Page:"Round the world." - Letters from Japan, China, India, and Egypt (IA roundworldletter00fogg 0).pdf/155

 Soon weary of the din and glare, we pass on and cross another fine bridge in the di- rection of cur hotel, Stopping at a native shop te exquire the way and we learn that the Hatei ?Huropeis known to the Maylays nuder the signifiesnt name of the “English Yoddy Sacp.” Tor more than three nonths had been bsyond tha range of telegraphs, but here one? more we ssem to touch civili- zsiion, aud the ¢ysning psper upon the betel tab’s, gives us the war nowas from Paris of yesterday.

Singapore, or the “town of lion;,” ag the word eigniiles, is situated on av island twen- ty-five miles loug by about fifteen broed, af the lower extremity of the peniagula of May Isece, whith extends equtnward one thou-. sand otiies below the Continent of Asia, it ig a Britich colony and a free port, and was ecded to the English by the Rejsh of Ja- hore, s mative prince who lives in great bar- barie splendor on the main lend about twenty miles from the city, and is the ruler of a large portion of the Malayan pentnsula.

He receives frem the British government a heeyy annual payment in consideration of the cession of this island and is nominally al jeaat, av iedependent prines. But if he should gusrre] with the Governor of Singa- poe a tew gunboats and a regiment or two of red-coats would equeleh his sovereiguty agsthey have already done with the many nativs priveas of Iudia. The Malays ar. all Mobammedang and as 8 race have ne envia- ble reputation among EKanteru nations. They are @f light coppsr color, with high snd vory praminent check bones, and oa lsrger acd better daveloped pliysigne than the Chinese. They gim be firm friends or malignant ene- mics, and in tha latter case ate most freach- erous snd ¢ciuel. There nations! wespon is the creese, of which I cecured a specimen in anativeshep. Itisa wicked looking dag- gor, about eighteen inches long, with a ser- pontine bisde, keen and glittering, in shape like the deadly cobra, and, like it, the point is charged with a fatal polzon for which thoreia no antidote, The sheath is of hard wood, the handle earved and orna- mented with geld and eilyer. In the in- terior avery Malay carries this desdly wespox in his belt, but in the territory con- trolled by the English no one is permitted to year if. Bstter meet the cobra or the tiger ia the thicknesses of the jangle than an enraged Malay armed with this savage weapon. In this country the