egulations of the Service--which latter, by the way,
discriminates not between the caloric of the north pole and that of the
equator.

Just at this time, we encountered a phenomenon of frequent occurrence
in this region, namely, water-spouts. One of these tremendous,
funnel-shaped, columns of water actually burst just ahead of us,
drenching our decks in showers of spray, and causing the water to
seethe and vex itself as though some monster were lashing it into fury.

October 18th.--The scene which presented itself to our eyes, as we
entered the narrow, gem-studded channel which leads up to Singapore was
such that I trust it may live long in my mind as a memory picture of
grateful and refreshing beauty. I don't know that it will compare with
the mighty growth of Ceylon's forests, or with the variety and richness
of its forms; but for mellowness of tint and harmonious blending of soft
foliage, Singapore's park-like views seem to me, as yet, unrivalled. The
channel is so narrow and its banks so high, that one is quite unprepared
for the splendour which suddenly, like the shifting lights in a
transformation scene, blazes out in all its tropic splendour. _Now_, the
scenes depicted in the "Arabian Nights" seem to me not so impossible
after all, and, except that gems don't grow on the trees, this fairy
garden might well have stood in the writer's mind as his ideal of
paradise.

Very reluctantly we turn away, as that grim reality, known as the
Tangong Pagar coaling wharf, heaves in sight, and alongside which we are
rapidly secured. Hundreds of coolies, in anticipation of our enormous
wants--500 tons of carbon--are already thronging the jetty with their
baskets of coal, which ere long, is rattling down our coal shoots.

The Malays, though labouring under the disadvantage of a bad reputation,
are a well developed, muscular race, of a dark, copper colour. Dress
does not trouble them much, for all that custom and society demand of
them in this respect is a couple of yards or so of white linen about
their lumbar region; the remainder of their sleek, oily bodies
presenting the appearance of polished bronze. They are great divers,
especially the youths and boys--I had almost said _infants_, for some of
the little mortals can scarcely have passed the sucking age. Their stock
of English is very limited: "Jack, I say jack, I dive," delivered all in
one mouthful and with no regard to punctuation, being about the extent
of their acquir