PENANG—SINGAPORE 
123 
together with Chinese construction. The word “ Pidgin,” literally 
“ business,” has, in combination, come to mean pretty much what 
“ ology ” does in modern English. 
A traveller on his return home told a friend that Pidgin English 
was a most flexible language, capable of expressing any idea how¬ 
ever complex. His friend said, “ I bet you it could not express the 
idea Archbishop ” 
“ The simplest thing in the world,” replied the traveller; 
“ number-one topside Joss-pidgin man.” 
Joss being God, joss-pidgin is equivalent to Theology or Eeligion, 
and the sequence is obvious. Savez, now cosmopolitan, is possibly 
the only French word in the language. Neither Pidgin French nor 
Pidgin German is spoken in commercial circles. 
Singapore, lat. 1° 17' N. 
April 3rd, 1904. 
As the “ Malta ” was slowly going to her berth in the inner 
harbour a vulgar “ tramp ” actually presumed to “ take her water,” 
so that to avoid a collision the proud P. & 0. mail steamer was 
forced to port her helm and in so doing ran down an unfortunate 
coal lighter. This sank with a gurgle, its crew of two men climbed 
up our cable unhurt, while the proverbial rat was seen to rise in the 
patch of black scum which marked the position of the sunken craft, 
to look round, taking stock of the situation, and swim ashore. The 
captain’s wrath at the disrespectful conduct of the pilot in charge of 
the trading steamer may be imagined. 
We had on board a number of chests of new dollars from the 
mint, and a smart armed party of Sikh police marched up to take 
charge of the Government treasure. To avoid the horrors of coaling 
we went ashore and spent a very hot night at a crowded hotel, but 
the next morning managed to snatch an hour or two for a visit to the 
beautiful Botanical Gardens. It might have been expected that the 
great profusion of flowers would have attracted a proportionate crowd 
of butterflies, but gardens, especially when so well kept, afford but 
poor collecting grounds. Moreover, hot though it was, the sun was 
scarcely bright enough for my fastidious clients. Nevertheless to 
a naturalist visiting an Equatorial locality for the first time every¬ 
thing is of interest. 
The commonest butterflies were Precis atlites, Johanss., and P. 
almana, Linn., but I did not waste much time in pursuit of them. 
The single almana brought away was of the “wet” form asterie, Linn.; 
