who was to remain there during our stay at
Singapore, and soon returned with a very favourable report of the
establishment. Dr. Simon, who was chief of the hospital at Malacca
when we were there in 1867, now occupies a similar post here.

We had not been long at the coaling-wharf when our old friend the
Sultan of Johore drove down and came on board. He was delighted to see
us, though surprised at our sudden appearance, for he had been on the
look-out for two or three days, and had sent two steamers out to meet
us, which we had missed by taking another channel. The Sultan was
profuse in his offers of hospitality, and wanted us to stay a week or
two with him and to make all sorts of interesting excursions up the
river in his new steam-yacht. This was impossible: but we promised to
go to tea with him at his town house in Singapore to-night, and to
visit him at his palace at Johore to-morrow.

[Illustration: Traveller's Palm, Singapore]

We had many visitors in the morning, including one or two friends who
had just arrived by the 'Bokhara.' In the afternoon the Doctor landed
to go to the hospital, and later on we went on board the 'Bokhara,'
and then landed and drove in the Sultan's carriages to the hospital,
where, after some delay and difficulty, we found the doctor
established in a comfortable room. Afterwards we took a long
drive--very much longer than we had expected--through the prettiest
part of Singapore. A steep climb up a hill and through a pretty garden
brought us at last to the Sultan's town-house, which is full of lovely
things, especially those brought from Japan. Such delightfully hideous
monsters in bronze and gold, such splendid models, magnificent
embroideries, matchless china, rare carvings, elaborate tables and
cabinets, are seldom found collected together in one house. After a
long examination of all these pretty things, Tom arrived, and then we
had to show them to him all over again. By this time we were quite
ready for tea served in the verandah, with all sorts of nice fruits
and cakes. Altogether it was a charming little entertainment, and we
regretted having so soon to return to the hotel, where a numerous
company assembled at dinner in the large saloon and verandah. The
drive down afterwards to the pier in jinrikishas proved delightful to
the children.

_Thursday, March 31st._--Hove the anchor up at 1.30 P.M. and proceeded
under steam, with pilot on board, through the Straits of Johore to the