From the very beginning, Singapore’s promise of adventure and romance lured visitors to her shores. Travellers came from everywhere and found in Singapore so much to amaze and amuse, so much to write home about. The tales selected for this collection take the reader back to the early days of Singapore when pirates roamed the seas and tigers ate Chinamen for breakfast. It was an era of rickshaws and gharries, of pepper and gambier plantations, of secret societies and opium dens. Through the eyes of more than 60 visitors are seen glimpses of a place, a time and a way of life that is very different from today’s. First published in 1985, this classic volume is bound to entertain and inform a whole new generation of readers. “The reader is constantly thrilled by the freshness and detail of observations made by first-time visitors… Mr Wise's collection of experiences and adventures is an exciting walk through the past, seen through the eyes of very keen observers, and I highly recommend it.” The Beam (Magazine of the British Association of Singapore) “This engaging exercise in memorabilia is a tribute to the industry of its compilers… Michael and Mun Him Wise have used eyes eager for the acute descriptive phrase and the idiosyncratic taste.” – (Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society ) “illuminating and entertaining” Business Traveller
