386 SINGAPORE. 



is richly decorated with silk hangings, and banners with many inscrip- 

 tions, and illuminated with coloured lamps. The stage, which was by 

 no means of large size, was occupied by a table and two chairs. The 

 dialogue was in a kind of recitative, with an accompaniment performed 

 by beating with two small sticks on the bottom of a copper kettle of the 

 shape of a coffee-pot. The person who performed this duty appeared 

 to direct all the spectacle, as prompter and leader of the orchestra. The 

 other musical instruments were the gong, cymbals, and a kind of 

 hautboy, the holes of which are not arranged with any view to produce 

 harmonious sounds. The dresses of the actors were very rich, and the 

 females were represented by young men or boys. The male charac- 

 ters were for the most part masked, but not the female; the former 

 generally had long black and white beards. The principal part of the 

 performance seemed to consist in attitudinizing, and appeared to 

 interest the audience, as it did us, although according to our ideas it 

 was not suited to the words or sentiment; for instance, during a 

 pathetic part, whilst the actor was shedding tears, he would suddenly 

 throw up one leg, and almost kick himself on the nose ! The acting, 

 upon the whole, was, to our notions, in a mock-heroic style ; but this 

 might have arisen from our not being able to comprehend the mean- 

 ing, for the other spectators seemed greatly interested. There was 

 something, however, which there was no difficulty in our understand- 

 ing, and this was the fighting. The two combatants draw their swords 

 or handle their spears, and begin turning round poking at each other 

 without closing, when suddenly one runs off; the other, after having 

 evidently informed the audience that he is the victor, then makes his 

 exit, accompanied with a most tremendous noise from both the music 

 and audience. After the performance had closed, it was with difficulty 

 that I could determine whether it had been comedy or tragedy: which- 

 ever it was, it was mingled with still vaulting somersets, cart-wheel 

 motions, and casting themselves about, indifferent as to what part they 

 fell on, in modes which I may truly say I had never seen surpassed, 

 either in muscular action or agility. 



Several small processions were seen passing through the streets, 

 consisting of about fifteen persons, all of whom carried banners, with 

 inscriptions in golden characters, and were preceded by the usual 

 music. I was told that they were celebrating a marriage; but although 

 I followed for the purpose of observing them, and made many inquiries, 

 I could not ascertain any thing about the manner of conducting the 

 ceremonies. It seemed to be a kind of walking advertisement; and 

 when they passed any Chinese house of consequence, they made a five- 

 fold racket. 



