloop-of-war 

 " Boston," Captain Long, forming the East India Squadron. 

 We communicated with both vessels, and received some late 

 newspapers from them. 



The Island of Singapore is twenty- seven miles long, and 

 from five to fifteen miles wide. It is separated from the penin- 

 sula of Malacca by the Strait of Singapore, formerly followed 

 by navigators, instead of the one which is now universally 

 used. We were informed that the interior of the island is 

 infested with tigers, and that it is a common thing for the in- 

 habitants to be destroyed by them within a few miles of the 

 town. Owing to these attacks, the Government has been in- 

 duced to offer a premium of fifty dollars for every tiger that 

 should be killed, and parties have been organized, which fre- 

 quently go out to hunt these ferocious animals. ' 



The situation of the town* is low, for which reason it does 

 not appear to advantage from the anchorage. It covers a great 

 extent of ground, and many of the buildings are spacious, and 

 built in the European style. The Governor's dwelling is situ- 

 ated on the summit of a knoll which overlooks the city and 

 harbor. In the rear of the European buildings are the loca- 

 tions of the Malay and Chinese quarters. The houses of the 

 former are built on posts rising four or five feet above the 

 ground. The object of this is to keep the houses dry during 

 the rainy seasons, and to prevent reptiles and other noxious 

 animals from entering them. 



As for the inhabitants, a more motley crowd in color and 



* The town bears the same name as the island. 



