Haji Mahomed Ali bin Yusuf

“ All the Hué-Hué's in China are of the Khanafi sect, and there are none of the Shaféi. They speak Chinese and therefore few come to the Straits; many however go on the Mecca pilgrimage. I have heard that, in the time of our grandfathers and great- grandfathers, we were very powerful and were independent, but the death of Raja Tang-wang marked the commencement of the decline of Mahomedan power in China.
The majority of us are rice-cultivators, cocoa-nut and pinang (betel-nut) planters and gardeners. There are also amongst us many fishermen, but no large merchants. ”

“ The custom among Mussulmen in China was that they were called Hué-Hué, and wore towchangs like the Chinese; but we con- tinued to wear the long coats of our ancestors. But now, however, the custom has been changed by the Chinese as regards those long coats, and they have become the exclusive costume of great men, or of people going to be married, nor can they be worn by the common people.
In our habits of life, such as our way of eating, drinking, sit- ting, standing, &c., we are like the Chinese, but differ a little in some things. ”

“ Su-sun and Iainan. Now, one of these Arabs had a great many descendants, of whom I am one. In course of time, the race be- came scattered about the country, until a man named Sultan Slêman became King of Yu-nan. ”