A CHINAMAN'S BALL.

Singapore, February 21st, 1852.

Antonio on the Rialto of Singapore, conceived a few weeks ago the intrepid design SUCH of your readers as have visited the of giving the first Chinese ball ever beheld Golden Chersonese, with the pretty and in this part of the world. Having recently thriving little island situated at its southern erected a spacious Godown, or suite of extremity, must have observed with some chambers and warehouses, he resolved to curiosity the confluence on that spot of a hun- convert one of these into a magnificent bandred different streams of population. From queting-hall and dancing-room. Europeans the west and from the east, from the south probably aided him in organising the prelimiand from the north, strangers are perpetually naries of the entertainment, in selecting the arriving in search of health, pleasure, or profit. musicians, and in the judicious provision of Chief among these immigrants are the natives refreshment for his guests. Numerous inviof the Celestial Empire; who, allured by tations were issued to gentlemen and ladies rupees (although an emigrant from China of all tribes and tongues, who were requested makes an outlaw of himself), would, at any to be present in their respective costumes on time of the day or night, undertake the cir- the appointed evening at the Godown of Kim cumnavigation of the globe. At Singapore Sing. A detail of the ethnological display they have long formed the most active and made at this party might be taken for a bad important class of inhabitants. Arriving fre- joke, but I am perfectly serious and deliberate quently with an empty purse, they apply them-in stating generally that the company included selves fearlessly and without the least fasti- Englishmen, Frenchmen, Dutchmen, Scotchdiousness to any kind of labour that presents men, Irishmen, Germans, Portuguese from itself. They live sparely, lie on boards, and dis- Malacca, Spaniards from the Philippines, play an example of economy which in Western Malays, Klings, Bombayises, Cambodians, Europe would inspire even misers with Tonquinese, Mandarins from Cochin China, despair. The consequence of all this, is, that Siamese, Peguans, Arabs, Javanese, Jews, in some cases they amass large fortunes, and Parsees, Chinese, and half-castes. either return to China, or remain where they are already comfortable, resolving for the remainder of their days to feast on the juiciest of dogs.

I considered myself extremely fortunate to have arrived just in time to be present at this entertainment. I had of course about me (as every body else had) the usual prejudices of my own race, and therefore, on being presented to the master of the house, with his pig-tail, sharp

Yet, though these hardy adventurers abound not only here in Singapore, but in every other part of the East, few things appear to be less understood than their real habits and charac-features, and Mongolian eyes, it was with much ter. Sometimes, one finds them represented as a pacific and timid, but industrious people, with little of the spirit of enterprise, and no feeling of independence. Elsewhere they are regarded as fierce, turbulent, insatiable; addicted to material indulgences; faithless, cruel, and seldom touched with sympathy for other men.

There are certainly some contradictions in the character of the Chinese, which will supply colour to either of these sketches. Vain they certainly are, of being, according to their own theory, the only nation that is gifted with two eyes. At the same time, they often condescend to use, in a most servile way, the eyes of Europeans. Until the present time, however, they would seem to have resisted all temptation to indulge in balls and routs, to enliven their time by familiar social colloquies with ladies, or to give champagne suppers. At length, however, even in this respect the time has come when the ethics of Confucius have proved too weak to resist the demoralising impulse of example. Civilisation makes sad havoc among the principles of Buddhism. Instead of approaching through opium the joys of Nibban, or absolute quietude, the men of long tails and angular physiognomy have entered with a horrible energy upon the career of Western dissipation: late hours, fiddling, dancing, and rich collations liberally sprinkled with champagne.

Kim Sing, a merchant well-known as an

difficulty that I kept my mirth under polite restraint. I had been introduced under the best possible auspices, and soon felt myself quite at home, both with the Celestial and the terrestrial visitors. The ladies of the company being in a decided minority, each having about two gentlemen to her fair share, I, being quite a stranger, began to apprehend a paucity of partners. I was mistaken: a young lady of Dutch descent, but dark in complexion as a Malay, soon found herself, I know not how, my vis-à-vis, and away we went, whirling and pirouetting down the apartment, to the great amazement of the Asiatic neophytes. I must pause here to observe, by way of parenthesis, that the ballroom was not smaller than the body of a goodsized English church, with a row of pillars on each side under the galleries, behind which the spectators thronged. Next after us, followed a Jew in the costume of Bengal with a delicate young damsel fresh from England. Then, came a fire-worshipper with a Parisian belle, and then a multitude of unimaginable combinations, until the floor was crowded with dancers glancing hither and thither beneath the glitter of the splendid chandeliers.

The harmony of dance and music was, however, presently disturbed by an uncivil Frenchman (a rare creature), who suddenly discovering that he had lost his partner, plunged about the room in search of her, and found her actively pointing her toes at a young En

glish lieutenant of gigantic stature. Jacques to be in a delicious state of dreaminess, Bonhomme, being small, had some trouble to imagining themselves, perhaps, in the vicinity strike his rival in the face; the rival with of the Lake of Lilies, with orange and teamuch courtesy requested him to walk down-trees blossoming around them. Near these, stairs, and promised a sufficient explanation were two or three Hindoos smoking the when the dance was over. Jacques remained hookah; in their neighbourhood a solitary upstairs, wandering about the room like a Turk, who bore in his countenance an expreswolf in a cage. A duel impended, and the sion of infinite disdain for the infidels of Asiatics very much enjoyed the prospect of all colours whom he saw around him. As this unexpected addition to their evening's I had recently come from his part of the entertainment. Somebody, however, procured world, I accosted him at once, and great was the intervention of police, and in a corner of his delight, when he heard a greeting in the a ball-room there took place the episode of language of Stamboul. The whole economy arrest, bail, and those other details preliminary of his features immediately underwent a comto civil action against Jacques Bonhomme for plete change. He would gladly have proassault and battery. longed our conversation until morning, had I not been reminded of an engagement to waltz with a houri from Manilla.

Having shared several dances with my young Asiatic Netherlander, I next found myself opposite a Spanish lady, from Manilla, who smoked between the figures, and spoke very bad English. This, however, she declared to me was her favourite language, though she knew both Malay and French; I was therefore bound, in politeness, to conceal my ignorance as to the import of about two words in every three with which she favoured me.

To describe fitly the supper which followed, I ought to have studied for three years under some Parisian gastronome. It was a chaos of dainties, each more tempting than the other. All the fruits of the Indian Archipelago, of India, China, and the West-some in their natural state, others exquisitely preserved, were piled around us. There were birds' The cluster of faces peering out from nest soups, puppy ragouts, pillaus of kangabetween the pillars was now and then roos' tails, fish of all kinds, and pastry in lighted up with laughter, as odd groups of profusion. And then for the wines-all dancers whirled past; even the dancers them-the wines that France, Germany, and Hunselves often found it impossible to preserve gary could produce, sparkled on the board, their gravity. Some little awkwardness, and the most anxious care was taken that moreover, was occasionally displayed by the strangely united couples. For example, a young lady from Calcutta, dressed after the most elaborate fashion of the city of palaces, got fearfully entangled in a Schottische with a Chinese Mandarin, whose large, jet-black tail descended considerably below his waist. As he hopped and frisked, the tail flew about in the most dangerous manner. No doubt could be entertained, however, that the gentleman had been taking lessons for a fortnight or three weeks, because he really went through the business of the dance very respectably. At length, however, as ill-luck would have it, one of his red slippers came off. A burst of laughter, which it was impossible to restrain, shook the fat sides of the host at this disaster, while the unhappy How-Guim-Foo quitted his partner, and rushed, with his long tail like a comet, to regain the shoe-for to be shoeless is to be disgraced in Celestial eyes.

At another time, and in another part of the room, the tails of two of the Chinese, as they passed one another, back to back, hooked together: perhaps by the string which tied them. While the gentlemen butted forward with their heads, after the manner of rams, to dissolve their involuntary partnership, their chosen partners ran into each others arms, and whirled on in the waltz without them.

Becoming by degrees a little tired, I slipped behind the pillars for rest. Here I observed neat little tables in front of luxurious sofas, on which several Celestials reclined at their full length, smoking opium. They appeared

every one should be supplied with what he most desired. While we were regaling ourselves, delicious strains of music, issuing from I know not where, stole into the apartment. This I thought much better than a noisy band, destroying or bewildering one's appetite from a gallery immediately over-head. In this case, the music seemed to form part of the flavour of the fruits and wines, so finely did it steal into the air. Two or three songs, sung by female singers from Italy, forcibly carried me back by association to old happy days in Europe. By way of variety, we had a little Asiatic music also, which several of the Europeans present thought themselves compelled, by the laws of taste, to pronounce detestable. I differed from them greatly. Though inartificial, it seemed to me full of sweetness, and strikingly characteristic of wild, fierce, and impassioned races. Not, however, being a connoisseur in these matters, I may of course be wrong. Besides, I judged (after such a supper) in a spirit of extreme good humour towards all the world.

It was between two and three o'clock in the morning when we separated; and as I had to take a ride of three or four miles into the country before going to bed, I felt so refreshed by the cool night air, that on reaching home, I lay down to rest as tranquilly as a child might, after no more fatiguing pleasure than a frolic in the garden.