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THE EAST INDIES--SINGAPORE.
ARRIVAL IN HONG-KONG--THE ENGLISH STEAMER--SINGAPORE PLANTATIONS--A HUNTING PARTY IN THE JUNGLE--A CHINESE FUNERAL--THE FEAST OF LANTERNS--TEMPERATURE AND CLIMATE.
The passage from Canton to Hong-Kong was accomplished without any circumstance worthy of notice, save the time it took, in consequence of the prevalence of contrary winds the whole way.

We were, it is true, woke up the first night by the report of guns; but I expect they were not fired at us, as we were not molested.

My travelling companions, the Chinese, also behaved themselves on this occasion with the greatest politeness and decorum; and, had I been enabled to look into the future, I would willingly have given up the English steamer and pursued my journey as far as Singapore on board a junk.
But as this was impossible, I availed myself of the English steamer, "Pekin," of 450 horse-power, Captain Fronson commander, which leaves for Calcutta every month.
As the fares are most exorbitant, {116} I was advised to take a third-class ticket, and hire a cabin from one of the engineers or petty officers; I was greatly pleased with the notion, and hastened to carry it out.

My astonishment, however, may be imagined when, on paying my fare, I was told that the third-class passengers were not respectable, that they were obliged to sleep upon deck, and that the moon was exceedingly dangerous, etc.