All the missionary zeal in these quarters seems to be among the French priests.  Some one once said that it was not wonderful that young men took away so much learning from Oxford as they left so little behind them.  The same may, I think, be said of the French religion.  It seems all intended for exportation.

[Sidenote:  View from Singapore.]

June 15th.—­I see from my window that a French steamer has just come into the harbour and dropped her anchor.  This reminds me that I have not yet told you what I see from this window—­if I may apply the term window to a row of Venetian blinds running all round the house or bungalow, for this residence is not dignified by the title ‘house.’  I am on an eminence about 200 feet above the sea; immediately below me the town; on one side a number of houses with dark red roofs, surrounded with trees, looking very like a flower-garden, and confirming me in my opinion of the beauty of such roofs when so situated; on the other, the same red-roofed houses without trees, which makes all the difference.  Beyond, the harbour, or rather anchorage, filled with ships, the mighty ‘Shannon’ in the centre—­a triton among the minnows.  Beyond, again, a wide opening to the sea, with lowish shores, rocky, and covered with wood, running out on either side.  Such is the prospect ever before me, a very fine one during the day, still more interesting at night when it all sparkles with lights, and the great tropical moon looks calmly down on the whole.

[Sidenote:  On board the ‘Shannon.’]

H.M.S.  ’Shannon.’—­June 24th.—­I daresay you will consider me an object of envy when I describe to you where I am,—­on board of a magnificent ship-of-war, carrying sixty 68-pounders, our foremast and mainmast sails set, and gliding through the water with just motion enough to tell us that the pulse of the great sea is beating.  The temperature of the air is high, but the day is somewhat cloudy, and the sails throw a shadow on the deck.  The only thing I regret is, that having no poop, the high bulwarks close us in and shut out both the air and prospect.  One can only get these by climbing up on a sort of standing-place on the side....  Our departure from Singapore was very striking....  Not only were all the troops and volunteers under arms, with Chinamen and merchants in crowds, but (may I mention it) the fair ladies of Singapore were drawn up in a row to give us a parting salute.  We moved off in our boats, under a salute from the battery, which was repeated by the ‘Spartan’ as I passed her, and by the ‘Shannon’ when I got on board, both these vessels manning yards.  The French admiral honoured me also with a salute as I passed him after getting under weigh, although the sun had already set.

July 1st.—­Another month begun.  Last night, at dinner, we were startled by hearing that we seemed to be running on a rock or shoal, where no rock or shoal was known to exist.