AVENUE AT SINGAPORE. [Page 253].
SINGAPORE.
Another excursion by favor of the Messrs. Heard and of Captain Arthur H. Clark of the steamer “Suwo Nada,” plying between Hong Kong and Singapore, was made to Singapore. On the way, we stopped at Saigon, a French port in Cochin China, from which the French were then compelling the enemy to retire. Rice is largely exported from this place, and opium is received to an amount which tells a fearful story. Here we saw noble specimens of tigers, which are declared by authors of high repute to have destroyed on an average one man a day through the year, not many years ago, in some parts of the East Indies. They swim over to the islands from the main lands. They approach their victim from behind, felling him with a blow upon the head.
Singapore is about eight days by steamer from Hong Kong, including the visit to Saigon. At Singapore you feel that you are in the East Indies, from the luxuriant foliage, the birds of marvellous plumage. We were politely taken to the country seat of Dr. John Little, by his brother, Matthew Little, Esq., where we found ourselves in a forest of cocoanut trees. The fruit is brought in loads to the mill, where a long blade in a frame separates the outer covering, and the nut goes through several processes by which every part of it is turned to use. The saying is that the cocoanut serves ninety-nine purposes. The rough husk being subjected to a powerful pressure is at once reduced to a fibrous state ready to be worked into coir mats or spun into cheap ropes. The natural bend of the husk, adapting it to the human head, it is sometimes carefully prepared, and dyed, then worn. We were entertained in a sumptuous manner with true East Indian bounty. We rode home after nine o’clock in the evening, listening to every sound, the rustling of every tree and brake, prepared to see a tiger spring upon the horses. We were glad to see the lights of the town in exchange for the long, solitary road which, however, with all its imaginary or real perils we would not willingly have failed to travel. At the residence of Cyrus Wakefield, Jr., and Temple R. Fay, we were superbly entertained, and from these gentlemen we received very many favors. Among them, a box of corals which had attracted my notice as I passed through the packing room of the counting house of Messrs. Bousteed & Co., and which awakened a hopeless desire to purchase, I afterward found was in preparation for us.—Mr. Vaughan and Mr. Hanna laid us under great obligations by their beautiful hospitality.
A principal road runs close by the sea, is well shaded, and abounds in delicious odors from the gardens. The house and grounds of a rich Chinaman, Mr. Whampoa, are visited by foreigners as objects of interest. Rare East-India plants, ponds filled with the pink lotus, vines trained or trimmed in fantastic shapes, such as eagles, deer, lions, and many others, on frames, trees with great variety of foliage, make the place attractive. A six-legged turtle which we examined was an object of much interest to its owner. He is a venerable man, speaks English well, gives free admission to visitors introduced by any one with whom he is acquainted.
It made us feel that we were indeed in Eastern regions to be contiguous, as we were one day, to the residence of a Rajah, the name savoring of Oriental life.
CURRY.
To those who are fond of this condiment, it may be interesting to know that Singapore has the reputation of furnishing the best article in this form of diet. It would require one to be more of a connoisseur than the writer to decide whether Singapore, Manila, or Anjer is entitled to the palm in preparing this article of luxury. Those who award it to Singapore say there are ingredients in the mixture at this place which are not to be obtained elsewhere; for they can not be exported and retain their flavor, the excellence of curry depending, we are told, on its being prepared fresh every day. The flavor of the fresh cocoanut is essential. Those who have eaten curry powder on their food in this country, have an agreeable surprise on tasting the article of curry in the East Indies. The servants grind some of the ingredients on stones, and the frequency with which we saw the operation as we passed along the streets in Singapore, made us feel that the preparation of curry root has a reputation which it requires labor to maintain.
To specify all that is to be enjoyed in Singapore through every sense, would fill a volume. We went off to the “Suwo Nada” in a boat and steamed away from this garden of luxuries by groves of cocoanut trees, through lines of ships from all quarters of the globe, and, after an enchanting passage, found ourselves once more safe in Hong Kong harbor.