hether there is too much sea on to allow of a boat being
lowered, for if there is he will not only lose his own life, but cause
the loss of others," observed the captain. "It is a hard matter,
however, to lay down a rule. Still it is very certain that we should do
our best to save the lives of our fellow-creatures."

We once sighted an island, which I believe was one of the Crozet group.
In rather over three months we entered the Straits of Sunda, when, as we
were approaching shores the inhabitants of which were addicted to
piracy, we got up our guns from the hold and mounted them, and
overhauled our firearms. Before long we had a good chance of requiring
them, for when running through the Straits of Banca, between that island
and Sumatra--while nearly becalmed--we made out three large prahus full
of people, pulling towards us. Whether their intentions were friendly
or the reverse we could not ascertain, but we certainly did not like
their looks; a breeze, however, sprang up and we stood on our course.
Soon afterwards we came in sight of the fine town of Singapore, founded
in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles, who made it a free port. At that
period a wretched village stood on its site, the neighbouring harbour
being the rendezvous only of a few trading prahus. It is now a
magnificent city, and upwards of a thousand square-rigged vessels anchor
annually in the roads. On the hills beyond it can be seen the
residences of the merchants, surrounded by plantations of spice-trees,
while excellent roads with bridges over the streams run in all
directions.

Besides English churches and chapels, there are Chinese Joss houses,
Hindoo temples, and Mohammedan mosques, while large numbers of Chinese
and Malay cottages form the suburbs. The Chinese are here seen in
considerable numbers, being the most industrious part of the population,
and include many wealthy merchants. There are Klings from Western
India; Arabs, chiefly shop-keepers; Parsee merchants; Bengalese, mostly
grooms and washmen; Japanese sailors, many of whom are also domestic
servants; Portuguese clerks, and traders from Celebes, Boli, and other
islands of the vast archipelago.

Having discharged part of our cargo, we took on board such articles as
we heard were in demand among the natives with whom we hoped to open up
a trade. In the interval Mr Blyth proposed that he and I should make a
trip into the interior. We could not, however, go far, for the island
is