the golden chersonese and the way thither-第21章

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The　Rainbow　is　one　of　the　many　tokens　of　preponderating　Chinese
influence　in　the　Straits　of　Malacca。　The　tickets　are　Chinese；　as　well
as　the　ownership　and　crew。　The　supercargo　who　took　my　ticket　is　a　sleek
young　Chinaman　in　a　pigtail；　girdle；　and　white　cotton　trousers。　The
cabin　passengers　are　all　Chinamen。　The　deck　was　packed　with　Chinese
coolies　on　their　way　to　seek　wealth　in　the　diggings　at　Perak。　They　were
lean；　yellow；　and　ugly；　smoked　a　pipe　of　opium　each　at　sundown；　wore
their　pigtails　coiled　round　their　heads；　and　loose　blue　cotton
trousers。　We　had　slipped　our　cable　at　Singapore；　because　these　coolies
were　clambering　up　over　every　part　of　the　vessel；　and　defying　all
attempts　to　keep　them　out；　so　that　〃to　cut　and　run〃　was　our　only
chance。　The　owners　do　not　allow　any　intoxicant　to　be　brought　on　board；
lest　it　should　be　given　to　the　captain　and　crew；　and　they　should　take
too　much　and　lose　the　vessel。　I　am　the　only　European　passenger　and　the
only　woman　on　board。　I　had　a　very　comfortable　night　lying　on　deck　in
the　brisk　breeze　on　the　waveless　sea；　and　though　I　watched　the　stars；
hoping　to　see　the　Southern　Cross　set；　I　fell　asleep；　till　I　was　awoke
at　the　very　earliest　dawn　by　a　most　formidable　Oriental　shouting　to　me
very　fiercely　I　thought；　with　a　fierce　face；　but　it　occurred　to　me　that
he　was　trying　to　make　me　understand　that　they　wanted　to　wash　decks；　so
I　lifted　my　mattress　on　a　bench　and　fell　asleep　again；　waking　to　find
the　anchor　being　let　go　in　the　Malacca　roads　six　hours　before　we　should
have　arrived。

I　am　greatly　interested　with　the　first　view　of　Malacca；　one　of　the
oldest　European　towns　in　the　East；　originally　Portuguese；　then　Dutch；
and　now；　though　under　English　rule；　mainly　Chinese。　There　is　a　long　bay
with　dense　forests　of　cocoa…palms；　backed　by　forests　of　I　know　not
what；　then　rolling　hills；　and　to　the　right　beyond　these　a　mountain
known　as　Mount　Ophir；　rich　in　gold。　Is　this　possibly；　as　many　think；
the　Ophir　of　the　Bible；　and　this　land　of　gems　and　gold　truly　the
〃Golden　Chersonese？〃　There　are　islets　of　emerald　green　lying　to　the
south；　and　in　front　of　us　a　town　of　antiquated　appearance；　low　houses；
much　colored；　with　flattish；　red…tiled　roofs；　many　of　them　built　on
piles；　straggling　for　a　long　distance；　and　fringed　by　massive…looking
bungalows；　half　buried　in　trees。　A　hill　rises　near　the　middle；　crowned
by　a　ruined　cathedral；　probably　the　oldest　Christian　church　in　the　Far
East；　with　slopes　of　bright　green　grass　below；　timbered　near　their　base
with　palms　and　trees　of　a　nearly　lemon…colored　vividness　of
spring…green；　and　there　are　glimpses　of　low；　red　roofs　behind　the　hill。
On　either　side　of　the　old…world…looking　town　and　its　fringe　of
bungalows　are　glimpses　of　steep；　reed　roofs　among　the　cocoa…palms。　A
long；　deserted…looking　jetty　runs　far　out　into　the　shallow　sea；　a　few
Chinese　junks　lie　at　anchor；　in　the　distance　a　few　Malay　fishermen　are
watching　their　nets；　but　not　a　breath　stirs；　the　sea　is　without　a
ripple；　the　gray　clouds　move　not；　the　yellow　plumes　of　the　palms　are
motionless；　the　sea；　the　sky；　the　town；　look　all　alike　asleep　in　a
still；　moist；　balmy　heat。


Stadthaus；　Malacca；　4　P。M。Presently　we　were　surrounded　by　a　crowd　of
Malay　boats　with　rude　sails　made　of　mats；　but　their　crews　might　have
been　phantoms　for　any　noise　they　made。　By　one　of　these　I　sent　my　card
and　note　of　introduction　to　the　Lieutenant…Governor。　An　hour　afterward
the　captain　told　me　that　the　Governor　usually　went　into　the　country
early　on　Monday　morning　for　two　days；　which　seemed　unfortunate。　Soon
after；　the　captain　and　engineer　went　ashore；　and　I　was　left　among　a
crowd　of　Chinamen　and　Malays　without　any　possibility　of　being
understood　by　any　of　them；　to　endure　stifling　heat　and　provoking
uncertainty；　much　aggravated　by　the　want　of　food；　for　another　three
hours。　At　last；　when　very　nearly　famished；　and　when　my　doubts　as　to　the
wisdom　of　this　novel　and　impromptu　expedition　had　become　very　serious
indeed；　a　European　boat　appeared；　moving　with　the　long　steady　stroke　of
a　man…of…war's　boat；　rowed　by　six　native　policemen；　with　a
frank…looking　bearded　countryman　steering；　and　two　peons　in　white；　with
scarlet…and…gold　hats　and　sashes；　in　the　bow；　and　as　it　swept　up　to
the　Rainbow's　side　the　man　in　white　stepped　on　board；　and　introduced
himself　to　me　as　Mr。　Biggs；　the　colonial　chaplain；　deputed　to　receive
me　on　behalf　of　the　Governor；　who　was　just　leaving　when　my　card
arrived。　He　relieved　all　anxiety　as　to　my　destination　by　saying　that
quarters　were　ready　for　me　in　the　Stadthaus。

We　were　soon　on　a　lovely　shore　under　the　cathedral…crowned　hill；　where
the　velvety　turf　slopes　down　to　the　sea　under　palms　and　trees　whose
trunks　are　one　mass　of　ferns；　brightened　by　that　wonderful　flowering
tree　variously　known　as　the　〃flamboyant〃　and　the　〃flame　of　the　forest〃
（Poinciana　regia）。　Very　still；　hot；　tropical；　sleepy；　and　dreamy；
Malacca　looks；　a　town　〃out　of　the　running；〃　utterly　antiquated；　mainly
un…English；　a　veritable　Sleepy　Hollow。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　IX

The　Lieutenant…Governor　of　MalaccaA　Charming　HouseholdThe　Old
StadthausA　Stately　HabitationAn　Endless　SiestaA　Tropic
DreamChinese　HousesChinese　Wealth　and　Ascendency〃Opium
Farming〃The　Malacca　JungleMohammedan　Burial…PlacesMalay
VillagesMalay　CharacteristicsCostume　and　OrnamentBigotry　and
PilgrimageThe　Malay　Buffalo


STADTHAUS；　MALACCA；　January　21…23。

This　must　surely　fade　like　a　dream；　this　grand　old　Stadthaus；　this
old…world　quiet；　this　quaint　life；　but　when　it　fades　I　think　I　shall
have　a　memory　of　having　been　〃once　in　Elysium。〃　Still；　Elysium　should
have　no　mosquitoes；　and　they　are　nearly　insupportable　here；　big　spotted
fellows；　with　a　greed　for　blood；　and　a　specially　poisonous　bite；　taking
the　place　at　daylight　of　the　retiring　nocturnal　host。　The　Chinese
attendant　is　not　careful；　and　lets　mosquitoes　into　my　net；　and　even　one
means　a　sleepless　night。　They　are　maddening。

I　was　introduced　to　my　rooms；　with　their　floors　of　red　Dutch　tiles；
their　blue　walls；　their　white…washed　rafters；　their　doors　and　windows
consisting　of　German　shutters　only；　their　ancient　beds　of　portentous
height；　and　their　generally　silent　and　haunted　look；　and　then　went　to
tiffin　with　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Biggs。　Mr。　Biggs　is　a　student　of　hymnology；
and　we　were　soon　in　full　swing　on　this　mutually　congenial　subject。　Mrs。
Biggs　devotes　her　time　and　strength　to　the　training　and　education　of
young　Portuguese　girls。　I　pass　their　open　bungalow　as　I　go　to　and　from
the　Governor's　cottage；　and　it　usually　proves　a　trap。

Captain　Shaw；　who　has　been　for　many　years　Lieutenant…Governor　of
Malacca；　is　a　fine；　hearty；　frank；　merry；　manly；　Irish　naval　officer；
well　read　and　well　informed；　devoted　to　Malacca　and　its　interests；　and
withal　a　man　of　an　especially　unselfish；　loving；　and　tender　nature；
considerate　to　an　unusual　degree　of　the　happiness　and　comfort　of　those
about　him。　Before　I　had　been　here　many　hours　I　saw　that　he　was　the
light　of　a　loving　home。*　He　can　be　firm　and　prompt　when　occasion
requires　firmness；　but　his　ordinary　rule　is　of　the　gentlest　and　most
paternal　description；　so　that　from　the　Chinese　he　has　won　the　name　of
〃Father；〃　and　among　the　Malays；　the　native　population；　English　rule；　as
administered　by　him；　has　come　to　be　known　as　〃the　rule　of　the　just。〃
The　family；　consisting　of　the　Governor；　his；　wife；　and　two　daughters
just　grown　up；　is　a　very　charming　one；　and　their　quiet；　peaceful　life
gives　me　the　opportunity　which　so　rarely　falls　to　the　lot　of　a　traveler
of　becoming　really　intimate　with　them。　　
＇*I　should　not　have　reproduced　this　paragraph　of　my　letter　were　Captain
Shaw　still　alive；　but　in　five　weeks　after　my　happy　visit　he　died　almost
suddenly；　to　the　indescribable　grief　of　his　family　and　of　the　people　of
Malacca；　by　whom　he　was　greatly　beloved。＇

The　Government　bungalow；　in　which　I　spend　most　of　my　time；　is　a
comfortable　little　cottage；　with　verandas　larger　than　itself。　In　the
front　veranda；　festooned　with　trailers　and　orchids；　two　Malay　military
policemen　are　always　on　guard；　and　two　scornful…looking　Bengalis　in
white　trousers；　white　short　robes；　with　sashes　of　crimson　silk　striped
with　gold；　and　crimson…and…gold　flat　hats　above　their　handsome　but
repellent　faces；　make　up　the　visible　part　of　the　establishment。　One　of
these　Bengalis　has　been　twice　to　Mecca；　at　an　expense　of　40　pounds　on
each　visit；　and　on　Friday　appears　in　a　rich　Hadji　suit；　in　which　he
goes　through　the　town；　and　those　Mussulmen　who　are　not　Hadji　bow　down
to　him。　I　saw　from　the　very　first　that　my　project　of　visiting　the
native　States　was　not　smiled　upon　at　Government　House。

The　Government　bungalow　being　scarcely　large　enough　for　the　Governor's
family；　I　am　lodged　in　the　old　Dutch　Stadthaus；　formerly　the　residence
of　the　Dutch　Governor；　and　which　has　enough　of　solitude　and　faded
stateliness　to　be　fearsome；　or　at　the　least　eerie；　to　a　solitary　guest
like　myself；　to　whose　imagination；　in　the　long；　dark　nights；　creeping
Malays　or　pilfering　Chinamen　are　far　more　likely　to　present　themselves
than　the　stiff　beauties　and　formal　splendors　of　the　heyday　of　Dutch
ascendancy。　The　Stadthaus；　which　stands　on　the　slope　of　the　hill；　and
is　the　most　prominent　building　in　Malacca；　is　now　used　as　the　Treasury；
Post　Office；　and　Government　offices　generally。　There　are　large　state
reception…rooms；　including　a　ball…room；　and　suites　of　apartments　for
the　use　of　the　Governor　of　the　Straits　Settlements；　the　Chief…Justice；
and　other　high　officials；　on　their　visits　to　Malacca。　The　Stadthaus；　at
its　upper　end　on　the　hill；　is　only　one　story　high；　but　where　it　abuts
on　the　town　it　is　three　and　even　four。　The　upper　part　is　built　round
three　sides　of　a　Dutch　garden；　and　a　gallery　under　the　tiled　veranda
runs　all　round。　A　set　of　handsome　staircases　on　the　sea　side　leads　to
the　lawn…like　hill　with　the　old　cathedral；　and　the　bungalows　of　the
Governor　and　colonial　chaplain。　Stephanotis；　passiflora；　tuberose；
alamanda；　Bougainvillea；　and　other　trailers　of　gorgeous　colors；　climb
over　everything；　and　make　the　night　heavy　with　their　odors。　There　must
be　more　than　forty　rooms　in　this　old　place；　besides　great　arched
corridors；　and　all　manner　of　queer　staircases　and　corners。　Dutch　tiling
and　angularities　and　conceits　of　all　kinds　abound。

My　room　opens　on　one　side　upon　a　handsome　set　of　staircases　under　the
veranda；　and　on　the　other　upon　a　passage　and　staircase　with　several
rooms　with　doors　of　communication；　and　has　various　windows　opening　on
the　external　galleries。　　Like　most　European　houses　in　the　Peninsula；　it
has　a　staircase　which　leads　from　the　bedroom　to　a　somewhat　grim；
brick…floored　room　below；　containing　a　large　high　tub；　or　bath；　of
Shanghai　pottery；　in　which　you　must　by　no　means　bathe；　as　it　is　found
by　experience　that　to　take　the　capacious　dipper　and　pour　water　upon
yourself　from　a　height；　gives　a　far　more　refreshing　shock　than
immersion　when　the　water　is　at　80　degrees　and　the　air　at　83　degrees。

The　worst　of　my　stately　habitation　is；　that　after　four　in　the　afternoon
there　is　no　one　in　it　but　myself；　unless　a　Chinese　coolie；　who　has　a
lair　somewhere；　and　appears　in　my　room　at　all　sorts　of　unusual　hours
after　I　think　I