CHAP.L. BANCA AND SUMATRA. 5 overlooked the dangerous vicinity,and perished within its fatal precincta. At sunset we shaped our course to the north- ward.The“Button”and the "Cap”(two small round islands)were far astern,and Batavia, the old queen of the East,where Chinamen pay a tax to wear their pig-taile,far on our starboard quarter. 30th of April.-This morning we sighted the island of Banca,and are now running between its shores and those of Sumatra.Pirates and a colony of Chinese tin miners are,I believe,the only inhabitants of the former island,and have, from long practice and industry,arrived at great proficiency in their separate purauits.Stretching from north to south,we saw on our left the low coast of Sumatra,covered by a continuous forest to the water's edge,which affords shelter to a greater variety of savage animals than perhaps exists in any other country.The single and double horned rhinoceros,the elephant,and a tiger whose strength and ferocity are said to be superior to those of the better known native of Bengal,are amongst the largest.Numbers of people are annually carried off by the latter animal; but still the simple natives as frequently endeavour to propitiate them by oferinge of fruit and flowers as they do to destroy them by energetic means. B3 Google
chap. I. BANCA AND SUMATRA. 5 overlooked the dangerous vicinity, and perished within its fatal precincts. At sunset we shaped our course to the north ward. The " Button " and the " Cap " (two small round islands) were far astern, and Batavia, the old queen of the East, where Chinamen pay a tax to wear their pig-tails, far on our starboard quarter. 30th of April. —This morning we sighted the island of Banca, and are now running between its shores and those of Sumatra. Pirates and a colony of Chinese tin miners are, I believe, the only inhabitants of the former island, and have, from long practice and industry, arrived at great proficiency in their separate pursuits. Stretching from north to south, we saw on our left the low coast of Sumatra, covered by a continuous forest to the water's edge, which affords shelter to a greater variety of savage animals than perhaps exists in any other country. The single and double horned rhinoceros, the elephant, and a tiger whose strength and ferocity are said to be superior to those of the better known native of Bengal, are amongst the largest. Numbers of people are annually carried off by the latter animal ; but still the simple natives as frequently endeavour to propitiate them by offerings of fruit and flowers as they do to destroy them by energetic means. B 3
THE DUGONG. CHAP.I. I believe no sea within the tropics contains so large a family of Cetacea as the Eastern Archi- pelago.Perhaps the most peculiar is the Dugong. Its body is bulky,tapering to a broad horizontal tail;instead of fins,it has two webbed paws, armed with talons;its head in shape is very pe- culiar,and its mouth is furnished with browsing teeth.Its food consists entirely of herbage, which it crops at the bottom of the sea.In size it varies from ten to twenty feet in length,and the flesh resembles young beef,and is highly appreciated by the Malays.The females are strongly attached to their young,and allow them- selves to be taken if their offapring are destroyed. They utter sharp and plaintive cries,and are said to shed tears,which are carefully preserved by these most unsophisticated cut-throats. The Malays,pre-eminently superstitious,even amongst nations remarkable for such a tendency, have numerous legendary stories of the wonderful qualities of many of this tribe of fish;they have obtained a supernatural connection,in their simple imaginationa,with many of the sounds and ap- pearances that arise from natural causes amid the wild and beautiful scenery by which they are sur- rounded.While gliding in their swift prohas among their romantic islande,now through the bright moonlight,and now within the deep shadows Google
0 THE DUGONG. chap. i. I believe no sea within the tropics contains so large a family of Cetacea as the Eastern Archi pelago. Perhaps the most peculiar is the Dugong. Its body is bulky, tapering to a broad horizontal tail; instead of fins, it has two webbed paws, armed with talons ; its head in shape is very pe culiar, and its mouth is furnished with browsing teeth. Its food consists entirely of herbage, which it crops at the bottom of the sea. In size it varies from ten to twenty feet in length, and the flesh resembles young beef, and is highly appreciated by the Malays. The females are strongly attached to their young, and allow them selves to be taken if their offspring are destroyed. They utter sharp and plaintive cries, and are said to shed tears, which are carefully preserved by these most unsophisticated cut-throats. The Malays, pre-eminently superstitious, even amongst nations remarkable for such a tendency, have numerous legendary stories of the wonderful qualities of many of this tribe of fish ; they have obtained a supernatural connection, in their simple imaginations, with many of the sounds and ap pearances that arise from natural causes amid the wild and beautiful scenery by which they are sur rounded. While gliding in their swift prohas among their romantic islands, now through the bright moonlight, and now within the deep shadows
CHAP.I SINGAPORE. 7 cast by each wood and headland,every faint echo, the futter of a startled bird,or growl of savage beast,even the fall of a distant paddle on the calm sea,are not unlikely at such a moment to acquire a mysterious import. 6th of May.-For the last few days we have been running between patches of beautiful islands covered with fine trees,literally embedded in dense and luxuriant underwood. Numerous roots of huge aloes and palms,long bamboos and branches,carried out by the currents from the rivers of Sumatra,have been daily drifting past. They will doubtless accumulate,as we have re- marked,in these seas;ground in shoal water, and form a deposit around them;and from this nucleus Nature will cause vegetation to extend her territory. Yesterday we saw for the first time two Malay prokas full of men:I suspect they disliked our appearance as much as a pickpocket does that of a police-officer. To-day we are in sight of the flag-staff close to Singapore;and if the light air increases,shall hear from old England before nightfall,and also, I trust,a great deal about the Chinese war.A steamer and five or six large ships are in sight, and we are in a state of great expectation;it would not be easy to describe the mingled feelings B4 Google
chap. I. SINGAPORE. 7 cast by each wood and headland, every faint echo, the flutter of a startled bird, or growl of savage beast, even the fall of a distant paddle on the calm sea, are not unlikely at such a moment to acquire a mysterious import. 6th of May. —For the last few days we have been running between patches of beautiful islands covered with fine trees, literally embedded in dense and luxuriant underwood. Numerous roots of huge aloes and palms, long bamboos and branches, carried out by the currents from the rivers of Sumatra, have been daily drifting past. They will doubtless accumulate, as we have re marked, in these seas ; ground in shoal water, and form a deposit around them ; and from this nucleus Nature will cause vegetation to extend her territory. Yesterday we saw for the first time two Malay prohas full of men : I suspect they disliked our appearance as much as a pickpocket does that of a police-officer. To-day we are in sight of the flag-staff close to Singapore ; and if the light air increases, shall hear from old England before nightfall, and also, I trust, a great deal about the Chinese war. A steamer and five or six large ships are in sight, and we are in a state of great expectation; it would not be easy to describe the mingled feelings B 4
8 SINGAPORE. CHAP.I of anxiety and hope that at such a moment assail a man. Saturday,7th of May.-Last night the wind fell,and we were obliged to anchor within a few miles of the port-a most tantalizing occurrence. The transports we saw in the morning had to do the same;so the Captain sent a boat to gain in- telligence.These four vessels contain the last of the detachment of 5000 men despatched from India for China.We heard of Lord Auckland's return;of the Ning-po business,and of the in- creasing obstinacy of the Chinese;and Keppel learned what justly pleased him much-that the Dido was the first ship out of a batch of five men- of-war that left England five,and some even six, weeks before us. We anchored in this fine harbour about noon in the centre of a fleet of merchant ships. On the crest of a round hill topping the town, free from jungle and ornamented with nutmeg and other trees,and covered with a compact green sward,worthy of England,stands the governor's handeome bungelow.At the hill's base,on the flat and even ground in front and to the right, extend the houses of our luxurious Eastern mer- chants-spacious buildinge,with fine Roman Doric porticoes,and separated from each other by inclosed gardens.Beyond these appear the
8 SINGAPORE. chap. I. of anxiety and hope that at such a moment assail a man. Saturday, 7th of May. —Last night the wind fell, and we were obliged to anchor within a few miles of the port —a most tantalizing occurrence. The transports we saw in the morning had to do the same ; so the Captain sent a boat to gain in telligence. These four vessels contain the last of the detachment of 5000 men despatched from India for China. We heard of Lord Auckland's return ; of the Ning-po business, and of the in creasing obstinacy of the Chinese; and Keppel learned what justly pleased him much —that the Dido was the first ship out of a batch of five menof-war that left England five, and some even six, weeks before us. We anchored in this fine harbour about noon in the centre of a fleet of merchant ships. On the crest of a round hill topping the town, free from jungle and ornamented with nutmeg and other trees, and covered with a compact green sward, worthy of England, stands the governor's handsome bungelow. At the hill's base, on the flat and even ground in front and to the right, extend the houses of our luxurious Eastern mer chants —spacious buildings, with fine Roman Doric porticoes, and separated from each other by inclosed gardens. Beyond these appear the
CHAP.I. SINGAPORE. 9 humble dwellings of the Chinese colonists skirting the edge of the dense jungle,acres of which are annually cleared,making way for spice plantatione, which richly repay the industrious proprietors. The unvaried luxuriance of vegetation,although very pleasing at first,after some time becomes tire- some.The eye longa for a clear expanse,or the abrupt interruption of a rugged crag.Here there is merely a diversity of gentle hills and shallow dales,all alike clothed with the same thick foliage. Well-made roads now intersect the island in dif- ferent directions;and they,indeed,in conjunction with every other improvement,have been planned and executed through the indefatigable exertions of the clever and energetic Governor,Mr.Bonham. When the British flag was first hoisted by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819,the population did not exceed 200 souls.In 1820 the numbers had in- creased to 10,000,principally Chinese;and now the trade (as Lord Jocelyn has correctly stated) is equal to that of Bombay,and the population, consisting of Europeans,Chinese,Malays,Ben- galees,Arabs,Buggis,and othera,is nearly 30,000. Singapore is a free port,which is a pity,for a light harbour due would not prevent vessels from coming to a place of such commercial importance, and would more effectually defray the expenses of the straite,and enable the Governor to prosecute B5 Google
chap. I. SINGAPORE. 9 humble dwellings of the Chinese colonists skirting the edge of the dense jungle, acres of which are annually cleared, making way for spice plantations, which richly repay the industrious proprietors. The unvaried luxuriance of vegetation, although very pleasing at first, after some time becomes tire some. The eye longs for a clear expanse, or the abrupt interruption of a rugged crag. Here there is merely a diversity of gentle hills and shallow dales, all alike clothed with the same thick foliage. Well-made roads now intersect the island in dif ferent directions ; and they, indeed, in conjunction with every other improvement, have been planned and executed through the indefatigable exertions of the clever and energetic Governor, Mr. Bonham. When the British flag was first hoisted by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819, the population did not exceed 200 souls. In 1820 the numbers had in creased to 10,000, principally Chinese ; and now the trade (as Lord Jocelyn has correctly stated) is equal to that of Bombay, and the population, consisting of Europeans, Chinese, Malays, Ben galees, Arabs, Buggis, and others, is nearly 30,000. Singapore is a free port, which is a pity, for a light harbour due would not prevent vessels from coming to a place of such commercial importance, and would more effectually defray the expenses of the straits, and enable the Governor to prosecute B 5