The native women are fond of ornaments in their ears, like the women of other countries, and a good many of them have their noses pierced and decorated. Anklets and armlets of silver and gold are also worn, and it is not unusual to see a woman, whose entire clothing has cost less than a dollar, almost weighted down with jewellery worth a goodly sum.
COALING AT THE DOCK.
They visited the new harbor of Singapore to see the ship on which they intended leaving the following morning for Java. The new harbor is known as Tangong Pagar, and has the advantage over the old one of allowing ships to lie at a dock instead of anchoring a considerable distance from shore. The docks are well built, and there are mountains of coal piled up there to meet the wants of ships. Singapore is an important coaling-station for ships in the Eastern trade, and sometimes a dozen of them may be seen taking coal at Tangong Pagar at the same time.
CARRYING COAL ON BOARD.
Our friends were satisfied with the appearance of the steamer; and when they had completed their inspection they returned to the hotel, and from there went to the office of the Dutch Steamship Company to engage passage. Every week there is a steamer leaving Singapore for Batavia. One week it is a French ship, and the next a Dutch one; the latter runs in connection with the Peninsular and Oriental line; while the former belongs to the great company which carries the French mail from Europe to the East. It happened to be the week of the Dutch ship when Doctor Bronson and his young companions were at Singapore, and they congratulated themselves that they would have the opportunity of going on a vessel of a nationality new to them.
Frank and Fred opened their eyes in astonishment when they learned the price they were to pay for passage to Java.