A kind of white sea-weed, called _Agar, agar_, is found on the reefs about Singapore, but the best is procured from Malacca, where it is obtained in great abundance about the “Water islands,” in the vicinity of that settlement; and after being collected it is picked and washed. It is also brought to Singapore from Billiton, Bouton, &c.; the weed from the former place sells at three dollars and a-half the pecul, and from the latter at three dollars the pecul. This article is exported in large quantities to China, where it is used for various purposes—as stiffening linen, size for paper, &c. At Malacca and Singapore the finer kind makes a beautiful transparent jelly, which is of course perfectly tasteless, unless mixed with rose-water, sugar, and lime-juice, which render it an excellent preserve, as well as an ornament for the dinner-table. There is some trouble in refining it, as it requires frequent boilings before it attains the requisite transparency. At Singapore I observed some filaments from a plant, which was described as growing abundantly at Malacca. These filaments display much irritability on the application of warmth, and will twist and turn about for a long period afterwards. They are named _Naga-pusing_ by the Malays, which signifies “to turn or twist round.” Each filament is covered with a very minute pubescence. They appear to be the awns probably of a species of Anthistiria. They are used by the natives, in form of decoction, as an external remedy in eruptive diseases. On the 24th of November, (Sunday,) three shocks of an earthquake were experienced at the island of Singapore; the first shock lasted three minutes, and occasioned the lamps to swing, chairs to rock, &c., commencing at twenty minutes after eight, P.M. A slight shock was again experienced at three A.M.; and another very slight shock at five A.M. of the following morning. An earthquake, it seems, was felt in India, at Ghazeepore, an account of which I copy from the Bengal Hurkaru, of November 6th, 1833, extracted from the Calcutta Courier:— “_Ghazeepore, August 27th, 1833._—On the evening of the 26th of August, two distinct shocks of an earthquake were sensibly felt here; the first at eleven o’clock, the second at half-past eleven. The former lasted about a minute, the latter about two minutes, and was so serious that the furniture in the houses began to rock, and the doors to shake, as if done by some strong man attempting to force them. The thermometer had risen a good deal through the day, which was closer and more sultry than usual. The natives say there has been nothing of the kind since 1820. It is worth remarking that, in that year, an epidemic raged among the stud horses, and carried off a great many. This year (June 1833) the dreadful disease again broke out among them, and carried off about fifty noble steeds. The obituary also for Europeans fills a much larger space than usual, particularly as regards the children; and of cholera cases not a few.”