the golden chersonese and the way thither-第23章

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valuable　one；　and　is；　in　its　upper　classes；　singularly　public…spirited；
law…abiding；　and　strongly　attached　to　British　rule。

I　saw　no　shops　except　those　for　the　sale　of　fish；　fruit；　and　coarse
native　pottery；　but　doubtless　most　things　which　are　suited　to　the　wants
of　the　mixed　population　can　be　had　in　the　bazaars。　As　we　drove　out　of
the　town　the　houses　became　fewer　and　the　trees　denser；　with　mosques
here　and　there　among　them；　and　in　a　few　minutes　we　were　in　the　great
dark　forest　of　cocoa；　betel；　and　sago　palms；　awfully　solemn　and
oppressive　in　the　hot　stillness　of　the　evening。　Every　sight　was　new；
for　though　I　have　seen　the　cocoa…palm　before；　the　palm…fringes　of　the
coral　islands；　with　their　feathery　plumes　have　little　kinship　with　the
dark；　crowded　cocoa…forests　of　Malacca；　with　their　endless　vistas　and
mysterious　gloom。　These　forests　are　intersected　by　narrow；　muddy
streams；　suggestive　of　alligators；　up　which　you　can　go　in　canoes　if　you
lie　down；　and　are　content　with　the　yet　darker　shade　produced　by　the
nipah；　a　species　of　stemless　palm；　of　which　the　poorer　natives　make
their　houses；　and　whose　magnificent　fronds　are　often　from　twenty　to
twenty…two　feet　in　length。　The　soft　carriage　road　passes　through　an
avenue　of　trees　of　great　girth　and　a　huge　spread　of　foliage；　bearing
glorious　yellow　blossoms　of　delicious　fragrance。　Jungles　of　sugar…cane
often　form　the　foreground　of　dense　masses　of　palms；　then　a　jungle　of
pine…apples　surprises　one；　then　a　mass　of　lianas；　knotted　and　tangled；
with　stems　like　great　cables；　and　red　blossoms　as　large　as　breakfast
cups。　The　huge　trees　which　border　the　road　have　their　stems　and
branches　nearly　hidden　by　orchids　and　epiphyteschiefly　that　lovely
and　delicate　one　whose　likeness　to　a　hovering　dove　won　for　it　the　name
of　the　〃Flower　of　the　Holy　Ghost；〃　an　orchid　（Peristeria　elata）　which
lives　but　for　a　day；　but　in　its　brief　life　fills　the　air　with
fragrance。　Then　the　trees　change；　the　long　tresses　of　an
autumn…flowering　orchid　fall　from　their　branches　over　the　road；　dead
trees　appear　transformed　into　living　beauty　by　multitudes　of　ferns；
among　which　the　dark…green　shining　fronds　of　the　Asplenium　nidus；
measuring　four　feet　in　length；　specially　delight　the　eye；　huge
tamarinds　and　mimosa　add　the　grace　of　their　feathery　foliage；　the
banana　unfolds　its　gigantic　fronds　above　its　golden　fruitage；　clumps　of
the　betel　or　areca　palms；　with　their　slender　and　absolutely　straight
shafts；　make　the　cocoa…palms　look　like　clumsy　giants；　the　gutta…percha；
india　rubber；　and　other　varieties　of　ficus；　increase　the　forest　gloom
by　the　brown　velvety　undersides　of　their　shining　dark…green　leafage；
then　comes　the　cashew…nut　tree；　with　its　immense　spread　of　branches；
and　its　fruit　an　apple　with　a　nut　below；　and　the　beautiful　bread…fruit；
with　its　green　〃cantalupe　melons；〃　nearly　ripe；　and　the　gigantic　jak
and　durion；　and　fifty　others；　children　of　tropic　heat　and　moisture；　in
all　the　promise　of　perpetual　spring；　and　the　fulfillment　of　endless
summer；　the　beauty　of　blossom　and　the　bounteousness　of　an　unfailing
fruitage　crowning　them　through　all　the　year。　At　their　feet　is　a　tangle
of　fungi；　mosses；　ferns；　trailers；　lilies；　nibongs；　reeds；　canes；
rattans；　a　dense　and　lavish　undergrowth；　in　which　reptiles；　large　and
small；　riot　most　congenially；　and　in　which　broods　of　mosquitoes　are
hourly　hatched；　to　the　misery　of　man　and　beast。　Occasionally　a　small
and　comparatively　cleared　spot　appears；　with　a　crowded　cluster　of
graves；　with　a　pawn…shaped　stone　at　the　head　of　each；　and　the　beautiful
Frangipani；*　the　〃Temple　Flower〃　of　Singhalese　Buddhism；　but　the　〃Grave
Flower〃　of　Malay　Mohammedanism；　sheds　its　ethereal　fragrance　among　the
tombs。　The　dead　lie　lonely　in　the　forest　shade；　under　the　feathery
palm…fronds；　but　the　living　are　not　far　to　seek。　　
＇*Plumieria　sp。＇

It　is　strange　that　I　should　have　written　thus　far　and　have　said　nothing
at　all　about　the　people　from　whom　this　Peninsula　derives　its　name；　who
have　cost　us　not　a　little　blood　and　some　treasure；　with　whom　our
relations　are　by　no　means　well　defined　or　satisfactory；　and　who；　though
not　the　actual　aborigines　of　the　country；　have　at　least　that　claim　to
be　considered　its　rightful　owners　which　comes　from　long　centuries　of
possession。　In　truth；　between　English　rule；　the　solid　tokens　of　Dutch
possession；　the　quiet　and　indolent　Portuguese；　the　splendid　memories　of
Francis　Xavier；　and　the　numerical　preponderance；　success；　and　wealth　of
the　Chinese；　I　had　absolutely　forgotten　the　Malays；　even　though　a　dark…
skinned　military　policeman；　with　a　gliding；　snake…like　step；　whom　I
know　to　be　a　Malay；　brings　my　afternoon　tea　to　the　Stadthaus！　Of　them　I
may　write　more　hereafter。　They　are　symbolized　to　people's　minds　in
general　by　the　dagger　called　a　kris；　and　by　the　peculiar　form　of　frenzy
which　has　given　rise　to　the　phrase　〃running　amuck。〃

The　great　cocoa　groves　are　by　no　means　solitary；　for　they　contain　the
kampongs；　or　small　raised　villages　of　the　Malays。　Though　the　Malay
builds　his　dismal　little　mosques　on　the　outskirts　of　Malacca；　he　shuns
the　town；　and　prefers　a　life　of　freedom　in　his　native　jungles；　or　on
the　mysterious　rivers　which　lose　themselves　among　the　mangrove　swamps。
So　in　the　neighborhood　of　Malacca　these　kampongs　are　scattered　through
the　perpetual　twilight　of　the　forest。　　They　do　not　build　the　houses
very　close　together；　and　whether　of　rich　or　poor；　the　architecture　is
the　same。　Each　dwelling　is　of　planed　wood　or　plaited　palm　leaves；　the
roof　is　high　and　steep；　the　eaves　are　deep；　and　the　whole　rests　on　a
gridiron　platform；　supported　on　posts　from　five　to　ten　feet　high；　and
approached　by　a　ladder　in　the　poorer　houses；　and　a　flight　of　steps　in
the　richer。　In　the　ordinary　houses　mats　are　laid　here　and　there　over
the　gridiron；　besides　the　sleeping　mats；　and　this　plan　of　an　open
floor；　though　trying　to　unaccustomed　Europeans；　has　various　advantages。
As；　for　instance；　it　insures　ventilation；　and　all　debris　can　be　thrown
through　it；　to　be　consumed　by　the　fire　which　is　lighted　every　evening
beneath　the　house　to　smoke　away　the　mosquitoes。　A　baboon；　trained　to
climb　the　cocoa　palms　and　throw　down　the　nuts；　is　an　inmate　of　most　of
the　houses。

The　people　lead　strange　and　uneventful　lives。　The　men　are　not　inclined
to　much　effort　except　in　fishing　or　hunting；　and；　where　they　possess
rice　land；　in　ploughing　for　rice。　　They　are　said　to　be　quiet；
temperate；　jealous；　suspicious；　some　say　treacherous；　and　most　bigoted
Mussulmen。　The　women　are　very　small；　keep　their　dwellings　very　tidy；
and　weave　mats　and　baskets　from　reeds　and　palm　leaves。　They　are　clothed
in　cotton　or　silk　from　the　ankles　to　the　throat；　and　the　men；　even　in
the　undress　of　their　own　homes；　usually　wear　the　sarong；　a　picturesque
tightish　petticoat；　consisting　of　a　wide　piece　of　stuff　kept　on　by　a
very　ingenious　knot。　They　are　not　savages　in　the　ordinary　sense；　for
they　have　a　complete　civilization　of　their　own；　and　their　legal　system
is　derived　from　the　Koran。

They　are　dark　brown；　with　rather　low　foreheads；　dark　and　somewhat
expressionless　eyes；　high　cheek　bones；　flattish　noses　with　broad
nostrils；　and　wide　mouths　with　thick　lips。　　Their　hair　is　black；
straight　and　shining；　and　the　women　dress　it　in　a　plain　knot　at　the
back　of　the　head。　To　my　thinking；　both　sexes　are　decidedly　ugly；　and
there　is　a　coldness　and　aloofness　of　manner　about　them　which　chills　one
even　where　they　are　on　friendly　terms　with　Europeans；　as　the　people
whom　we　visited　were　with　Mrs。　Biggs。

The　women　were　lounging　about　the　houses；　some　cleaning　fish；　others
pounding　rice；　but　they　do　not　care　for　work；　and　the　little　money
which　they　need　for　buying　clothes　they　can　make　by　selling　mats；　or
jungle　fruits。　Their　lower　garment；　or　sarong；　reaching　from　the　waist
to　the　ankles；　is　usually　of　red　cotton　of　a　small　check；　with　stripes
in　the　front；　above　which　is　worn　a　loose　sleeved　garment；　called　a
kabaya；　reaching　to　the　knees；　and　clasped　in　front　with　silver　or
gold；　and　frequently　with　diamond　ornaments。　They　also　wear　gold　or
silver　pins　in　their　hair；　and　the　sarong　is　girt　or　held　up　by　a　clasp
of　enormous　size；　and　often　of　exquisite　workmanship；　in　the　poorer
class　of　silver；　and　in　the　richer　of　gold　jeweled　with　diamonds　and
rubies。　The　sarong　of　the　men　does　not　reach　much　below　the　knee　and
displays　loose　trousers。　They　wear　above　it　a　short…sleeved　jacket；　the
baju；　beautifully　made；　and　often　very　tastefully　decorated　in　fine
needlework；　and　with　small　buttons　on　each　side；　not　for　use；　however。
I　have　seen　one　Malay　who　wore　about　twenty　buttons；　each　one　a　diamond
solitaire！　The　costume　is　completed　by　turbans　or　red　handkerchiefs
tied　round　their　heads。

In　these　forest　kampongs　the　children；　who　are　very　pretty；　are　not
encumbered　by　much　clothing；　specially　the　boys。　　All　the　dwellings　are
picturesque；　and　those　of　the　richer　Malays　are　beautiful。　They　rigidly
exclude　all　ornaments　which　have　〃the　likeness　of　anything　in　heaven　or
earth；〃　but　their　arabesques　are　delicately　carved；　and　the　verses　from
the　Koran；　which　occasionally　run　under　the　eaves；　being　in　the　Arabic
character；　are　decidedly　decorative。　　Their　kampongs　are　small；　and
they　have　little　of　the　gregarious　instinct；　they　are　said　to　live
happily；　and　to　have　a　considerable　amount　of　domestic　affection。
Captain　Shaw　likes　the　Malays；　and　the　verdict　on　them　here　is　that
they　are　chaste；　gentle；　honest　and　hospitable；　but　that　they　tell
lies；　and　that　their　〃honor〃　is　so　sensitive　that　blood　alone　can　wipe
out　some　insults　to　it。　They　seclude　their　women　to　a　great　extent；　and
under　ordinary　circumstances　the　slightest　courtesy　shown　by　a　European
man　to　a　Malay　woman　would　be　a　deadly　insult；　and　at　the　sight　of　a
man　in　the　distance　the　women　hastily　cover　their　faces。

There　is　a　large　mosque　with　a　minaret　just　on　the　outskirts　of
Malacca；　and　we　passed　several　smaller　ones　in　the　space　of　three
miles。　Scarcely　any　kampong　is　so　small　as　not　to　have　a　mosque。　The
Malays　are　bigoted；　and　for　the　most　part　ignorant　and　fanatical
Mohammedans；　and　I　firmly　believe　that　the　Englishman　whom　they　respect
most　is　only　a　little　removed　from　being　〃a　dog　of　an　infidel。〃　They
are　really　ruled　by　the　law　of　the　Koran；　and　except　when　the　Imaum；
who　interprets　the　law；　decides　（which　is　very　rarely　the　case）
contrary　to　equity；　the　British　magistrate　confirms　his　decision。　In
fact；　Mohammedan　law　and　custom　rule　in　civil　cases；　and　the　Imaum　of
the　mosque　assists　the　judge　with　his　advice。　The　Malays　highly
appreciate　the　manner　in　which　law　is　administered　under　English　rule；
and　the　security　they　enjoy　in　their　persons　and　property；　so　that　they
can　acquire　property　without　risk；　and　accumulate　and　wear　the
costliest　jewels　even　in　the　streets　of　Malacca　without　fear　of　robbery
or　spoliation。　This　is　by　no　means　to　write　that　the　Malays　love　us；
for　I　doubt　whether　the　entente　cordiale　between　any　of　the
dark…skinned　Oriental　races　and　ourselves　is　more　than　skin　deep。　It　is
possible　that　they　prefer　being　equitably　taxed　by　us；　with　the
security　which　our　rule　brings；　to　being　plundered　by　native　princes；
but　we　do　not　understa