445 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
TO OUR HEADERS. 
We propose, if our correspondents will second us, to 
enlarge this part of the Journal a little. We have always 
regretted that, with such abundant materials for variety, 
our necessities have not allowed of our giving more than a 
few papers in each number. The time requisite to enable 
us to remedy this defect ourselves would entirely prevent 
our continuous investigation of wl at may be considered 
the elements of a true knowledge of the races of the 
Archipelago, the mutual relations of their languages, a 
labour which, although not immediately advantageous to our 
readers, will, we hope, in no long time be found to be 
as productive for them as it is necessary for us. Until our 
hands are loosened, we must ask our contributing and cor¬ 
responding friends to assist us in our endeavour to give 
every month a number of miscellaneous paragraphs. No 
subject need, at the very longest, exceed five pages, while 
half a page or a sentence or two would be long enough. 
We ask only brief notices of animal or vegetable ha -its ; of 
the climate or weather; of any of the thousand traits by 
which the races who resort to Singapore are distinguished; 
of such things as a native trading boat and her lading, or a 
native shop, its contents, mode of conducting business, 
keeping accounts, &c.; a passing thought on any of the facts 
which human life is continually presenting in Singapore, 
making them significant and instructive by comparison with 
other communities of our own day, by glimpses of the past 
which still speaks through them, or by a clearer vision of their 
relation to immutable natural laws. Our category is large 
enough for all tastes and turns of mind, ami all opportunities 
of observation, and we hope that among our many l eaders who 
have not time or inclination to write papers, not a few may be 
willing to aid us in the wav we wish One subject we may 
point out as very worthy of observation, and which has been 
strangely neglected. This is the influence of the climate 
