I
cannot say how delighted I was at forming her acquaintance. I was
once more able to give free vent to my feelings in my own native
tongue. Madame Behu would not hear of my lodging in an hotel; I was
immediately installed as a member of her own amiable family. My
original plan was to have remained but a short period in Singapore,
and then proceed in a sailing vessel to Calcutta, as I had a perfect
horror of English steamers, and as I had been told that
opportunities continually presented themselves. I waited, however,
week after week in vain, until, in spite of my unwillingness, I was
obliged to embark in a comfortable English steamer at last. {118}
The Europeans lead pretty much the same kind of life at Singapore
that they do at Canton, with this difference, however, that the
merchants reside with their families in the country, and come to
town every morning for business. Each family is obliged to keep a
large staff of servants, and the lady of the house meddles very
little in domestic matters, as these are generally altogether
entrusted to the major-domo.
The servants are Chinese, with the exception of the seis (coachmen
or grooms), who are Bengalese. Every spring, whole shiploads of
Chinese boys, from ten to fifteen years old, come over here. They
are generally so poor that they cannot pay their passage. When this
is the case, the captain brings them over on his own account, and is
paid beforehand, by the person engaging them, their wages for the
first year. These young people live very economically, and when
they have a little money, return generally to their native country,
though many hire themselves as journeymen, and stop altogether.
The Island of Singapore has a population of 55,000 souls, 40,000 of
whom are Chinese, 10,000 Malays, or natives, and 150 Europeans. The
number of women is said to be very small, in consequence of the
immigrants from China and India consisting only of men and boys.
The town of Singapore and its environs contain upwards of 20,000
inhabitants. The streets struck me as being broad and airy, but the
houses are not handsome. They are only one story high; and, from
the fact of the roof's being placed directly above the windows,
appear as if they were crushed. On account of the continual heat,
there is no glass in any of the windows, but its place is supplied
by sun-blinds.
Every article of merchandise has here, as at Canton, if not its own
peculiar street, at least its own side of the street. The building
in which meat and vegetables are sold, is a fine handsome edifice
resembling a temple.
As a natural result of the number of persons of different nations
congregated upon this island, there are various temples, none of
which are worthy of notice, however, with the exception of that
belonging to the Chinese.
