the golden chersonese and the way thither-第17章

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daubs　of　a　Madonna　and　an　Ecce　Homo。　There　was　also　a　rude　crucifix；
from　which　I　gather　that　this　is　a　Roman　Catholic　family。　There　were
two　teapots　of　tea　on　a　chair；　a　big　tub　of　pommeloes　on　the　floor；　and
a　glazed　red　earthenware　bowl　full　of　ripe　bananas　on　another　chair。　　A
sort　of　sickle；　a　gun；　and　some　bullock　gear　hung　against　the　wall。　In
the　middle　of　the　room　there　was　a　sort　of　trap　in　the　floor；　and　there
was　the　same　in　two　other　apartments。　Through　this　all　rubbish　is
conveniently　dropped。　A　woman　brought　in　a　cocoa…nut；　and　poured　the
milk　into　a　gourd　calabash；　and　the　man　handed　me　the　dish　of　bananas；
so　I　had　an　epicurean　repast；　and　realized　that　I　was　in　Cochin　China！
They　were　courteous　people；　and　not　only　refused　the　quarter　dollar
which　I　pressed　upon　them；　but　gave　me　a　handkerchief　full　of　bananas
when　I　left　them；　being　pleased；　however；　to　accept　a　puggree。

The　neat　gravel　area；　the　covered　walls；　and　neatly　tiled　roof；　the
lattice　work；　the　boards　suspended　from　the　door…posts；　with　（as　I
have　since　learned）　texts　from　the　Chinese　Classics　in　gold　upon　them；
and　the　large　establishment；　show　that　the　family　belongs　to　the　upper
class　of　Anamites；　and　leave　one　quite　unprepared　for　the　reeking；
festering　heap　of　garbage　below　the　house；　the　foul；　fetid　air；　and
swarming　vermin　of　the　interior；　and　the　unwashedness　of　the　inmates。　I
bowed　myself　out；　the　gate　was　barred　behind　me；　and　in　two　minutes　I
had　lost　what　I　supposed　to　be　my　way；　and　having　left　the　maze　of
cactus…walled　paths　behind；　was　entangled　in　a　maze　of　narrow　village
paths　through　palms　and　bananas；　flowering　trees　covered　with　creepers
and　orchids；　and　a　wonderful　profusion　of　small　and　great　ferns。
Getting　back　into　the　cactus　hidden　village　I　found　groups　of　pretty；
dark…skinned　children；　quite　naked；　playing　in　the　deep　dust；　while
some　no　bigger　were　lounging　in　the　shade　smoking　cigars；　lazily
watching　the　clouds　of　smoke　which　they　puffed　out　from　their　chubby
cheeks。

Finding　my　own　footsteps　in　the　deep　dust；　I　got　back　to　a　pathway　with
a　monstrous　bamboo　hedge　on　one　side；　and　a　rice…field　on　the　other；　in
which　was　a　slimy　looking　pond　with　a　margin　of　pink　water…lilies；　in
which　a　number　of　pink　buffaloes　of　large　size　were　wallowing　with　much
noise　and　rough　play；　plastering　their　sensitive　hides　with　mud　as　a
protection　against　mosquitoes。

With　some　difficulty；　by　some　very　queer　paths　and　with　much
zigzagging；　I　at　last　reached　Cholen；*　a　native　town；　said　to　be　three
or　eight　miles　from　Saigon；　and　was　so　exhausted　by　the　fatigue　of　the
long　walk　in　such　a　ferocious　temperature　that　I　sat　by　the　roadside　on
a　stump　under　a　huge　tropical　tree；　considering　the　ways　of　ants　and
Anamites。　Children　with　brown　chubby　faces　which　had　never　been　washed
since　birth；　and；　according　to　all　accounts；　will　never　be　washed　till
death；　stood　in　a　row；　staring　the　stare　of　apathy；　with　a　quiet
confidence。　They　had　no　clothes　on；　and　I　admired　their　well…made　forms
and　freedom　from　skin　disease。　The　Mongolian　face　is　pleasant　in
childhood。　A　horde　of　pariah　dogs　in　the　mad　excitement　of　a　free
fight；　passed；　covering　me　with　dust。　（By　the　way；　I　am　told　that
hydrophobia　is　unknown　in　Cochin　China。）　Then　some　French　artillerymen；
who　politely　raised　their　caps；　then　a　quantity　of　market　girls；
dressed　like　the　same　class　in　China；　but　instead　of　being　bare…headed；
they　wore　basket　hats；　made　of　dried　leaves；　fully　twenty…four　inches
in　diameter；　by　six　in　depth。　These　girls　walked　well；　and　looked
happy。　Then　a　train　of　Anamese　carts　passed；　empty；　the　solid　wooden
wheels　creaking　frightfully　round　the　ungreased　axles；　each　cart　being
drawn　by　two　buffaloes；　each　pair　being　attached　to　the　cart　in　front
by　a　rope　through　the　nostrils；　so　that　one　driver　sufficed　for　eleven
carts。　The　native　men　could　not　be　said　to　be　clothed；　but；　as　I
remarked　before；　the　mercury　was　above　90　degrees。　They　were；　however；
protected　both　against　sun　and　rain　by　hats　over　three　feet　in
diameter；　very　conical；　peaked　at　the　top；　coming　down　umbrella　fashion
over　the　shoulders；　and　well　tilted　back。　　
＇*Cholen；　i。e。；　the　big　market；　has　a　population　which　is　variously
estimated　at　from　30；000　to　80；000。　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　the
lowest　estimate　is　nearest　the　mark。I。　L。　B。＇

After　laboriously　reaching　Cholen；　I　found　far　the　greater　part　of　the
town　to　be　Chinese；　rather　than　Anamese；　with　Chinese　streets；　temples；
gaming　houses；　club　houses；　and　that　general　air　of　business　and
industry　which　seems　characteristic　of　the　Chinese　everywhere；　but
still　groping　my　way　about；　I　came　upon　what　I　most　wished　to　seethe
real　Anamese　town。　There　is　a　river；　the　Me…kong；　or　one　of　its
branches；　and　the　townthe　real　native　Cholenconsists　of　a　very
large　collection　of　river…dwellings；　little；　if　at　all；　superior　to
those　which　we　passed　in　coming　up。　I　spent　an　hour　among　them；　and　I
never　saw　any　house　whose　area　could　be　more　than　twelve　feet　square；
while　many　were　certainly　not　more　than　seven　feet　by　six。　　Such
primitive；　ramshackle；　shaky…looking　dwellings　I　never　before　have
seen。　As　compared　with　them；　an　Aino　hut；　even　of　the　poorest　kind；　is
a　model　of　solidity　and　architectural　beauty。　They　looked　as　if　a
single　gust　would　topple　them　and　their　human　contents　into　the　water。
Yet；　if　it　were　better　carried　out；　it　is　not　a　bad　idea　to　avoid
paying　any　Anamese　form　of　rent；　to　secure　perfect　drainage；　a
never…failing　water　supply；　good　fishing；　immunity　from　reptiles；　and
the　easiest　of　all　highways　at　the　very　door。

These　small　rooms　with　thatched　roofs　and　gridiron　floors；　raised　on
posts　six　or　eight　feet　above　the　stream；　are　reached　from　the　shore　by
a　path　a　foot　wide；　consisting　of　planks　tied　on　to　posts。　The
river…dwellings；　I　must　add；　are　tied　together　with　palm　fibre　rope。
One　of　average　size　can　be　put　together　for　eleven　shillings。　In　front
of　each　house　a　log　canoe　is　moored；　into　which　it　is　easy　to　drop　from
above　when　the　owner　desires　any　change　of　attitude　or　scene。

I　ventured　into　two　of　these　strange　abodes；　but　it　was　dizzy　work　to
walk　the　plank；　and　as　difficult　to　walk　the　gridiron　floor　in　shoes。
Both　were　wretched　habitations；　but　doubtless　they　suit　their　inmates；
who　need　nothing　more　than　a　shelter　from　the　sun　and　rain。　The　men
wore　only　loin　cloths。　The　women　were　clothed　to　the　throat　in　loose
cotton　garments；　the　children　wore　nothing。　In　both　the　men　were
fishing　for　their　supper　over　the　edge　of　their　platforms。　In　one　a
woman　was　cooking　rice；　and　in　both　there　was　a　good　store　of　rice；
bananas；　and　sweet　potatoes。　There　was　no　furniture　in　either；　except
matted　platforms　for　sleeping　upon；　a　few　coarse　pipkins；　a　red
earthen…ware　pitcher　or　two；　and　some　calabashes。　On　the　wall　of　one
was　a　crucifix；　and　on　a　rafter　in　the　other　a　wooden　carving　of　a
jolly…looking　man；　mallet　in　hand；　seated　on　rice　bags；　intended　for
Daikoku；　the　Japanese　God　of　Wealth。　The　people　were　quite　unwashed；
but　the　draught　of　the　river　carried　off　the　bad　smells　which　ought　to
have　been　there；　and；　fortunately；　a　gridiron　floor　is　unfavorable　to
accumulations　of　dirt　and　refuse。　These　natives　look　apathetic；　and
are；　according　to　our　notions；　lazy；　but　I　am　weary　of　seeing　the
fevered　pursuit　of　wealth；　and　am　inclined　to　be　lenient　to　these
narcotized　existences；　provided；　as　is　the　case；　that　they　keep　clear
of　debt；　theft；　and　charity。

Below　this　amphibious　town　there　is　a　larger　and　apparently　permanent
floating　village；　consisting　of　hundreds　of　boats　moored　to　the　shore
and　to　each　other；　poor　and　forlorn　as　compared　with　the　Canton　house
boats；　but　yet　more　crowded；　a　single　thatched　roof　sheltering　one　or
more　families；　without　any　attempt　at　furniture　or　arrangement。　The
children　swarmed；　and　looked　healthy；　and　remarkably　free　from　eye　and
skin　diseases。　There　were　Romish　pictures　in　some　of　these　boats；　and
two　or　three　of　them　exhibited　the　cross　in　a　not　inconspicuous　place。
In　my　solitary　explorations　I　was　not　mobbed　or　rudely　treated　in　any
way。　　The　people　were　as　gentle　and　inoffensive　in　their　manners　as　the
Japanese；　without　their　elaborate　courtesy　and　civilized　curiosity。

Having　seen　all　I　could　see；　I　turned　shipwards；　weary；　footsore；　and
exhausted；　my　feet　so　sore　and　blistered；　indeed；　that　long　before　I
reached　a　gharrie　I　was　obliged　to　take　off　my　boots　and　wrap　them　in
handkerchiefs。　The　dust　was　deep　and　made　heavy　walking；　and　the　level
straightness　of　a　great　part　of　the　road　is　wearisome。　　Overtaking　even
at　my　slow　rate　of　progress　a　string　of　creaking　buffalo　carts；　I　got
upon　the　hindmost；　but　after　a　little　rest　found　the　noise；　dust；　and
slow　progress　intolerable；　and　plodded　on　as　before；　taking　two　and　a
half　hours　to　walk　three　miles。　About　a　mile　from　Cholen　there　is　an
extraordinary　burial…ground；　said　to　cover　an　area　of　twenty　square
miles。　（？）　It　is　thickly　peopled　with　the　dead；　and　profuse　vegetation
and　funereal　lichens　give　it　a　profoundly　melancholy　look。　It　was
chosen　by　the　Cambodian　kings　several　centuries　ago　for　a　cemetery；　on
the　advice　of　the　astrologers　of　the　court。　The　telegraph　wire　runs
near　it；　and　so　the　old　and　the　new　age　meet。

On　my　weary　way　I　was　overtaken　by　a　young　French　artillery　officer；
who　walked　with　me　until　we　came　upon　an　empty　gharrie；　and　was
eloquent　upon　the　miseries　of　Saigon。　It　is　a　very　important　military
station；　and　a　sort　of　depot　for　the　convicts　who　are　sent　to　the
（comparatively）　adjacent　settlement　of　New　Caledonia。　A　large　force　of
infantry　and　artillery　is　always　in　barracks　here；　but　it　is　a　most
sickly　station。　At　times　40　per　cent。　of　this　force　is　in　hospital　from
climatic　diseases；　and　the　number　of　men　invalided　home　by　every　mail
steamer；　and　the　frequent　changes　necessary；　make　Saigon　a　very　costly
post。　　The　French　don't　appear　to　be　successful　colonists。　This　Cochin
Chinese　colony　of　theirs；　which　consists　of　the　six　ancient　southern
provinces　of　the　empire　of　Anam；　was　ceded　to　France　in　1874；　but　its
European　population　is　still　under　twelve　thousand；　exclusive　of　the
garrison　and　the　Government　officials。　The　Government　consists　of　a
governor；　aided　by　a　privy　council。　The　population　of　the　colony　is
under　a　million　and　a　half；　including　eighty…two　thousand　Cambodians
and　forty　thousand　Chinese。　According　to　my　various　informantsthis
young　French　officer；　a　French　nun；　and　a　trader　of　dubious
nationality；　in　whose　shop　I　restedFrance　is　doing　its　best　to
promote　the　prosperity　and　secure　the　good…will　of　the　natives。　The
land…tax；　which　was　very　oppressive　under　the　native　princes；　has　been
lowered；　municipal　government　has　been　secured　to　the　native　towns；　and
corporate　and　personal　rights　have　been　respected。　These　persons
believe　that　the　colony；　far　from　being　a　source　of　profit　to　France；
is　kept　up　at　a　heavy　annual　loss；　and　they　regard　the　Chinese　as　the
only　element　in　the　population　worth　having。　They　think　the　Anamese
very　superior　to　the　Cambodians；　from　whom　indeed　they　conquered　these
six　provinces；　but　the　Cambodians　are　a　bigger　and　finer　race