n of that sex. The beater was well enough
to walk back to the village, after a short time, and became quite a hero
in consequence of the adventure. The carcass was brought to town, and
proved to be that of a very large and old tiger. The fact of his coming
towards the hunters instead of retiring, as is their habit when pursued
by numbers, showed that he was an unusually dangerous animal.

A two days' voyage through what seemed to us like a sea of
phosphorescence, every splash and ripple producing liquid gems, brought
us to Penang, the most northerly sea-port of the Malacca Straits,
situated at the point where they open into the Indian Ocean, and just
one hundred miles from the island of Sumatra across the mouth of the
Straits. The approach to the island by water afforded a fine picture.
Well-wooded hills of vivid greenness rise above the sea all about the
town. These hills grow more or less lofty as they recede inland, until
they culminate in three mountain peaks. Penang, like Singapore, is an
island some thirteen miles long by ten in width, and is separated from
the main-land of the Peninsula by a narrow belt of sea not more than
three miles in width, giving it a position of great commercial
importance. It resembles Singapore in many respects, and is almost
identical with it so far as it relates to its general products and
vegetation; the season, likewise, is one long, unvarying summer. The
arcea palm, known as the Penang-tree, is the source of the betel-nut,
and, as it abounds on the island, has given it the name it bears. The
town and its immediate suburbs cover about a square mile, through which
one broad main street runs, intersected by lesser thoroughfares at right
angles. A drive about the place gave us an idea that it is a thrifty
town, but not nearly so populous or business-like as Singapore. It was
also observable here that the Chinese element predominated. The main
street referred to is lined with open bazars and shops, mostly kept by
Chinamen. The front of the dwellings being all open, gives the passer-by
a full idea of all that is going on in each household. Shrines were
nearly always to be seen in some nook or corner of each dwelling, before
which incense was burning, and generally a couple of candles also, very
much as at Canton. The shrine-room seemed also to be the eating,
sleeping, and living room.

The natives are lithe in figure, with but slight muscular development,
and are yet quite strong, appear