Singapore appeared like a smudge on the edge of the horizon. It was preceded by several uninhabited islands and John and the First Mate pored over the maps to make sure they followed the right route. A steamer picked them up at the entrance of the harbour and they anchored in the middle surrounded by a multitude of ships, New Harbour now being one of the busiest ports in the world.
The first thing they noticed was the scent. The island smelt of something undefinable, not unpleasant but distinctive. When Marilla mentioned it to the Agent's wife, she said it was rotting plants. "It's the same everywhere in the tropics to some degree," she explained. "I disliked it initially, but I've got used to it now. I hardly smell it anymore, it's stronger in the wet season I must admit."
The city itself consisted of masses of low-slung buildings nestled around the harbour and beyond, though Singapore itself was not particularly large. Business and society was dominated by the mighty East India Trading Company which managed trade from India, China and all points east.
Having been shocked by the Ceylonese, Marilla and Mari now had to acclimatise to the myriad of faces they encountered. It was a real melting pot of Malay, Indians, Chinese and even the occasional European amongst others but they were rushed past the crowds as the shipping agent escorted them to the much-esteemed Ruffles Hotel* for afternoon tea. The streets were crammed with people selling goods but like Moses parting the Red Sea they melted away when the carriage came too close. Mari noticed that business resumed when they had passed. No one even taking note of them as if they never existed in the first place.
After they alighted Mari paused staring agape at the grand façade. This was no ordinary hotel, rather it resembled a small palace surrounded by luscious gardens of palm trees and colourful tropical plants. It being rather humid with rain clouds threatening they sat inside a grand dining room.
While she was admiring the garden, the boys were openly staring at the magnificent doorman. From his magnificent moustache to his brocaded shoes he exuded authority. Flustered Marilla examined the boys before they entered, whipping out her handkerchief and briefly dampening it with her mouth before wiping their faces as they squirmed. "Blow," she commanded. "You'll do, I suppose," she said afterwards.
With Mari taking Jacob's hand and Marilla with Susanna in one arm and Johnny's hand in the other they entered the wide doorway and walked into a gloomy entranceway. Instantly the stifling heat struck them. What small breeze blowing helped the humidity outdoors dissipated abruptly upon entering. It was like hitting an oppressive wall of heat and Mari felt her chemise cling to her torso with a clammy grip.
The dining room however was slightly more bearable. A large light airy room with wide windows had chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Vast vases filled with lilies lent the room a pungently cloying perfume which almost overcame the smell of sweat, but not quite. A waiter weaved through the moderately busy room and escorted them to a large table. He pulled out chairs for them all to sit down. The polite murmur of the other guests and the soft clink of teacups and cutlery on plates provided the background noise while in the corner someone played a harp despite the humidity.
Having eaten their buns and drunk their milk the boys soon tired of sitting still and went exploring. A boy sat in a corner pulling ceaselessly on a rope attached to a fan. "Ask him if he wants to pway," Jacob whispered to Johnny.
"Do you want to play hide and seek?" Johnny asked, but the boy shook his head mournfully, his big brown eyes looking up at them.
"Get away from him," a passing gentleman hissed. "He can't play with you. He has a job to do see," he said, pointing up at the ceaselessly moving fans. "He's our punkah-wallah and a very important job it is too. If it weren't for him this room would be even more stifling than it is already. Keep working boy," he said sternly to the child mimicking the action. "In any case he's deaf," he said to the boys, "so he can't hear you. Pay him no mind and go back to your seats."
Confused but chastened the boys scurried back to their table and sat down. Johnny reached across the table for another cake nearly knocking the teapot over. Marilla gave him a sharp look as she steadied it. "Just sit still you two, this isn't a Ceylonese wedding you know, you have to behave yourselves. Jacob cast a low look at Johnny but was otherwise still as Marilla and Mari sipped their tea daintily looking around the room appreciatively. Mari made her excuses as she needed the ladies' room.
Johnny noticed something interesting on the far wall and nudged Jacob. While Marilla was preoccupied with Susanna, they slid off their chairs and stealthily made their way over. A massive tiger's head was mounted in a roaring pose upon the wall, its eyes staring forward dully. Johnny wished he were taller, he wanted to stroke the beautiful soft fur. "You have noticed our magnificent pet then I see young masters," a passing waiter stopped to tell them. "This is Shere Khan"* Setting his silver tray on the dresser because it was rather heavy, he told them the story.
"It was a very stormy night, rain lashed down and the wind made all the plants wave wildly. We had received word that a tiger had escaped from a local circus, so we were all on edge. Do you know about tigers, young masters? They are very ferocious, look." Both boys averted their gaze from his face to its long, sharp eye teeth. "One bite and you'd be dead as a doormat," he said with relish smacking his hands together. "Word had it that animal had been seen loping along the road out yonder," he gesticulated, "and that it had leapt our wall. The gentlemen located their shotguns, I can still hear the clicking as they shifted their safeties off. The problem was of course that it was a very dark night and our gardens are quite extensive, plenty of spots for a tiger to hide. See those stripes?" he asked and again the boys turned to look. "They are perfect camouflage; do you know what that means?" When they shook their heads, he continued, "it means the animal is expert at concealment. So began the most frightening game of hide and seek you could ever imagine. One snap of his jaws and the hunter would be toast; and yet we could not let the dangerous beast roam around the neighbourhood. It is a wonder no one was shot with all those nervous men wandering around the garden with their big guns cocked."
"As it happened no one did locate it, but a frightened servant found one of the hunters and told him in a low tone that the animal was inside. He had taken refuge underneath the billiard table in the smoking room. Only members may enter," he said in a weak joke that fell flat, "so we knew we had to dispatch it." The boys stood silent waiting for the end of the story.
Marilla looked up and noticed that the boys had disappeared and looked around in some dismay, but when she spied them listening to a waiter at the other side of the room she relaxed and offered the baby a morsel of cake instead. Truth be told it was nice to just be alone with Susanna, the boys were exhausting. She decided to make the most of the moment, but she kept half on eye on them just in case. Susanna waved a teaspoon around happily as she ate the cake smearily.
The waiter continued with his story, delighted to have such a rapt audience, "first of all we had to close all but one door so it could not escape. This brought its own problems because a cornered tiger is extremely dangerous. Shere Khan was hunkered down under the billiard table, just his long tail poking out waving like a cat's does. Nose to tail I would say it was longer than the table, a fearsome beast indeed. I peeked around the shoulder of one of the gentlemen and I could see its eyes glowing red in the gloom." This was a lie of course, the waiter had seen no such thing, but he saw no harm in a bit of embellishment for the sake of the story. "The gentlemen conferred between themselves. There was no need for more than one of them to shoot the animal. Ideally, they wanted the pelt to be in good condition. But just in case the first man missed or did not kill it outright he needed back up."
Mari entered the room from the far doorway and took Susanna from Marilla, "what are the boys up to?" she asked as she reached for a napkin to wipe the baby's face.
"I don't know, they seem to be listening to that waiter down there," said Marilla. "It must be a good story for they haven't moved an inch for the last ten minutes." Mari laughed the Blythe boys were not known for their inactivity.
"The principle shooter was chosen because he was an excellent shot, and he knelt down some way from the head of the table, with the others located at either side in case his shot went wide. And there we stayed for what felt like the longest moment," the waiter said. "My heart was pounding so loudly I was sure the gentlemen could hear me, but all that could really be heard was the sound of Shere Khan licking his paws with his big pink tongue. Rasp, rasp, rasp," he said rolling his R's. "I was standing at the side door and I could see the length of the beast with his tail was waving back and forth; he seemed very relaxed. Then Bang!" the waiter shouted, and the little boys jumped, their eyes wide open.
"I have never heard anything so loud," he said, pleased with their reaction, "as the report of that shotgun in close quarters. Fortunately for all concerned the gentleman aimed true and the animal was killed with one shot. You can just about see it there," he said pointing. "Right above the eye, it's hidden by the fur." The boys searched but could not see it. "Shere Khan gave a sigh and expired, its head sinking to its paws, but still magnificent in death. It took four men to drag it out from under the table and then outside. And here he stays to remind us of the bravery of the men that night."
"What did the circus say?" Johnny asked.
"Eh? The circus? Well they were just happy Shere Khan did not kill any members of the public. They let him escape after all, what could they say?" The waiter picked up his silver tray and bid them good afternoon as the boys thanked him for the story.
They ran back to their mother and the story tumbled out of them both as they both strove to get the good bits across. "Sh, one at a time. I can't understand you. Take a deep breath, um Jacob," said Marilla picking her younger child to Johnny's outrage, "and start at the beginning.
"Dats a tiga, Mama," he said pointing and then continued to tell the thrilling tale with his brother interrupting at salient points.
"Goodness," Marilla said when the story came to its startling conclusion. "What an amazing yarn. Do you want any more to eat before we go home?"
Any relief they hoped they might feel when they left the stuffy entranceway was not apparent as the city waited with baited breath for that afternoon's thunderstorm to alleviate the humidity. The doorman hailed a carriage for them but as he did so Marilla glanced down at Jacob. The boy was hopping up and down with his legs pressed together in a familiar dance. "Would you mind waiting a moment," said Marilla. "I think we have rather urgent business indoors."
She followed Mari back into the stuffy hallway and thence to the ladies' room. Between them they got the boys sorted and since they were there anyway changed Susanna's napkin. Marilla took advantage of the facilities herself, hitching up her light petticoats with relief.
"Marilla! Be reasonable."
Marilla cast him with her steely glare, her bright blue eyes flashing dangerously. Silently she got to her feet and made her way out of the cabin stepping decorously over the lip of the doorway.
John sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead. Of all the times to get stubborn she just had to choose now. He sat heavily on the bed for a moment.
When he reappeared on deck Marilla was nowhere to be seen. "Have you seen Mrs Blythe anywhere?" he asked a crewman.
"She's gone to town," the man replied. "She asked us to row her in. I hope we did right."
John nodded though internally his mind was awhirl. "That's fine. I had better go after her."
"Into that, Captain?" the man gestured at the city scape before them, she could be anywhere within the myriad of low-lying buildings.
"I have a fair idea where she might be," John replied.
Rowing over to the dock John thought about his plan of attack. She might be taking tea at Ruffles again but based on their conversation he was pretty sure he'd find her at the office of the shipping agent.
The issue was their cargo on this leg of the journey. Along with the regular assortment of general cargo: spices, linen, cast iron, leather, tea, clothing and other sundry items they had also been tasked with the delivery of some 500 barrels of rum. As a strict abolitionist Marilla had put her foot down.
"No, John. Let someone else take it if they must. I refuse to countenance it. I read somewhere that rum caused no end of trouble in the fledging colony some years ago. The last thing they need in Australia is more rum."
"This is a lucrative contract for us, darling. If we refuse, we might get a reputation. I can't afford that," John reasoned.
"You are always saying that," Marilla sighed. "Reputation be damned, are we not allowed to have morals now?"
John did locate Marilla remonstrating with the shipping agent, he was doing his best against a determined Marilla and looked at John in some dismay when he entered the office. "Ah Captain, call your wife off please."
"Marilla," John said. "Sit down."
"I prefer to stand," said Marilla indignantly.
"Your wife is telling me she refuses the cargo," explained the wearied agent. Wives seldom sailed with their husbands and he had never encountered one barring a shipment before. It was a new experience and one he was not particularly enjoying.
"Now Marilla," said John in a futile effort to be conciliatory. "You must see sense."
"No, you can send the rum with someone else, though I would prefer you do not," said Marilla firmly. "We are prepared to take other goods instead, but not hard liquor, I forbid it," she told the agent. "I will not travel on the ship with it," she turned to John. "If you insist, the children and I will stay here until you come and collect us."
"Darling," said John, knowing he had lost.
"I'd just tell your wife what's what," muttered the agent. "Are you honestly telling me she is your mistress? Who rules your household, Captain Blythe?"
With a look from one to the other, John ran his hands through his hair dishevelling it further. Marilla was determined and he knew better than to cross her when her blood was up. He shook his head slowly and looked at the agent, "what else can we take for you?" Marilla looked triumphant while the agent stared incredulously. "What would you have me do?" John asked the man. "Can you honestly say your wife never forces you to act?"
The agent shuffled papers busily rather than answering John and eventually said, "there's a consignment of jute bound for Sydney and another of saltpetre. Will that do?" Marilla nodded curtly and together they made their way out into the sunshine.
* Ruffles Hotel is of course stolen from the infamous Raffles Hotel. Raffles did not open for another 20 years or so.
*Shere Khan was the tiger in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. Again, I have taken liberties with the dates as it had not yet been published, but who's to say Kipling didn't borrow the name from somewhere else? I have embellished the story, but it is based on fact.