th one to
whom I brought an introduction. His house was most elegant, and full of
magnificent Chinese and Japanese furniture. We are now at the Mission of
Bukit Tima. The missionary speaks English, Malay and Chinese, as well as
French, and is a very pleasant man. He has built a very pretty church
here, and has about 300 Chinese converts. Having only been here four
days, I cannot tell much about my collections yet. Insects, however,
are plentiful....

Charles gets on pretty well in health, and catches a few insects; but he
is very untidy, as you may imagine by his clothes being all torn to
pieces by the time we arrived here. He will no doubt improve and will
soon be useful.

Malay is the universal language, in which all business is carried on. It
is easy, and I am beginning to pick up a little, but when we go to
Malacca shall learn it most, as there they speak nothing else.

I am very unfortunate with my watch. I dropped it on board and broke the
balance-spring, and have now sent it home to Mr. Matthews to repair, as
I cannot trust anyone here to do it....

Love to Fanny and Thomas,--I remain your affectionate son,

ALFRED B. WALLACE.

* * * * *

TO HIS MOTHER

_Bukit Tama, Singapore. May 28, 1854._

My dear Mother,--I send you a few lines through G. Silk as I thought you
would like to hear from me. I am very comfortable here living with a
Roman Catholic missionary.... I send by this mail a small box of insects
for Mr. Stevens--I think a very valuable one--and I hope it will go
safely. I expected a letter from you by the last mail, but received only
two _Athenoeums_ of March 18 and 25....

The forest here is very similar to that of South America. Palms are very
numerous, but they are generally small and horridly spiny. There are
none of the large and majestic species so abundant on the Amazon. I am
so busy with insects now that I have no time for anything else, I send
now about a thousand beetles to Mr. Stevens, and I have as many other
insects still on hand which will form part of my next and principal
consignment. Singapore is very rich in beetles, and before I leave I
think I shall have a most beautiful collection.

[Illustration: A.R. WALLACE'S MOTHER]

I will tell you how my day is now occupied. Get up at half-past five.
Bath and coffee. Sit down to arrange and put away my insects of the day
before, and set them safe out to dry. Charles mending nets, filling
pincushio