the golden chersonese and the way thither-第27章

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turbid；　sluggish　rivers；　where　numberless　alligators　dwell　in　congenial
slime；　the　State　gradually　rises　inland；　passing　through　all　the
imaginable　wealth　of　tropical　vegetation　and　produce　till　it　becomes
hilly；　if　not　mountainous。　Sparkling　streams　dash　through　limestone
fissures；　the　air　is　clear；　and　the　nights　are　fresh　and　cool。　Its
mineral　wealth　lies　in　its　tin　mines；　which　have　been　worked　mainly　by
Chinamen　for　a　great　number　of　years。

The　British　Resident；　who　was　called　in　to　act　as　adviser；　is
practically　the　ruler　of　this　little　State；　and　the　arrangement　seems
to　give　tolerable　satisfaction。　At　all　events　it　has　secured　to　Sungei
Ujong　since　the　war　an　amount　of　internal　tranquillity　which　is　not
possessed　by　the　adjacent　States　which　are　still　under　native　rule；
though　probably　the　dread　of　British　intervention　and　of　being　reduced
to　mere　nominal　sovereignty；　being　〃pensioned　off〃　in　fact；　keeps　the
Rajahs　from　indulging　in　the　feuds　and　exactions　of　former　years。　Since
my　visit　the　Datu　Klana　died　of　dysentery　near　Jeddah　in　Arabia　in
returning　from　a　pilgrimage　to　Mecca；　and　three　out　of　six　of　his
followers　perished　of　the　same　disease。　The　succession　was　quietly
arranged；　but　the　hope　that　the　State　to　which　its　late　ruler　was
intensely；　even　patriotically　attached　might　remain　prosperous　under
the　new　Rajah；　has　not　been　altogether　fulfilled。　Affairs　are　certainly
not　as　satisfactory　as　they　were；　judging　from　recent　official
statements。　The　import　of　opium　has　largely　increased。　Rice　planting
had　failed　owing　to　the　mortality　and　sickness　among　the　buffaloes　used
in　ploughing；　the　scanty　crop　was　nearly　destroyed　by　rats；　and　the
Malays　had　shown　a　〃determined　opposition〃　to　taking　out　titles　to
their　lands。

The　new　Datu　Klana　is　very　unpopular；　and　so　remarkably　weak　in
character　as　not　to　be　able　to　bring　any　influence　to　bear　upon　the
settlement　of　any　difficult　question。　The　Datu　Bandar　（alluded　to　in　my
letter）　is　entirely　opposed　to　progress　of　every　kind；　and；　having　a
great　deal　of　influence；　obstructs　the　present　Resident　in　every
attempt　to　come　to　an　understanding　on　the　land　grant　question。　A
virulent　cattle　disease　had　put　an　end　for　the　time　being　to　cart
traffic；　and　the　Linggi；　the　great　high…road　to　the　tin　mines；　had
become　so　shallow　that　the　means　of　water　transport　were　very　limited。
Large　numbers　of　jungle　workers　had　returned　to　Malacca。　The　Resident's
report　shows　very　significantly　the　formidable　difficulties　which
attend　on　the　system　of　a　〃Dual　Control；〃　and　on　making　any
interference　with　〃Malay　custom〃　regarding　land；　etc。　It　is　scarcely
likely；　however；　that　Sungei　Ujong　and　the　other　feeble　protected
States　which　have　felt　the　might　of　British　arms；　and　are　paying　dearly
through　long　years　for　their　feeble　efforts　at　independence；　will　ever
seek　to　shake　off　the　present　system；　which；　on　the　whole；　gives　them
security　and　justice。



LETTER　XI

A　Mangrove　SwampJungle　DwellersThe　Sempang　Police　StationShooting
AlligatorsThe　River　LinggiA　Somber…Faced　ThrongStuck　Fast　at
Permatang　PasirFair　Impediments


SEMPANG　POLICE　STATION　（At　the　junction　of　the　Loboh…Chena；　and　Linggi
rivers）；　Territory　of　the　Datu　Klana　of　Sungei　Ujong；　Malay　Peninsula。
January　24；　1　P。M。　Mercury；　87　degrees。

We　left　Malacca　at　seven　this　morning　in　the　small；　unseaworthy；
untrustworthy；　unrigged　steam…launch　Moosmee；　and　after　crawling　for
some　hours　at　a　speed　of　about　five　miles　an　hour　along　brown　and
yellow　shores　with　a　broad；　dark　belt　of　palms　above　them；　we　left　the
waveless；　burning　sea　behind；　and　after　a　few　miles　of　tortuous
steaming　through　the　mangrove　swamps　of　the　Linggi　river；　landed　here
to　wait　for　sufficient　water　for　the　rest　of　our　journey。

This　is　a　promontory　covered　with　cocoa…palms；　bananas；　and　small
jungle　growths。　On　either　side　are　small　rivers　densely　bordered　by
mangrove　swamps。　The　first　sight　of　a　real　mangrove　swamp　is　an　event。
This　mangi…mangi　of　the　Malays　（the　Rhizophera　mangil　of　botanists）　has
no　beauty。　　All　along　this　coast　within　access　of　tidal　waters　there　is
a　belt　of　it　many　miles　in　breadth；　dense；　impenetrable；　from　forty　to
fifty　feet　high；　as　nearly　level　as　may　be；　and　of　a　dark；　dull　green。
At　low　water　the　mangroves　are　seen　standing　close　packed　along　the
shallow　and　muddy　shores　on　cradles　or　erections　of　their　own　roots
five　or　six　feet　high；　but　when　these　are　covered　at　high　tide　they
appear　to　be　growing　out　of　the　water。　They　send　down　roots　from　their
branches；　and　all　too　quickly　cover　a　large　space。　Crabs　and　other
shell…fish　attach　themselves　to　them；　and　aquatic　birds　haunt　their
slimy　shades。　They　form　huge　breeding　grounds　for　alligators　and
mosquitoes；　and　usually　for　malarial　fevers；　but　from　the　latter　the
Peninsula　is　very　free。　The　seeds　germinate　while　still　attached　to　the
branch。　A　long　root　pierces　the　covering　and　grows　rapidly　downward
from　the　heavy　end　of　the　fruit；　which　arrangement　secures　that　when
the　fruit　falls　off　the　root　shall　at　once　become　embedded　in　the　mud。
Nature　has　taken　abundant　trouble　to　insure　the　propagation　of　this
tree；　nearly　worthless　as　timber。　Strange　to　say；　its　fruit　is　sweet
and　eatable；　and　from　its　fermented　juice　wine　can　be　made。　The
mangrove　swamp　is　to　me　an　evil　mystery。

Behind；　the　jungle　stretches　outwho　can　say　how　far；　for　no　European
has　ever　penetrated　it？and　out　of　it　rise；　jungle…covered；　the　Rumbow
hills。　The　elephant；　the　rhinoceros；　the　royal　tiger；　the　black
panther；　the　boar；　the　leopard；　and　many　other　beasts　roam　in　its
tangled；　twilight　depths；　but　in　this　fierce　heat　they　must　be　all
asleep　in　their　lairs。　The　Argus…pheasant　too；　one　of　the　loveliest
birds　of　a　region　whose　islands　are　the　home　of　the　Bird　of　Paradise；
haunts　the　shade；　and　the　shade　alone。　In　the　jungle　too；　is　the
beautiful　bantam　fowl；　the　possible　progenitor　of　all　that　useful　race。
The　cobra；　the　python　（？）；　the　boa…constrictor；　the　viper；　and　at　least
fourteen　other　ophidians；　are　winding　their　loathsome　and　lissom　forms
through　slimy　jungle　recesses；　and　large　and　small　apes　and　monkeys；
flying　foxes；　iguanas；　lizards；　peacocks；　frogs；　turtles；　tortoises；
alligators；　besides　tapirs；　rarely　seen；　and　the　palandok　or　chevrotin；
the　hog　deer；　the　spotted　deer；　and　the　sambre；　may　not　be　far　off。　　I
think　that　this　part　of　the　country；　intersected　by　small；　shallow；
muddy　rivers；　running　up　through　slimy　mangrove　swamps　into　a　vast　and
impenetrable　jungle；　must　be　like　many　parts　of　Western　Africa。

One　cannot　walk　three　hundred　yards　from　this　station；　for　there　are　no
tracks。　We　are　beyond　the　little　territory　of　Malacca；　but　this　bit　of
land　was　ceded　to　England　after　the　〃Malay　disturbances〃　in　1875；　and
on　it　has　been　placed　the　Sempang　police　station；　a　four…roomed
shelter；　roofed　with　attap；　a　thatch　made　of　the　fronds　of　the　nipah
palm；　supported　on　high　postsan　idea　perhaps　borrowed　from　the
mangroveand　reached　by　a　ladder。　In　this　four　Malay　policemen　and　a
corporal　have　dwelt　for　three　years　to　keep　down　piracy。　〃Piracy；〃　by
which　these　rivers　were　said　to　be　infested；　is　a　very　ugly　word；
suggestive　of　ugly　deeds；　bloody　attacks；　black　flags；　and　no　quarter；
but　here　it　meant；　in　our　use　of　the　word　at　least；　a　particular　mode
of　raising　revenue；　and　no　boat　could　go　up　or　down　the　Linggi　without
paying　black…mail　to　one　or　more　river　rajahs。

Our　wretched　little　launch；　moored　to　a　cocoa…palm；　flies　a　blue
ensign；　and　the　Malay　policemen　wear　an　imperial　crown　upon　their　caps；
both　representing　somewhat　touchingly　in　this　equatorial　jungle　the
might　of　the　small　island　lying　far　off　amidst　the　fogs　of　the　northern
seas；　and　in　this　instance　at　least　not　her　might　only；　but　the
security　and　justice　of　her　rule。

Two　or　three　canoes　hollowed　out　of　tree　trunks　have　gone　up　and　down
the　river　since　we　landed；　each　of　the　inward　bound　being　paddled　by
four　men；　who　ply　their　paddles　facing　forward；　which　always　has　an
aboriginal　look；　those　going　down　being　propelled　by　single；　square
sails　made　of　very　coarse　matting。　It　is　very　hot　and　silent。　The　only
sounds　are　the　rustle　of　the　palm　fronds　and　the　sharp　din　of　the
cicada；　abruptly　ceasing　at　intervals。　In　this　primitive　police　station
the　notices　are　in　both　Tamil　and　Arabic；　but　the　reports　are　written
in　Arabic　only。　Soon　after　we　sat　down　to　drink　fresh　cocoa…nut　milk；
the　great　beverage　of　the　country；　a　Malay　bounded　up　the　ladder　and
passed　through　us；　with　the　most　rapid　and　feline　movements　I　have　ever
seen　in　a　man。　His　large　prominent　eyes　were　fixed；　tiger…like；　on　a
rifle　which　hung　on　the　wall；　at　which　he　darted；　clutched　it；　and；
with　a　feline　leap；　sprang　through　us　again。　I　have　heard　much　of　amok
running　lately；　and　have　even　seen　the　two…pronged　fork　which　was　used
for　pinning　a　desperate　amok　runner　to　the　wall；　so　that　for　a　second　I
thought　that　this　Malay　was　〃running　amuck；〃　but　he　ran　down　toward　Mr。
Hayward；　our　escort；　and　I　ran　after　him；　just　in　time　to　see　a　large
alligator　plunge　from　the　bank　into　the　water。　Mr。　Hayward　took　a
steady　aim　at　the　remaining　one；　and　hit　him；　when　he　sprang　partly　up
as　if　badly　wounded；　and　then　plunged　into　the　river　after　his
companion；　staining　the　muddy　water　with　his　blood　for　some　distance。


Police　Station；　Permatang　Pasir；　Sungei　Ujong；　5　P。M。We　are　now　in　a
native　State；　in　the　Territory　of　the　friendly　Datu　Klana；　Syed
Abdulrahman；　and　the　policemen　wear　on　their　caps　not　an　imperial
crown；　but　a　crescent；　with　a　star　between　its　horns。

This　is　a　far　more　adventurous　expedition　than　we　expected。　　Things　are
not　going　altogether　as　straight　as　could　be　desired；　considering　that
we　have　the　Governor's　daughters　with　us；　who；　besides　being　very
precious；　are　utterly　unseasoned　and　inexperienced　travelers；　quite
unfit　for　〃roughing　it。〃　For　one　thing；　it　turns　out　to　be　an　absolute
necessity　for　us　to　be　out　all　night；　which　I　am　very　sorry　for；　as　one
of　the　girls　is　suffering　from　the　effects　of　exposure　to　the　intense
heat　of　the　sun。

We　left　Sempang　at　two；　the　Misses　Shaw　reeling　rather　than　walking　to
the　launch。　I　cannot　imagine　what　the　mercury　was　in　the　sun；　but　the
copper　sheathing　of　the　gunwale　was　too　hot　to　be　touched。　Above
Sempang　the　river　narrows　and　shoals　rapidly；　and　we　had　to　crawl；
taking　soundings　incessantly；　and　occasionally　dragging　heavily　over
mud　banks。　We　saw　a　large　alligator　sleeping　in　the　sun　on　the　mud；
with　a　mouth；　I　should　think；　a　third　of　the　length　of　his　body；　and　as
he　did　not　wake　as　we　panted　past　him；　a　rifle　was　loaded　and　we　backed
up　close　to　him；　but　Babu；　who　had　the　weapon；　and　had　looked　quite
swaggering　and　belligerent　so　long　as　it　was　unloaded；　was　too
frightened　to　fire；　the　saurian　awoke；　and　his　hideous　form　and
corrugated　hide　plunged　into　the　water；　so　close　under　the　stern　as　to
splash　us。　After　this；　alligators　were　so　common；　singly　or　in　groups；
or　in　families；　that　they　ceased　to　be　exciting。　It　is　difficult　for
anything　to　produce　continuous　excitement　under　this　fierce　sun；　and
conversation；　which　had　been　flagging　before　noon；