Letter to his mother

From boat "Giava"

Three days out of Hong Kong

17th August 1900

Dear beloved mother,

from Singapore I wrote you a letter that I'll send you in three days from Hong Kong.

How many new things I saw in attractive Singapore!

For the first time I saw the Chinese with their pigtails. They are really ugly, but then not much, large, big and good. They work a lot, they are quiet and curious for nothing. It is understood, however, because their town is so large and attended from travelers from all of the world. But one of the things more new and unusual that I see is the horse-men. Instead of tranvai and public cars there are much small drivers and to ride on one or two seats that are called "risciò" pulled by a man, and with only 50 cent you could go wherever you want.

And you should see how they run!

They endure for an incredible time and their force is unbelievable .

The large and right roads are full of these small cars. Like our carsthey are numbered and I saw of it with the number 10.000!!

The Chineses do all of the jobs, have shops like us, and work pretty well and they are honest.

I saw too a Chinese procession it seemed to be in the middle of Carnival with the masquerade people on foot on horseback, above oxen, that sang and played, carried banners with weird writing.

Really the more weird thing than I have ever seen.

There are many attractive palaces and English shops a lot richer than ours.

Singapore is an island surrounded by other small islands covered by vegetation very warm and damp. They are so much fruits and much vegetables !

How I see that all of the world is country but always our own country is the better!

In three days I hope to arrive in Hong Kong an English town, however, but the first really Chinese one. In 10 days I hope to be in place.

I embrace you.

Your Luigi.