s. Some twenty-two American merchant ships here, most of
them laid up! The Wyoming was here twenty days ago, and left for Rhio
Strait, where she remained for some days. Finished coaling last night,
the operation having occupied no more than ten hours. Received
provisions.

_Wednesday, Dec. 23rd_.--Weather variable, with occasional showers of
rain--raining heavily in the afternoon. Visited the city, and was
astonished at its amount of population and business. There are from
eighty to one hundred thousand Chinese on Singapore island, nearly all
of them in the city, from twelve to fifteen thousand Malays, and about
fifteen hundred Europeans. Singapore being a free port, it is a great
_entrepot_ of trade. Great quantities of Eastern produce reach it from
all quarters, whence it is shipped to Europe.

The business is almost exclusively in the hands of the Chinese, who are
also the artisans and labourers of the place. The streets are thronged
with foot-passengers and vehicles, among which are prominent the ox, or
rather the buffalo cart, and the hacks for hire, of which latter there
are nine hundred licensed. The canal is filled with country boats of
excellent model, and the warehouses are crammed with goods. Money seems
to be abundant and things dear. They are just finishing a tasteful
Gothic church, with a tall spire, which is a notable landmark as you
approach; they are also completing officers' quarters on a hill which
commands the town. Barracks for three or four regiments lie unoccupied a
couple of miles outside the city, and a large court-house.

The moving multitude in the streets comprises every variety of the human
race, every shade of colour, and every variety of dress, among which are
prominent the gay turbans and fancy jackets of the Mahomedan, Hindu, &c.
Almost all the artisans and labourers were naked, except a cloth or a
pair of short trousers tucked about the waist. The finest dressed part
of the population was decidedly the _jet-black_, with his white flowing
mantle and spotted turban. The upper class of Chinese merchants are
exceeding polite, and seem intelligent. I visited the establishment of
Whampoa and Co. Whampoa was above the middle height, stout, and with a
large, well-developed head. I was told that his profits some years
amounted to forty or fifty thousand pounds! He was sitting in a small,
dingy, ill-lighted little office on the ground floor, and had before him
a Chinese calculating machine, ove