This is a rare image of the entrance to the mouth of the Singapore River. Instead of adopting a bird’s eye view, it depicts the river entrance, with small boats like the ‘sampan rhio’ and ‘kolek’ (types of Malay canoes). These boats transported goods and crew from the larger ships, like the three probably English merchant ships anchored off the river entrance, to the river and its godowns. At the river mouth stands Fort Fullerton, with its buildings and flagpole.
