us decided that perhaps the proverb: "If you want to make a Chinese
happy, just buy him a coffin," is not so far off, because death to many
of them looks much more attractive than life. We were told that if a
Chinese falls off his sampan, his neighbor does not try to save him.
That would be a "Bad Joss" as they say and would incur the wrath of the
River God, who pulled him in. Then, too, the rescuer would have to
support him for the rest of his days.



The Homeward Trip
Chapter VIII



The Stop at Singapore



They say that anticipation is half of enjoyment, but the Chamber of
Commerce Party never could have imagined the pleasure we were to have in
Singapore, although the expected palms waved greetings from the shore as
an indication of the tropical scenes we were to see.

We had heard it said that, "He who tries to hurry the Orient shall come
to a speedy grave," and we thought there must be some truth in it, when
at the junction of two busy streets we saw a lazy native peacefully
reposing, on his cot bed, in the middle of two lines of traffic. Nice
quiet spot for a nap, while the sun was beating down with such force
that the men of the party drew their new helmets well down over their