Wa Hakim

“ The following account of the first landing of Sir Stamford Raffles in Singapore may not be without interest to the readers of this Journal for two reasons: first as being the statement of one who is now probably the only survivor of those present on the occasion, and who is certainly the oldest inhabitant of the island who was himself an eye-witness of the proceedings ”

“ He is still an intelligent old man. His statement is as follows:—"At the time when Tuan Raffles came, there were under one hundred small houses and huts at the mouth of the river [Singapore] ; but the Raja's house was the only large one, and it stood back from the river, between the sea and the river, near the obelisk. About thirty families of 'Orang laut' also lived in boats (dia punya rumah ada prahu) a little way up the Singapore river at the wide part (laut ofis) . About half the 'Orang laut' lived ashore and half in boats. My sister still lives in a boat there, and has never lived asbore. ”