IN SINGAPORE. 
19 
or more correctly l |o, and from the consumption of that he gets 
about seven-tenths of a tael of Samshing; if the Chandu sells for 6 
the 3 taels, by his Tinco and his Samshing he will realize nearly 
^3a day, and this is his income; few however sell so much daily, 
and fewer still receive so much. 
The Opium shops vary much in their appearance from an attap 
hovel to a brick house of two stories, paying % 15 monthly for rent, 
but, generally speaking, the luxury of the pipe is all that the Opium 
smoker cares for, and anything adventitious, such as a commodious 
apartment, elegant furniture and proper ventilation are disregarded* 
In some houses there are various apartments in addition to the one 
which is entered from the street, for, according to the Police laws, 9 
o’clock p. m, is the hour when all parties are supposed to give up 
their pipes. Vain expectation to suppose that any man who has money 
would relinquish the soul inspiring luxury until his eestacy was at its 
full. Sooner would the panting traveller under a burning sun, when 
hours have elapsed ere his parched lips have been moistened, dash 
from his mouth the goblet before his thirst was half quenched, than 
the opium smoker be the slave of time. If 9 o’clock is come, and he 
has not reached his acme, he merely retires to an inner chamber, where, 
at his ease and undisturbed, he passes through his stages of enjoyment. 
Yet another apartment exists, generally up stairs, where females 
are to be found, more or less connected with the establishment, though 
sometimes strangers, who ntay not be allowed in their own houses to en¬ 
joy in quietness their taste for the pipe. This apartment is of course 
a closed one to the generality of visitors of Opium shops; but* be¬ 
ing possessed of a little influence, I procured admittance into one. It 
was my first entrance into such places, and I was rather struck with 
the general appearance of things; the room was large, but not well 
lighted, matted, and chaired, and in the centre was a large bed. A 
table was near, on which were tea and sweet meats. Advancing a lit¬ 
tle, I saw a female sitting up in the bed, her back supported by cus¬ 
hions, and round her were two Chinamen and a Malay. The female 
was young and fair, yea passing fair, and richly dressed in the habi¬ 
liments of the Flowery land. She little looked like a tempting fiend. 
