the golden chersonese and the way thither-第28章

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anything　to　produce　continuous　excitement　under　this　fierce　sun；　and
conversation；　which　had　been　flagging　before　noon；　ceased　altogether。
It　was　awfully　hot　in　the　launch；　between　fire　and　boiler…heat　and
solar　fury。　I　tried　to　keep　cool　by　thinking　of　Mull；　and　powdery　snow
and　frosty　stars；　but　it　would　not　do。　It　was　a　solemn　afternoon；　as
the　white；　unwinking　sun　looked　down　upon　our　silent　party；　on　the
narrow　turbid　river；　silent　too；　except　for　the　occasional　plunge　of　an
alligator　or　other　water　monsteron　mangrove　swamps　and　nipah　palms
dense　along　the　river　side；　on　the　blue　gleam　of　countless　kingfishers；
on　slimy　creeks　arched　over　to　within　a　few　feet　of　their　surface　by
grand　trees　with　festoon　of　lianas；　on　an　infinite　variety　of　foliage；
on　an　abundance　of　slender…shafted　palms；　on　great　fruits　brilliantly
colored；　on　wonderful　flowers　on　the　trees；　on　the　hoya　carnosa　and
other　waxen…leaved　trailers　matting　the　forest　together　and　hanging
down　in　great　festoons；　the　fiery　tropic　sunblaze　stimulating　all　this
over…production　into　perennial　activity；　and　vivifying　the　very　mud
itself。

Occasionally　we　passed　a　canoe　with　a　〃savage〃　crouching　in　it　fishing；
but　saw　no　other　trace　of　man；　till　an　hour　ago　we　came　upon　large
cocoa　groves；　a　considerable　clearing　in　the　jungle；　and　a　very　large
Malayan…Chinese　village　with　mosques；　one　on　either　side　of　the　river；
houses　built　on　platforms　over　the　water；　large　and　small　native　boats
covered　and　thatched　with　attap；　roofed　platforms　on　stilts　answering
the　purpose　of　piers；　bathing…houses　on　stilts　carefully　secluded；　all
forming　the　（relatively）　important　village　of　Permatang　Pasir。

Up　to　this　time　we　had　expected　to　find　perfectly　smooth　sailing；　as　a
runner　was　sent　from　Malacca　to　the　Resident　yesterday。　We　supposed
that　we　should　be　carried　in　chairs　six　miles　through　the　jungle　to　a
point　where　a　gharrie　could　meet　us；　and　that　we　should　reach　the
Residency　by　nine　tonight　at　the　latest。　On　arriving　at　Sempang；　Mr。
Hayward　had　sent　a　canoe　to　this　place　with　instructions　to　send
another　runner　to　the　Resident；　but

　　　　　〃The　best　laid　schemes　of　men　and　mice　gang　aft　aglee。〃

The　messenger　seemed　to　have　served　no　other　purpose　than　to　assemble
the　whole　male　population　of　Permatang　Pasir　on　the　shorea
sombre…faced　throng；　with　an　aloofness　of　manner　and　expression　far
from　pleasing。　The　thatched　piers　were　crowded　with　turbaned　Mussulmen
in　their　bajus　or　short　jackets；　full　white　trousers；　and　red　sarongs
or　plaitless　kiltsthe　boys　dressed　in　silver　fig…leaves　and　silver
bangles　only。　All　looked　at　our　unveiled　faces　silently；　and；　as　I
thought；　disapprovingly。

After　being　hauled　up　the　pier　with　great　difficulty；　owing　to　the
lowness　of　the　water；　we　were　met　by　two　of　the　Datu　Klana's　policemen；
who　threw　cold　water　on　the　idea　of　our　getting　on　at　all　unless
Captain　Murray　sent　for　us。　These　men　escorted　us　to　this　police
stationa　long　walk　through　a　lane　of　much　decorated　shops；
exclusively　Chinese；　succeeded　by　a　lane　of　detached　Malay　houses；　each
standing　in　its　own　fenced　and　neatly　sanded　compound　under　the　shade
of　cocoa…palms　and　bananas。　The　village　paths　are　carefully　sanded　and
very　clean。　We　emerged　upon　the　neatly　sanded　open　space　on　which　this
barrack　stands；　glad　to　obtain　shelter；　for　the　sun　is　still　fierce。　It
is　a　genuine　Malay　house　on　stilts；　but　where　there　should　be　an
approach　of　eight　steps　there　is　only　a　steep　ladder　of　three　round
rungs；　up　which　it　is　not　easy　to　climb　in　boots！　There　is　a　deep
veranda　under　an　attap　roof　of　steep　slope；　and　at　either　end　a　low　bed
for　a　constable；　with　the　usual　very　hard；　circular　Malay　bolsters；
with　red　silk　ends；　ornamented　with　gold　and　silk　embroidery。　Besides
this　veranda　there　is　only　a　sort　of　inner　room；　with　just　space　enough
for　a　table　and　four　chairs。　The　wall　is　hung　with　rifles；　krises；　and
handcuffs；　with　which　a　〃Sam　Slick〃　clock；　an　engraving　from　the
Graphic；　and　some　curious　Turkish　pictures　of　Stamboul；　are　oddly　mixed
up。　　Babu；　the　Hadji；　having　recovered　from　a　sulk　into　which　he　fell
in　consequence　of　Mr。　Hayward　having　quizzed　him　for　cowardice　about　an
alligator；　has　made　everything　（our　very　limited　everything）　quite
comfortable；　and；　with　as　imposing　an　air　as　if　we　were　in　Government
House；　asks　us　when　we　will　have　dinner！　One　policeman　has　brought　us
fresh　cocoa…nut　milk；　another　sits　outside　pulling　a　small　punkah；　and
two　more　have　mounted　guard　over　us。　This　stilted　house　is　the　barrack
of　eleven　Malay　constables。　　Under　it　are　four　guns　of　light　calibre；
mounted　on　carriages；　and　outside　is　a　gong　on　which　the　policemen　beat
the　hours。

At　the　river　we　were　told　that　the　natives　would　not　go　up　the　shallow；
rapid　stream　by　night；　and　now　the　corporal　says　that　no　man　will　carry
us　through　the　jungle；　that　trees　are　lying　across　the　track；　that
there　are　dangerous　swamp　holes；　that　though　the　tigers　which　infest
the　jungle　never　attack　a　party；　we　might　chance　to　see　their　glaring
eyeballs；　that　even　if　men　could　be　bribed　to　undertake　to　carry　us；
they　would　fall　with　us；　or　put　us　down　and　run　away；　for　no　better
reason　than　that　they　caught　sight　of　the　〃spectre　bird〃　（the　owl）；　and
he　adds；　with　a　gallantry　remarkable　in　a　Mohammedan；　that　he　should
not　care　about　Mr。　Hayward；　〃but　it　would　not　do　for　the　ladies。〃　So　we
are　apparently　stuck　fast；　the　chief　cause　for　anxiety　and
embarrassment　being　that　the　youngest　Miss　Shaw　is　lying　huddled　up　and
shivering　on　one　of　the　beds；　completely　prostrated　by　a　violent　sick
headache；　brought　on　by　the　heat　of　the　sun　in　the　launch。　She　declares
that　she　cannot　move；　but　our　experienced　escort；　who　much　fears
bilious　fever　for　her；　is　resolved　that　she　shall　as　soon　as　any　means
of　transit　can　be　procured。　Heretofore；　I　have　always　traveled　〃without
encumbrance。〃　Is　it　treasonable　to　feel　at　this　moment　that　these　fair
girls　are　one？

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XII

The　Tomb　of　〃A　Great　Prophet〃〃Durance　Vile〃Fragile　TravelersOur
CraftA　Night　in　the　JungleNocturnal　RevelationsJanuary　in　the
Perak　JungleGlories　of　the　JungleActivity　and　StillnessAn　Uneasy
NightA　Slim　RepastBetel…ChewingA　Severe　DisappointmentPolice
Station　at　Rassa


BRITISH　RESIDENCY；　SERAMBANG；　SUNGEI　UJONG；　January　26。

By　the　date　of　my　letter　you　will　see　that　our　difficulties　have　been
surmounted。　I　continue　my　narrative　in　a　temperature　which；　in　my
roomshaded　though　it　ishas　reached　87　degrees。　After　hearing　many
pros　and　cons；　and　longing　much　for　the　freedom　of　a　solitary　traveler；
I　went　out　and　visited　the　tomb　of　a　famous　Hadji；　〃a　great　prophet；〃
the　policeman　said；　who　was　slain　in　ascending　the　Linggi。　It　is　a
raised　mound；　like　our　churchyard　graves；　with　a　post　at　each　end；　and
a　jar　of　oil　upon　it；　and　is　surrounded　by　a　lattice　of　reeds　on　which
curtains　are　hanging；　the　whole　being　covered　with　a　thatched　roof
supported　on　posts。

The　village　looks　prosperous；　and　the　Chinaman　as　much　at　home　as　in
China；striving；　thriving；　and　oblivious　of　everything　but　his　own
interests；　the　sole　agent　in　the　development　of　the　resources　of　the
country；　well　satisfied　with　our；　or　any　rule；　under　which　his　gains
are　quick　and　safe。

There　are　village　officers；　or　headmen；　Pangulus；　in　all　villages；　and
every　hamlet　of　more　than　forty　houses　has　its　mosque　and　religious
officials；　though　Mohammedanism　does　not　recognize　the　need　of　a
priesthood。　If　one　see　a　man；　with　the　upper　part　of　his　body
unclothed；　paddling　a　log　canoe；　face　forward；　one　is　apt　to　call　him　a
savage；　specially　if　he　be　dark…skinned；　but　the　Malays　would　be　much
offended　if　they　were　called　savages；　and；　indeed；　they　are　not　so。
They　have　an　elaborate　civilization；　etiquette；　and　laws　of　their　own；
are　the　most　rigid　of　monotheists；　are　decently　clothed；　build　secluded
and　tolerably　comfortable　houses；　and　lead　domestic　lives　after　their
fashion；　especially　where　they　are　too　poor　to　be　polygamists；　though　I
am　of　opinion　that　the　peculiar　form　of　domesticity　which　we　still
cultivate　to　some　extent　in　England；　and　which　is　largely　connected
with　the　fireside；　cannot　exist　in　a　tropical　country。　After　the
obtrusive　nudity　and　promiscuous　bathing　of　the　Japanese；　there　is
something　specially　pleasing　in　the　little　secluded　bathing　sheds　by
the　Malay　rivers；　used　by　one　person　at　a　time；　who　throws　a　sarong　on
the　thatch　to　show　that　the　shed　is　occupied。

Babu　made　some　excellent　soup；　which；　together　with　curry　made　with
fresh　cocoa…nut；　was　a　satisfactory　meal；　and　though　only　in　a　simple；
white；　Indian　costume；　he　waited　as　grandly　as　at　Malacca。　Mr。
Hayward's　knowledge　of　the　peculiarities　of　the　Malay　character；　at
last　obtained　our　release　from　what　was　truly　〃durance　vile。〃　He　sent
for　a　boatman　apart　from　his　fellows；　and　induced　him　to　make　a　bargain
for　taking　us　up　the　river　at　night；　but　the　man　soon　returned　in　a
state　of　great　excitement；　complaining　that　the　villagers　had　set　on
him；　and　were　resolved　that　we　should　not　go　up；　upon　which　the　police
went　down　and　interfered。　Even　after　everything　was　settled；　Miss　Shaw
was　feeling　so　ill　that　she　wanted　to　stay　in　the　police　station　all
night；　at　least；　but　Mr。　Hayward　and　I；　who　consulted　assiduously　about
her；　were　of　opinion　that　we　must　move　her；　even　if　we　had　to　carry
her；　for　if　she　were　going　to　have　fever；　I　could　nurse　her　at　Captain
Murray's；　but　certainly　not　in　the　veranda　of　a　police　station！

This　worthy　man；　who　is　very　brave；　and　used　to　facing　dangerwho　was
the　first　European　to　come　up　here；　who　acted　as　guide　to　the　troops
during　the　war；　and　afterward　disarmed　the　populationpositively
quailed　at　having　charge　of　these　two　fragile　girls。　〃Oh；〃　he　repeated
several　times；　〃if　anything　were　to　happen　to　the　Misses　Shaw　I　should
never　get　over　it；　and　they　don't　know　what　roughing　it　is；　they　never
should　have　been　allowed　to　come。〃　So　I　thought；　too；　as　I　looked　at
one　of　them　lying　limp　and　helpless　on　a　Malay　bed；　but　my　share　of　the
responsibility　for　them　was　comparatively　limited。　　Doubtless　his
thoughts　strayed；　as　mine　did；　to　the　days　of　traveling　〃without
encumbrance。〃　There　was　another　encumbrance　of　a　literal　kind。　They　had
a　trunk！　This　indispensable　impediment　had　been　left　at　Malacca　in　the
morning；　and　arrived　in　a　four…paddled　canoe　just　as　we　were　about　to
start！

Mr。　Hayward　prescribed　two　tablespoonfuls　of　whisky　for　Miss　Shaw；　for
it　is　somewhat　of　a　risk　to　sleep　out　in　the　jungle　at　the　rainy
season；　for　the　miasma　rises　twenty　feet；　and　the　day　had　been
exceptionally　hot。　Our　rather　dismal　procession　started　at　seven；　Mr。
Hayward　leading　the　way；　carrying　a　torch　made　of　strips　of　palm
branches　bound　tightly　together　and　dipped　in　gum　dammar；　a　most
inflammable　resin；　then　a　policeman；　the　sick　girl；　moaning　and
stumbling；　leaning　heavily　on　her　sister　and　me；　Babu；　who　had　grown
very　plucky；　a　train　of　policemen　carrying　our　baggage；　and　lastly；
several　torch…bearers；　the　torches　dripping　fire　as　we　slowly　and
speechlessly　passed　along。　　It　looked　like　a　funeral　or　something
uncanny。　We　crawled　dismally　f