Some of our friends came off before luncheon to see the yacht, and we returned with them to tiffin at Government House.  At four o’clock the carriage came round to take us to Johore.  We wished good-bye to Singapore and all our kind friends, and started on a lovely drive through the tropical scenery.  There is a capital road, fifteen miles in length, across the island, and our little ponies rattled along at a good pace.  There was a pleasant breeze and not much dust, no sun, and a stream ran the whole way by the side of the road.  The acacia flamboyante—­that splendid tree which came originally from Rangoon and Sumatra—­was planted alongside the road, and produced a most charming effect.  It is a large tree, with large leaves of the most delicate green; on its topmost boughs grow gorgeous clusters of scarlet flowers with yellow centres, and the effect of these scarlet plumes tossing in the air is truly beautiful.  As we were driving along we espied a splendid butterfly, with wings about ten inches long.  Mr. Bingham jumped out of the carriage and knocked it down with his hat; but it was so like the colour of leaves in grass that in the twilight nobody could distinguish it, and, to our great disappointment, we could not find it.  We were equally unsuccessful in our attempted capture of a water-snake a couple of feet long.  We threw sticks and stones and our syce waded into the stream, but all to no purpose; it glided away into some safe little hole under the bank.

We reached the sea-shore about six o’clock, and found the Maharajah’s steam-launch waiting to convey us across the Straits to the mainland.  These Straits used to be the old route to Singapore, and are somewhat intricate.  Tom engaged a very good pilot to bring the yacht round, but at the last moment thought that he should like to bring her himself; the result being that he arrived rather late for dinner.  The Maharajah and most of the party were out shooting when we arrived; but Sir William Jervoise met us and showed us round the place, and also arranged about rooms for us to dress in.  Johore is a charming place; the Straits are so narrow and full of bends that they look more like a peaceful river or inland lake in the heart of a tropical forest than an arm of the mighty ocean.  As we approached we had observed a good deal of smoke rising from the jungle, and, as the shades of evening closed over the scene, we could see the lurid glare of two extensive fires.

We sat down thirty to dinner at eight o’clock.  There were the Maharajah’s brothers, the Prime Minister, Harkim or judge, and several other Malay chiefs, the Governor of the Straits Settlements, his family and suite, and one or two people from Singapore.  The dinner was cooked and served in European style; the table decorated with gold and silver epergnes full of flowers, on velvet stands, and with heaps of small cut-flower glasses full of jasmine.  We were waited on by the Malay servants of the establishment,