The
provisions, as I was informed, were distributed among the poor.
On the following day I witnessed the celebrated Chinese Feast of
Lanterns. From all the houses, at the corners of the roofs, from
high posts, etc., were hung innumerable lanterns, made of paper or
gauze, and most artistically ornamented with gods, warriors, and
animals. In the courts and gardens of the different houses, or,
where there were no courts or gardens, in the streets, all kinds of
refreshments and fruit were laid out with lights and flowers, in the
form of half pyramids on large tables. The people wandered about
the streets, gardens, and courts, until nearly midnight, when the
edible portions of the pyramids were eaten by the proprietors of
them. I was very much pleased with this feast, but with no part of
it more than the quiet and orderly behaviour of the people: they
looked at all the eatables with a scrutinizing glance, but without
touching the smallest fragment.
Singapore is situated 58' (nautical miles) north of the line, in 104
degrees East longitude, and the climate, when compared to that of
other southern countries, is very agreeable. During the period of
my stay, extending from September 3rd to October 8th, the heat
seldom exceeded 83 degrees 75' indoors, and 117 degrees in the sun.
There is never any great variation in the temperature, which is the
natural consequence of the place being near the equator. The sun
always rises and sets at 6 A.M. and 6 P.M. respectively, and is
immediately followed by full daylight or perfect night; the twilight
hardly lasting ten minutes.
In conclusion, I must remark that Singapore will shortly become the
central point of all the Indian steamers. Those from Hong-Kong,
Ceylon, Madras, Calcutta, and Europe arrive regularly once a month;
there is likewise a Dutch war-steamer from Batavia, and in a little
time there will also be steamers running to and fro between this
place, and Manilla and Sidney.
CHAPTER X. THE EAST INDIES - CEYLON.
DEPARTURE FROM SINGAPORE - THE ISLAND OF PINANG - CEYLON - POINTE DE
GALLE - EXCURSION INTO THE INTERIOR - COLOMBO - CANDY - THE TEMPLE OF
DAGOHA - ELEPHANT HUNT - RETURN TO COLOMBO AND POINTE DE GALLE.
I once more embarked in an English steamer, the "Braganza," of 350
horse power, that left Singapore for Ceylon on the 7th of October.
The distance between the two places is 1,900 miles.
The treatment I experienced on board this vessel was, it is true, a
little different from that on board the other, although it was
nearly as bad. There were four of us in the second cabin; {128} we
dined alone, and had a mulatto servant to attend upon us.
Unfortunately, he was afflicted with elephantiasis, and his
appearance did not at all tend to whet the edge of our appetites.
During the 7th and 8th of October, we held our course through the
Strait of Malacca, which separates Sumatra from the peninsula, and
during all this time we never lost sight of land. Malacca is, near
the coast, merely hilly; but further in the interior the hills swell
into a fine mountain range. To our left lay a number of mountainous
islands, which completely intercepted our view of Sumatra.
But if the scenery around us was not remarkable, the spectacle on
board the vessel itself was highly interesting. The crew was
composed of seventy-nine persons, comprising Chinese, Malays,
Cingalese, Bengalese, Hindostanese, and Europeans. As a general
rule, those of each country generally took their meals separately
with their own countrymen. They all had immense plates of rice, and
little bowls full of curry; a few pieces of dried fish supplied the
place of bread. They poured the curry over the rice, and mixing the
whole together with their hands, made it into small balls which they
put into their mouths with a small piece of fish; about half their
food used generally to fall back again into their plates.
The costume of these people was very simple. Many of them had
nothing more than a pair of short trousers on, with a dirty old
turban, and even the place of this was sometimes supplied by a
coloured rag, or a cast-off sailor's cap. The Malays wore long
cloths wound round their bodies, with one end hanging over their
shoulder. The Chinese preserved intact their usual costume and mode
of life; and the coloured servants of the ship's officers were the
only ones who were occasionally well and even elegantly dressed.
Their costume consisted of white trousers, wide upper garments, also
white, with white sashes, silk jackets, and small embroidered white
caps, or handsome turbans.
The manner in which all these poor coloured people were treated was
certainly not in accordance with Christian principles. No one ever
addressed them but in the roughest manner, and they were kicked and
cuffed about on every occasion; even the dirtiest little European
cabin-boy on board was allowed to act in the most cruel manner, and
play off the most ignoble practical jokes upon them. Unhappy
creatures! how is it possible that they should feel any love for
Christians?
On the 9th of October we landed on the small island of Pinang. The
town of the same name lies in the midst of a small plain, which
forms the half of an isthmus. Not far from the town rises a
picturesque mountain range.
I received five hours' leave, which I devoted to riding about in all
directions through the town in a palanquin, and even going a little
distance into the country. All that I could see resembled what I
had already seen at Singapore.
