TAN TAE HOEY, a political union amongst the Chinese of Singapore. A description given of the initiation into this combination is as follows : —About seven o'clock they had all arrived, and commenced to eat and drink spirits. In an hour this finished, when they commenced to play on drums, et,c. On this they all arranged themselves in order, sitting opposite the Data (idol), but I observed that their faces were as red as the Bung, Rayrah from drunkenness. Ainong them all there was onc chief, who sat on a lofty chair, with two men standing at his right and two at his left. After them came eight men, with drawn swords, who arranged themselves at the right and left ; then came one man who burned paper in front of the idol (sacrifice); after him came eight inen with drawn swords, who guarded a man with dishevelled hair, and without any upper garment,— in fact, he had only a pair of trousers. This man came in front of the chief, and bowed down till his head touched the ground; the armed men on the right and left now advanced, shouting, and laid their swords on his neck ; they remained silently in this position for a short time, when a man advanced to the candidate's side. The chief then spoke as follows in the Chinese language :— Who are you, and from whence came you ? 1Vho are your father and mother ? .Are they still alive, or are they dead ? ' These questions were explained to the candidate by the man who stood at his side, and were answered as follows :—` I am such a one, of such a country-, and my father and mother are both dead.' Even if his father and mother were alive, he would be obliged to say they were dead, because no oue whose father and mother are alive can be admitted into the society, as the existence of all those is as if they were dead to the world and its ties. The thief then said, Will you swear that your father and mother are dead? ' he answered, I will,' and performed the oath by burning paper in front of the idol, saying at the same time, My father and mother are dead.' The chief then said, 1i/hat
have you come here for ? ' answer, I wish to join the Tan Tae Hoey.' These words mean the sky, the earth, and man. The chief then said, You are deceiving, your thoughts are not as your speech ; ' answer, I will swear that I am in good faith." Then swear.' The candidate then, taking paper, burned it while he repeated his assertion. The chief then said, Are you acquainted with the rules of the society ? ' answer, Yes, I understand that I am required to take an oath by drinking blood.' The chief then said something, to which the following answer WaS inade—' I promise not to divulge the secrets of the society to any one under penalty of death.' The chief said, Truly ?' answer, Truly.' A vessel was then brought con taining arrack and a little blood from each of the members of the society, and, with a knife, was placed in front of the idol. The candidate then, taking up the knife, made ft slight cut in his finger, from which he allowed some blood to fall into the cup. The cbief then said, Drink in presence of Datu Peking.' The candidate then drank a small cupful, of which the chief and all the confederates drank a little each in his turn. Tbe chief then said, To-morrow go to our secretary, and ask him for a book ; in that book you will find all our rules and secret signs ; you will pay one dollar for it.' The chief then rose, and himself raised the candi date from his prostrate position ; and now, being initiated, he can take his place amon,g those who before would have considered him an enemy.— Statement of Abdullah-bin-Abul Kadir Moonshee.