The Coconino sun., 1925-04-24
THE COCONINO SUN

population, aside from the Chinese,
all looked as though their faces had
been carelessly stepped upon by a
water buffalo or some kindred animal
early in their youth. There may
have been some other reason for wear
such faces. Providence may have
made them that way SO they could
absorb fish or catch coconuts with
them as they fell from the trees. The
census here in 1921 indicates that rs
per cent of the population are Chinese.
For some reason or other we did
not get to see the wild animal mar
ket, where all sorts of animals, from
tigers to elephants, monkeys and
snakes are brought in from the penin-
5ula and other adjoining jungles, for
sale to European menageries and 9TH
ers interested in such curios
Singapore is one of the first of the
Straits Settlements" in Malaysia. 1t
is one of the great rubber and tin
shipping centers of the world. The
United States dollar down here is
equal to about 81 cents of Straits
settlements money and they even
have ten cents in paper money, though
most of it is silver, coined in ten-cent
denomination. There were few if any
dollars, halves or quarters in silver.
The British government practically
controls all this country, though it
does not technically own it. lahore is
the only Independent state, lying on
the tip of the Malay peninsula across
the narrow strait north of Singapore.
Belonging to the federated Malay
states are Pattiang, Perak, Selangor,
Negri, Semblin and others of lesser
Importance. They are virtually Eng
,ish protectorates, though not claimed
is such. Part of the east coast line of
southeastern Malay peninsula has not
been explored or mapped.
Strait Settlements include Malacca,
Penang, Lubuan, Cocos Islands,
Christmas Island, and binding Is
lands. binding Islands produced no
sounds as we passed along up through
the Malacca straits, past SIAM Most
Of our readers will remember that
present Governor Hunt and ex-ex-
eX-eX % times) governor of Arizona
represented our United States govern
ment here for a couple years. Siam
is the home of the sacred white ele-
phant. In passing this country we
bowed three times and waved a red
lecktie at the distant foliage in honor
of the climate which so mildly tenn
pered the ruler of Arizona that no
special session of the state legislature
was called last year
We enjoyed passing Siam, not be-
cause of the fact that our estimable
governor once associated with the
kingdom here, but because of the eli
mate being so badly "het up"
While waiting for something more
to transpire at the Raffles Hotel at
Singapore, a band of Hindu snake
charmers and sleight of hand artists
camped down on gravel pathway in
the patio Of the hotel grounds and
proceeded to entertain the blase world
tramps with a large line of tricks all
have seen at one time or other on the
stage. In his outfit were several
baskets containing deadly cobras and
other snakes, including a snake with
a head on each end. This two-headed
reptile was shaped very much like
an eel and about the same color. /
did not see the thing travel on the
ground but | suppose the one thing
it couldn't do was to back up. Which
ever way it was going was ahead.
The Hindu, who pranced around
playing his shrill pipe, with ludicrous
steps, endeavored to explain the ma
lure of the critter in English, but his
English was not always quite clear.
From what | gathered he claimed that
the snake was not freak but rare
specie which he had captured some old
place in the Jungle. He did not ham
die the cobras much but did throw
them around some and pinched them
to make them angry. They would
dart their heads out at him, but he
would get away quick. Their ugly
fan-like heads were not pleasant to
look upon.
The famous trick of making good
sized plant grow from pile of dirt
over which he had previously spread
a cloth, was good. Many small movie
cameras were directed at the per-
former but none of them have pro-
duced solution Of how it was per-
formed
Another puzzling mystery was the
disappearing boy. The boy was
trussed up in ropes placed in a basket
which he completely filled. The lid
was jammed down onto it. In few
seconds the boy threw the ropes he
had been tied with out of the basket.
The Hindu jabbed stick all around
inside the basket, then jumped on it
to show that it was empty. He then
called on Allah, took up his squealing
pipes and commenced his loping walk
around the basket. When the basket
was opened the kid was not there.
You have seen similar tricks perform
ed on a, a,stage where the performer
had the advantage of all sorts Of
equipment, but this fellows basket
was on solid gravel walk with clear
space all around it, The crowd lineo
up close all around the magician so
that every move he made could be
clearly noted. | do not know how he
did it and was too modest to inquire.
Singapore is much more modern
than one is led to believe from early
stories of fiction located in this coun-
! try and is being rapidly improved
with large concrete buildings. A new
postoffice building covering whole
block, the cost of which will run into
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