On the Wallaby

ano - Singapo

leasant, old-fashioned rambling place we found it, combining with an airy situation an extensive view of the coast line and a close proximity to the city. Government House adjoins it on one side

tion, and came home with us to stay. That was t

olombo and visit to Anuradhapura another ten, consequently, we were left with many

ce. Sitting on a bench upon the Galleface, watching the great southern rollers come booming in, we thought the question steadily out, a

ed with the mercantile marine of England, we had to give it up and turn shorewards. As we approached the landing-place, sounds of strife reached our ears. Pulling in to see what the fun might be, we found a crowd of boatmen shrieking and gesticulating round a short thick-set Englishman (a good d

lishman's side. Hemmed in as he was, he could neither advance nor retreat, and th

once, boatmen, relatives and friend

'you keepee two hours five minute, sah!' (more abuse in the vernacular

intense desire to strike). 'You double dashed, blanked, lon

Trincomalee boat, den mail-boat, sah! You big drunk, sah, you no und

s of disapprova

landest manner). 'Excuse me, b

ankee; much obl

ned lingo, and don't kn

st tell me what they

ass of Burmah," to the "Fiji Monarch," then to the Tr

. 'How long di

y), 'Couldn't say; not m

rt and push your way out into the street.' (Slips an anna i

lips away. Crowd clamo

ong'un mount their rickshaws, and the I

uble; you know very well you're trying

g. 'Three rupee, sah!

pocket), 'Three rupees. Very well. Giv

urned and pocketed, then, mounting hi

wit to keep it. Abandon extortion, live righteously, and all may yet be well with you. Pray

ws are flying up the street before the

olies before they appear round the corner. Discovering where we have run to earth, they set up a dismal wailing, which eventually brings out the

iculty, and to show his gratitude, has definitely promised us an opportunity of working our way to Singapore aboard his boat. She is to sail on New Year's Day, and it will behov

dozen of young tea-planters to see us through. They arrived fresh from their plantations on the morning of New Year's Eve. Many of them had not seen c

n impromptu concert, at which many of the ladies resident in the hotel assisted. When they (the ladies) had retired, we (the male population) kept the fun going with great spirit until within five minutes of the birth of the New Year, when, adjourning

a powerful, paintless old tramp, of less than 2,000 tons burden, and engined up to 250 nominal horse power; she

we attracted no attention, and when we had interviewed our friend the chi

ing off, and we, barefooted, and grimy as sweeps, Wer

y in Ceylon, to be once more upon our journey. Outside the breakwater a brisk sea met us and gave us a heart

e these minor drawbacks, it would be possible to find a healthier and jollier life than Jack's. We were given as much work as we could get through, and during our watches below w

ther. The old tramp proved herself a fair sea-boat, and our companions

the distant shore, lying like a black smudge under the. starlight, the whole ocean appeared a mass of glittering light. Forrard the boat seemed to be eating her way through diamond-spangled cotton wool, while aft, her wake had all the appearance of a road of burnished silver.

oach to Singapore, and by the time the cuddy bell had rung for break

etation, the vivid green, of which harmonises artistically with the terra-cotta coloured cliffs, the quaintly tiled roofs of the wharf buildings, and the bungalows dotted' among the palms on

ch mail-boats, sampans, prahus, yachts, all mixed up with coal barges and mosquito-like steam launches. The

anged our apparel, bade our shipmates and our benefactor, the chief

close upon the equatorial line: a fact which, before we had been long ashore, was thoroughly borne in upon

ment in this city. Numbering I believe something like half a million, these heathens fairly swarm over everything, a

rstand, even Raffles Pudding. The name is derived from a certain Sir Stamford Raffles, who, fifty odd years ago, was a shining, light in the Straits, Settlements. Originally, appointed Governor of Java, which post he held for six years, he was required by the English Government to hand ba

ce to the Straits of Malacca and the China Sea, Singapore must speedily become a place of great importance. Having buried the first Lady Raffles in Java, he married, for his second wife, the

a is generally entertained that the Malays do all the rickshaw business. On the contrary the Malay does not drag rickshaws, nor does he do anything else in the way of work; he prefers loafing. Give him a warm spot to sit in, an inexhaustible amount of betel-nut to chew, someone to talk to, an

wded streets, stabbing with his creese (a tiny dagger about six inches long) at everybody within his reach. Under these circumstances it is permissible to shoot him - that' is, if you have time to

rises on the left, while squashy paddi fields and a general air of dampness sugg

ws. The foliage is simply exquisite, and here and there we renew acquaintance with the Licuale palm, peculiar to the Mala

own. Hundreds of rickshaws crowd the narrow streets, Chinese and Malay merchants, clerks, coolies, and porters, with itinerant vendors of edibles, jostle each other with small Ceremony. As in Colbitnbo, every Eastern nation is represented, for, besides the Chinese and Malayan population, Hindoos, Cinghalese, Siamese, Arabs, Japanese, Manilla men, and natives fro

plaited or adorned, according to the taste or fancy of the patient sitter, while among all, yellow-skin

all regardful of the life around him. Further on we find the merry little Ghoorka, and further still the stately English Robert. It is no uncommon thing to meet in the Chinese quarter a Sikh leading to the lock-up half a dozen unwilling Chin

at the description of place we wanted. We went in to inquire. The interior was certainly not in keeping with the gorgeous pretentiousness of the signboard. The landlord was a Portuguese of more than usually villanous type, and his wife, who at the time of our arrival was suffering from a swollen jaw, which fortunately prevented her from indulging in her usual conversation, was presumably of the s

which is saying a good deal. The bungalows, the means of locomotion, the heat, the mosquitos, and in a measure the perfume of the street

but as soon as night fell, they crept out of every disused dog kennel in the neighbourhood to make our caravanserai their meeting place. Then for a space of six hours they drank, smoked a brand of tobacco the reek of which blistered the wall paper, perjured and profa

mself during that time we could not discover, but one thing at least is certain, he did no work. His affability was his one redeeming feature, and on the consideration entered into before we set out - namely, that we should pay all expenses and stand him two drinks when we returned - he agreed to pilot us through the lowest parts of the t

elgrave Square compared with that through which our guide was leading us. In a dim half conscious spirit of precaution, I endeavoured to keep tally of the streets through which we passed, but, after innumerable twistings and turnings, down Malay Street, up Pekin Street, through Canton, Calcutta, and Madras Streets, into Johore Street (these directions must not be taken as an authen

n which our guide knocked in a peculiar fashion. In the interval of waiting he condescended to inform us that we were about to enter one of the worst

ry nature, for the shutter closed again, and a muttered conversation ensued within. After a minute the door swung open, and we were bidden enter. We found ourselves in a narrow passage, barely three feet wide, littered wit

their bunks, either smoking or asleep. Three of the smokers were females, the rest males of all nationalities and ages. A Chinaman who, judging from appearances, could certainly not have seen less than a hundred summers, was evidently the ruling spirit of the

sure, the opportunity for the enjoyment of which it would be folly to let slip. Sometimes an almost perfect stillness reigned in the room, broken only by the heavy stertorous breathing of the sleepers; then a smoker would lay down his pipe with a sodden grunt of satisfaction, and compose himself for the bli

houlders with a laugh, and said scornfully, 'Him? Oh! he's one of ti8 Engli

ayed across his brain. Then he began to move about, and finally he dragged himself out of his bunk on to his feet. Gazing round the room with a bewildered expression, his eyes fell upon us. Never, if I live to be a hundred, shall I forget the piteous look which spread acros

reputation of its own, but surely for unadulterated misery and vice, unaccompanied by any redeeming feature whatsoever, it would be difficult to match the l

eturning to the city. Our guide received his reward, and we turned in to

board and introduced ourselves to the chief officer, who as good fortune had it, chanced to be a most agreeable and sympathetic Englishman. Having heard our story, he professed himself glad to help us, said he was in want of hands, and most willingly offered us passages to t