Amid all this busy population I saw but one female in the streets, and she was of the lower class.  Dined in the country with Mr. Beaver.  The ride out was over good roads flanked by large forests and ornamental trees, among which was the tall, slender, graceful palm of the betel-nut.  The Botanical Gardens are on an elevation commanding a fine view of the town and the sea, and are laid out with taste, ornamented with flowering trees and shrubs, and flowers.  Hither a band of music comes to play several times a week, when the townspeople turn out to enjoy the scene.  A few miles beyond the town the whole island is a jungle, in which abounds the ferocious Bengal tiger.  It is said that one man and a half per day is the average destruction of human life by these animals.  Visited opium-preparation shop.  It pays an enormous licence.

All this beauty fails to reconcile the European lady to this country, I was told.  The eternal sameness of summer, and the heat and moisture, weigh upon them, and their husbands being away all day on business, they pine for their European homes.  The life seems agreeable enough to the men.  The Governor of the “Straits Settlement” is a Colonel.

Thursday, Dec. 24.—­Cloudy; five of my men deserted last night.  The Kwang-tung got under way at 8 1/2 A.M., and we followed her and steered for the strait of Malacca.  Several sails in sight; Malay pilot on board.  Passed the Kwang-tung very rapidly.  At about 1 P.M. we fired a gun and hove to an American-looking barque, under English colours, with the name, “Martaban, of Maulmain,” on her stern.  Sent a boat on board; and the officer reporting that she was an American-built ship, with English register, and that the Master refused to come on board, I went on board myself to examine the case.  There being no bill of sale, the transaction being recent, the Master and Mate, &c., being Americans, I had no doubt that the transfer was fraudulent, and captured and burned her.  The cargo had no paper on board connected with it, except the ordinary bill of lading.  It consisted of rice, and was shipped in Maulmain by a Mr. Cohen, and consigned to his order at Singapore, whither the ship was bound.  Of course, the cargo followed the fate of the ship under such circumstances.  Upon examination of the Master (Pike), under oath, he admitted that the transfer was a sham, and made to protect the ship from capture.  At 11.30 P.M. came to anchor about four miles distant from Malacca, bearing N., in fifteen fathoms water, for the purpose of landing our prisoners.

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The boarding officer’s journal furnishes the annexed description of the interview with the Master of the prize:—­