the golden chersonese and the way thither-第31章

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Residency　into　Government　House；　waiting　on　us　assiduously　in　our
rooms；　and　taking　care　of　our　clothes。　The　dinner　bell　is　a　bugle。

In　houses　in　these　regions　there　is　always　a　brick…floored　bath…room；
usually　of　large　size；　under　your　bedroom；　to　which　you　descend　by　a
ladder。　This　is　often　covered　by　a　trap…door；　which　is　sometimes
concealed　by　a　couch；　and　in　order　to　descend　the　sofa　cushion　is
lifted。　Here　it　is　an　open　trap　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　A　bath　is　a
necessitynot　a　luxuryso　near　the　equator；　and　it　is　usual　to　take
one　three；　four；　or　even　five　times　a　day；　with　much　refreshment。　One
part　of　Babu's　self…imposed　duty　is　to　look　under　our　pillows　for
snakes　and　centipedes；　and　the　latter　have　been　found　in　all　our　rooms。

I　must　now　make　you　acquainted　with　our　host；　Captain　Murray。　He　was
appointed　when　the　Datu　Klana　asked　for　a　Resident　four　years　ago。　He
devotes　himself　to　Sungei　Ujong　as　if　it　were　his　own　property；　though
he　has　never　been　able　to　acquire　the　language。　He　is　a　man　about
thirty…eight；　a　naval　officer；　and　an　enterprising　African　traveler；
under　the　middle　height；　bronzed；　sun…browned；　disconnected　in　his
conversation　from　the　habit　of　living　without　anyone　in　or　out　of　the
house　to　speak　to；　professing　a　misanthropy　which　he　is　very　far　from
feeling；　for　he　is　quite　unsuspicious；　and　disposed　to　think　the　best
of　every　one；　hasty　when　vexed；　but　thoroughly　kind…hearted；　very
blunt；　very　undignified；　never　happy　（he　says）　out　of　the　wilds；
thoroughly　well　disposed　to　the　Chinese　and　Malays；　but　very　impatient
of　their　courtesies；　thoroughly　well　meaning；　thoroughly　a　gentleman；
but　about　the　last　person　that　I　should　have　expected　to　see　in　a
position　which　is　said　to　require　much　tact　if　not　finesse。　　His
success　leads　me　to　think；　as　I　have　often　thought　before；　that　if　we
attempt　to　deal　with　Orientals　by　their　own　methods；　we　are　apt　to　find
them　more　than　a　match　for　us；　and　that　thorough　honesty　is　the　best
policy。

He　lives　alone；　unguarded；　trusts　himself　by　night　and　day　without　any
escort　among　the　people；　keeps　up　no　ceremony　at　all；　and　is
approachable　at　all　hours。　Like　most　travelers；　he　has　some　practical
knowledge　of　medicine；　and　he　gives　advice　and　medicines　most
generously；　allowing　himself　to　be　interrupted　by　patients　at　all
hours。　There　is　no　doctor　nearer　than　Malacca。　He　has　been　so
successful　that　people　come　from　the　neighboring　States　for　his　advice。
There　is　very　little　serious　disease；　but　children　are　subject　to　a
loathsome　malady　called　puru。　Two　were　brought　with　it　to…day。　　The
body　and　head　are　covered　with　pustules　containing　matter；　looking　very
much　like　small…pox；　and　the　natives　believe　that　it　must　run　its
course　for　a　year。　Captain　Murray　cures　it　in　a　few　days　with　iodide　of
potassium　and　iodine；　and　he　says　that　it　is　fast　disappearing。

Captain　Murray　is　judge；　〃sitting　in　Equity；〃　Superintendent　of　Police；
Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer；　and　Surveyor　of　Taxes；　besides　being　Board
of　Trade；　Board　of　Works；　and　I　know　not　what　besides。　In　fact；　_he　is
the　Government_；　although　the　Datu　Klana's　signature　or　seal　is
required　to　confirm　a　sentence　of　capital　punishment；　and　possibly　in
one　or　two　other　cases；　and　his　Residential　authority　is　subject　only
to　the　limitations　of　his　own　honor　and　good　sense；　sharpened　somewhat；
were　he　other　than　what　he　is；　by　possible　snubs　from　the　Governor　of
the　Straits　Settlements　or　the　Colonial　Secretary。　He　is　a　thoroughly
honorable　man；　means　well　by　all　the　interests　of　his　little　kingdom；
and　seems　both　beloved　and　trusted。

On　Sunday　morning　we　had　English　service　and　a　sermon；　the　congregation
being　augmented　by　the　only　other　English　peoplea　man　from　Australia
who　is　here　road…making；　and　his　wife；　and　in　the　afternoon；
disregarding　a　temperature　of　85　degrees；　we　went　through　the　Chinese
village　of　Serambang。

Tin　is　the　staple　product　of　Sungei　Ujong；　and　until　lately　the　Malay
peninsula　and　the　adjacent　regions　were　supposed　to　be　the　richest　tin
producing　countries　in　the　world。　　There　is　not　a　single　tin　mine；
however；　properly　so…called。　The　whole　of　the　tin　exported　from　Sungei
Ujong；　which　last　year　（1879）；　even　at　its　present　reduced　price；　was
valued　at　81；400　pounds；　and　contributed　as　export　duty　to　the
Government　5；800　pounds；　is　found　in　the　detritus　of　ancient　mountains；
and　is　got；　in　mining　parlance；　in　〃stream　works〃that　is；　by　washing
the　soil；　just　as　gold　is　washed　out　of　the　soil　in　Australia　and
California。　It　is　supposed　that　there　is　a　sufficient　supply　to　last
for　ages；　even　though　the　demand　for　tin　for　new　purposes　is　always　on
the　increase。　It　is　tin　mining　which　has　brought　the　Chinese　in　such
numbers　to　these　States；　and　as　miners　and　smelters　they　are　equally
efficient　and　persevering。　In　1828；　the　number　of　Chinese　working　the
mines　here　was　one　thousand；　and　in　the　same　year　they　were　massacred
by　the　Malays。　They　now　number　ten　thousand；　and　under　British
protection　have　nothing　to　fear。

It　is　still　the　New　Year　holidays；　and　hundreds　of　Chinamen　were
lounging　about；　and　every　house　was　gayly　decorated。　　The　Malays　never
join　house　to　house；　the　Chinese　always　do　so；　and　this　village　has　its
streets　and　plaza。　The　houses　are　all　to　a　certain　extent
fire…proofthat　is；　when　a　fire　occurs；　and　the　attap…thatched　roofs
are　burned；　the　houses　below；　which　are　mostly　shops；　are　safe。　These
shops；　some　of　which　are　very　large；　are　nearly　dark。　They　deal　mainly
in　Chinese　goods　and　favorite　Chinese　articles　of　food；　fireworks；
mining　tools；　and　kerosene　oil。　In　one　shop　twenty　〃assistants；〃　with
only　their　loose　cotton　trousers　on；　were　sitting　at　round　tables
having　a　mealnot　their　ordinary　diet；　I　should　think；　for　they　had
seventeen　different　sorts　of　soups　and　stews；　some　of　them　abominations
to　our　thinking。

We　visited　the　little　joss…house；　very　gaudily　decorated；　the　main
feature　of　the　decorations　being　two　enormous　red　silk　umbrellas；
exquisitely　embroidered　in　gold　and　silks。　　The　crowds　in　this　village
remind　me　of　Canton；　but　the　Chinese　look　anything　but　picturesque
here；　for　none　of　themor　at　all　events；　only　their　〃Capitans〃wear
the　black　satin　skull　cap；　and　their　shaven　heads；　with　the　small　patch
of　hair　which　goes　into　the　composition　of　the　pigtail；　look　very　ugly。
The　pig…tail　certainly　begins　with　this　lock　of　hair；　but　the　greater
part　of　it　is　made　up　of　silk　or　cotton　thread　plaited　in　with　the
hair；　and　blue　or　red　strands　of　silk　in　a　pigtail　indicate　mourning　or
rejoicing。　None　of　the　Chinese　here　wear　the　beautiful　long　robes　used
by　their　compatriots　in　China　and　Japan。　The　rich　wear　a　white；
shirt…like　garment　of　embroidered　silk　crepe　over　their　trousers　and
petticoat；　and　the　poorer　only　loose　blue　or　brown　cotton　trousers；　so
that　one　is　always　being　reminded　of　the　excessive　leanness　of　their
forms。　Some　of　the　rich　merchants　invited　us　to　go　in　and　drink
champagne；　but　we　declined　everything　but　tea；　which　is　ready　all　day
long　in　tea…pots　kept　hot　in　covered　baskets　very　thickly　padded；　such
as　are　known　with　us　as　〃Norwegian　Kitchens。〃

In　the　middle　of　the　village　there　is　a　large；　covered；　but　open…sided
building　like　a　market；　which　is　crowded　all　dayand　all　night　tooby
hundreds　of　these　poor；　half…naked　creatures　standing　round　the　gaming
tables；　silent；　eager；　excited；　staking　every　cent　they　earn　on　the
turn　of　the　dice；　living　on　the　excitement　of　their　gainsa　truly　sad
spectacle。　Probably　we　were　the　first　European　ladies　who　had　ever
walked　through　the　gambling…house；　but　the　gamblers　were　too　intent
even　to　turn　their　heads。　There　also　they　are　always　drinking　tea。　Some
idea　of　the　profits　made　by　the　men　who　〃farm〃　the　gambling　licenses
may　be　gained　from　the　fact　that　the　revenue　derived　by　the　Government
from　the　gambling　〃farms〃　is　over　900　pounds　a　year。

Spirits　are　sold　in　three　or　four　places；　and　the　license　to　sell　them
brings　in　nearly　700　pounds　a　year；　but　a　drunken　Chinaman　is　never
seen。　There　are　a　few　opium　inebriates；　lean　like　skeletons；　and　very
vacant　in　expression；　and　every　coolie　smokes　his　three　whiffs　of　opium
every　night。　Only　a　few　of　the　richer　Chinamen　have　wives；　and　there
are　very　few　women；　as　is　usual　in　a　mining　population。　A　good　many
roads　have　been　made　in　the　State；　and　the　Chinese　are　building
buggies；　gharries；　and　wagons；　and　many　of　the　richer　ones　own　them　and
import　Sumatra　ponies　to　draw　them。　To　say　that　the　Chinese　make　as
good　emigrants　as　the　British　is　barely　to　give　them　their　due。　They
have　equal　stamina　and　are　more　industrious　and　thrifty；　and　besides
that　they　are　always　sober；　can　bear　with　impunity　the　fiercest
tropical　heat；　and　can　thrive　and　save　where　Englishmen　would　starve。
The　immense　immigration　of　Chinese；　all　affiliated　to　clubs　or　secret
societies；　might　be　a　great　risk　to　the　peace　of　the　State　were　it　not
that　they　recognize　certain　leaders　known　as　〃Capitans　China；〃　who
contrive　to　preserve　order；　so　far　as　is　known　by　a　wholesome　influence
merely；　and　who　in　all　cases；　in　return　for　the　security　which　property
enjoys　under　our　flag；　work　cordially　with　the　Resident　in　all　that
concerns　the　good　of　the　State。　How　these　〃Capitans〃　are　elected；　and
how　they　exercise　their　authority；　is　as　inscrutable　as　most　else
belonging　to　the　Chinese。　The　Chinese　seem　not　so　much　broadly
patriotic　as　provincial　or　clannish；　and　the　〃Hoeys；〃　or　secret
societies；　belong　to　the　different　southern　provinces。　The　fights
between　the　factions；　and　the　way　in　which　the　secret　societies　screen
criminals　by　false　swearing　and　other　means；　are　among　the　woes　of　the
Governor　and　Lieutenant…Governors　of　these　Settlements。　Though　they　get
on　very　well　up　here；　thanks　to　the　〃Capitan　China；〃　the　clans　live　in
separate　parts　of　the　village；　have　separate　markets　and　gaming　houses；
and　a　wooden　arch　across　the　street　divides　the　two　〃Nations。〃

We　went　to　pay　complimentary　visits　for　the　New　Year　to　these
〃Capitans〃　with　the　Malay　interpreter；　and　were　received　with　a　curious
mixture　of　good…will　and　solemnity。　　Wine；　tea　and　sweet…meats　were
produced　at　each　house。　　Their　houses　are　very　rude；　considering　their
ample　means；　and　have　earthen　floors。　They　have　comfortable　carriages；
and　their　gentle；　sweet…mannered　children　were　loaded　with　gold　and
diamonds。　In　one　house；　a　sweet　little　girl　handed　round　the　tea　and
cake；　and　all；　even　to　babies　who　can　scarcely　toddle　across　the　floor；
came　up　and　shook　hands。　　A　Chinese　family　impresses　one　by　its　extreme
orderliness；　filial　reverence　being　regarded　as　the　basis　of　all　the
virtues。　The　manners　of　these　children　are　equally　removed　from　shyness
and　forwardness。　They　all　wore　crowns　of　dark　red　gold　of　very
beautiful　workmanship；　set　with　diamonds。　　When　these　girl…children　are
twelve　years　old；　they　will；　according　to　custom；　be　strictly　secluded；
and　will　not　be　seen　by　any　man　but　their　father　till　the　bridegroom
lifts　the　veil　at　the　marriage　ceremony。

After　these　visits；　in　which　the　〃Capitans　China；〃　through　the
interpreter；　assured　us　of　their　perpetual　and　renewed　satisfaction