the golden chersonese and the way thither-第34章

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matting；　over　which　were　Oudh　rugs　in　those　mixtures　of　toned…down　rich
colors　which　are　so　very　beautiful。　　Richness　and　harmony　characterized
the　room；　and　it　was　distinctively　Malay；　one　could　not　say　that　it
reminded　one　of　anything　except　of　the　flecked　and　colored　light　which
streams　through　dark；　old；　stained　glass。

The　Datu　Bandar's　brother　and　uncle　came　in；　the　first　a　very　handsome
Hadji；　with　a　bright；　intelligent　countenance。　He　has　lived　in　Mecca
for　eight　years　studying　the　Koran　under　a　renowned　teacher；　and　in
this　quest　of　Mussulman　learning　has　spent　several　thousand　dollars。
〃We　never　go　to　Mecca　to　trade；〃　he　said；　〃we　go　for　religious　purposes
only。〃　These　men　looked　superb　in　their　red　dresses　and　turbans；
although　the　Malays　are　anything　but　a　handsome　race。　Their　hospitality
was　very　graceful。　Many　of　the　wealthier　Mohammedans；　though　they　don't
drink　wine；　keep　it　for　their　Christian　guests；　and　they　offered　us
champagne；　which　is　supposed　to　be　an　irresistible　temptation　to　the
Christian　palate。　On　our　refusing　it　they　brought　us　cow's　milk　and
most　delicious　coffee　with　a　very　fragrant　aroma；　and　not　darker　in
color　than　tea　of　an　average　strength。　This　was　made　from　roasted
coffee　leaves。　　The　berries　are　exported。　A　good　many　pretty；　quiet
children　stood　about；　but　though　the　Rajah　gave　us　to　understand　that
they　were　the　offspring　of　three　mothers；　we　were　not　supposed　to　see
any　of　〃the　mean　ones　within　the　gates。〃

Our　hosts　had　a　good　deal　to　say；　and　did　not　leave　us　to　entertain
them；　though　we　are　but　〃infidel　dogs。〃　That　we　are　regarded　as　such；
along　with　all　other　unbelievers；　always　makes　me　feel　shy　with
Mohammedans。　Some　time　ago；　when　Captain　Shaw　pressed　on　the　Malays　the
impropriety　of　shooting　Chinamen；　as　they　were　then　in　the　habit　of
doing；　the　reply　of　one　of　them　was；　〃Why　not　shoot　Chinamen？　　they've
no　religion；〃　and　though　it　would　be　highly　discourteous　in　members　of
a　ruled　race　to　utter　this　sentiment　regarding　their　rulers；　I　have　not
the　least　doubt　that　it　is　their　profound　conviction　concerning
ourselves。

Nothing　shows　more　the　honesty　and　excellence　of　Captain　Murray's
purposes　than　that　he　should　be　as　much　respected　and　loved　as　he　is　in
spite　of　a　manner　utterly　opposed　to　all　Oriental　notions　of　dignity；
whether　Malay　or　Chinese。　　I　have　mentioned　his　abruptness；　as　well　as
his　sailor…like　heartiness；　but　they　never　came　into　such　strong　relief
as　at　the　Datu　Bandar's；　against　the　solemn　and　dignified　courtesy　of
our　hosts。

We　returned　after　dark；　had　turtle…soup　and　turtle…steak；　not　near　so
good　as　veal；　which　it　much　resembles；　for　dinner；　sang　〃Auld　Lang
Syne；〃　which　brought　tears　into　the　Resident's　kindly　eyes；　and　are　now
ready　for　an　early　start　to…morrow。


Stadthaus；　Malacca。We　left　Serambang　before　daylight　on　Thursday　in
buggies；　escorted　by　Captain　Murray；　the　buggies；　as　usual；　being　lent
by　the　Chinese　〃Capitans。〃　Horses　had　been　sent　on　before；　and　after
changing　them　we　drove　the　second　stage　through　most　magnificent
forest；　until　they　could　no　longer　drag　the　buggies　through　the　mud；　at
which　point　of　discomfiture　three　saddled　ponies　and　two　chairs　were
waiting　to　take　us　through　the　jungle　to　the　river。　We　rode　along　an
infamous　track；　much　of　it　knee…deep　in　mud；　through　a　green　and　silent
twilight；　till　we　emerged　upon　something　like　English　park　and
fox…cover　scenery；　varied　by　Malay　kampongs　under　groves　of　palms。　In
the　full　blaze　of　noon　we　reached　the　Linggi　police　station；　from　which
we　had　started　in　the　sampan；　and　were　received　by　a　company　of　police
with　fixed　bayonets。　We　dined　in　the　police　station　veranda；　and　as　the
launch　had　been　obliged　to　drop　down　the　river　because　the　water　was
falling；　we　went　to　Sempang　in　a　native　boat；　paddled　by　four　Malays
with　paddles　like　oval…ended　spades　with　spade　handles；　a　guard　of
honor　of　policemen　going　down　with　us。　　There　we　took　leave　of　our　most
kind　and　worthy　host；　who；　with　tears　in　his　kind　eyes；　immediately
turned　up　the　river　to　dwell　alone　in　his　bungalow　with　his　bull…dog；
his　revolver；　and　his　rifle；　a　self…exiled　man。*　
＇*In　1881；　Captain　Murray；　feeling　ill　after　prolonged　exposure　to　the
sun；　went　to　Malacca；　where　he　died　a　few　days　afterward　at　the　house　of
his　friend　Mr。　Hayward。　Sir　F。　A。　Weld　writes　of　him　in　a　dispatch　to
Lord　Kimberley：〃I　cannot　close　this　notice　of　the　State　of　Sungei
Ujong　without　recalling　the　memory　of　Captain　Murray；　so　lately　its
Resident；　to　whom　it　owes　much；　and　who　was　devoted　to　its　people　and
interests。　A　man　of　great　honesty　of　purpose　and　kindliness　of　heart；
Captain　Murray　possessed　many　of　those　qualities　which　are　required　for
the　successful　administration　of　a　Malay　State；　and　though　he　labored
under　the　disadvantage　of　want　of　knowledge　of　the　native　tongue；　he　yet
was　able　to　attach　to　himself；　in　a　singular　manner；　the　affections　of
all　around　him。　For　the　last　six　years；　Captain　Murray　has　successfully
advised　in　the　administration　of　the　Government　of　Sungei　Ujong；
consolidating　order　and　good　government；　and　doing　much　to　open　out　the
country　and　develop　its　resources。　His　name　will　ever　be　associated　with
its　prosperity；　and　his　memory　be　long　fresh　in　the　hearts　of　its
inhabitants。〃＇

After　it　grew　dark　we　had　the　splendid　sight　of　a　great　tract　of　forest
on　fire　close　to　the　sea。　We　landed　here　at　a　pier　eight　hundred　feet
long；　accessible　to　launches　at　high　water；　where　several　peons　and　two
inspectors　of　police　met　us。　Our　expedition　has　been　the　talk　of　the
little　foreign　world　of　Malacca。　We　had　an　enthusiastic　welcome　at
Government　House；　but　Captain　Shaw　says　he　will　never　forgive　himself
for　not　writing　to　Captain　Murray　in　time　to　arrange　our　transport；　and
for　sending　us　off　so　hurriedly　with　so　little　food；　but　I　hope　by
reiteration　to　convince　him　that　thereby　we　gained　the　night　on　the
Linggi　river；　which；　as　a　traveling　experience；　is　worth　all　the　rest。

I。　L。　B。



A　CHAPTER　ON　SELANGOR*

SelangorCapabilities　of　SelangorNatural　CapabilitiesLawlessness
in　SelangorBritish　Interference　in　SelangorA　Hopeful　Outlook


Selangor　is　a　small　State　lying　between　2　degrees　34'；　and　3　degrees
42'　N。　Its　coast…line　is　about　one　hundred　and　twenty　miles　in　length。
Perak　is　its　northern　boundary；　Sungei　Ujong　its　southern；　and　some　of
the　small　States　of　the　Negri　Sembilan　and　unexplored　jungle　and
mountains　separate　it　from　Pahang　on　the　east。　It　is　watered　by　the
Selangor；　Klang　and　Langat　rivers；　which　rise　in　the　hills　of　its
eastern　frontier。　Its　population　is　not　accurately　known；　but　the
result　of　an　attempt　to　estimate　it；　made　by　the　Resident　in　1876；　is
fifteen　thousand　Chinese　and　from　two　thousand　to　three　thousand
Malays。　Mr。　Douglas；　the　late　Resident；　puts　the　Malay　population　at　a
higher　figure；　and　estimates　the　aboriginal　population　at　one　thousand；
but　this　is　probably　largely　in　excess　of　their　actual　numbers。　　
＇*In　offering　this　very　slight　sketch　of　Selangor　to　my　readers　as
prefatory　to　the　letters　which　follow；　I　desire　to　express　my
acknowledgments　specially　to　a　valuable　paper　on　〃Surveys　and
Explorations　of　the　Native　States　of　the　Malay　Peninsula；〃　by　Mr。　Daly；
Superintendent　of　Public　Works　and　Surveys；　Selangor；　read　before　the
Royal　Geographical　Society　on　May　8；　1882。　I　have　also　made　use　of　a
brief　account　of　the　Native　Malay　States　by　Mr。　Swettenham；　Assistant
Colonial　Secretary　to　the　Straits　Settlements　Government；　published　in
the　Journal　of　the　Straits　Branch　of　the　Royal　Asiatic　Society；　and　of
〃Our　Malay　Conquests〃　by　Sir　P。　Benson　Maxwell；　late　Chief　Justice　of
the　Straits　Settlements。＇

The　wealth　of　Selangor　lies　in　its　apparently　inexhaustible　tin　mines。
The　range　of　hills　which　forms　the　backbone　of　the　Malay　Peninsula
rises　in　places　to　a　height　of　seven　thousand　feet；　and　it　is　from　this
range　that　the　alluvial　detritus　is　washed　down；　beneath　which　is
deposited　the　layer　of　ore　or　wash；　which　varies　from　four　inches　to
ten　feet　in　thickness。　The　supply　of　this　ore　is　apparently
inexhaustible；　but　no　veins　have　as　yet　been　found。　The　mine　of
Ampagnan　only；　near　Kwala　Lumpor；　the　capital；　gives　employment　to　over
one　thousand　Chinamen；　and　each　can　extract　in　a　year　one　thousand
pounds　weight　of　white　smelted　tin　valued　at　35　pounds　sterling。　This
mineral　wealth　is　the　magnet　which；　according　as　the　price　of　tin　is
higher　or　lower；　attracts　into　Selangor　more　or　fewer　Chinamen。　The
chief　source　of　the　revenue　of　the　State　has　been　the　export　duty　on
tin。

The　low　lands　on　the　coast　are　fringed　with　mangroves；　which　thrive　in
blue　mud　and　heavy　clays；　and　these　lands；　when　drained；　are　well
adapted　for　sugar。　Wet　rice　grows　well　in　the　swampy　valleys　which
separate　the　minor　ranges；　and　dry　rice　on　the　rises；　while　tapioca；
tobacco；　pepper　and　gambier　thrive　on　the　medium　heights。　The　sago　palm
flourishes　on　wet　lands。　The　high　hills　are　covered　with　primeval
forests；　and　the　Malays　have　neither　settlements　nor　plantations　upon
them。　It　is　believed　that　these　hills；　at　a　height　of　from　two　thousand
five　hundred　to　three　thousand　five　hundred　feet；　are　admirably　adapted
for　the　growth　of　Arabian　coffee；　cinchona　and　tea；　and　some　Ceylon
coffee　planters　are　expecting　an　era　of　success　in　Selangor。　At
present；　however；　the　necessary　labor　is　not　available。　The　soil　in　the
interior　on　the　mountain　slopes　consists　of　a　light　red　and　yellow
clay；　the　product　of　a　comparatively　recent　rock　decomposition；　covered
with　vegetable　mould　from　eight　to　twelve　inches　thick。　There　are　no
droughts；　and　the　rainfall；　distributed　pretty　fairly　over　the　year；
averages　about　one　hundred　and　thirty　inches　annually。　The　climate　is
remarkably　healthy；　and　diseases　of　locality　are　unknown。　Land　can　be
purchased　for　eight　shillings　per　acre　on　terms　of　deferred　payments。

One　curious　feature　of　Selangor；　as　of　Perak；　is　the　occurrence　of
isolated　hills　of　limestone　varying　from　eighty　to　one　thousand　feet　in
height。　At　Batu　there　are　magnificent　limestone　caves；　richly　adorned
with　stalactites　and　stalagmites。　The　dome　of　one　cavern　is　three
hundred　and　fifty…five　feet　from　floor　to　roof。　An　important　fact
connected　with　these　caverns　is　that　they　contain　thousands　of　tons　of
bats'　manure；　which　may　be　as　valuable　as　guano　to　future　planters。
Between　the　heavy　clays　and　blue　mud　of　the　mangrove　swamps　and　the
granite　and　sandstone　of　the　mountain　ranges；　the　undulating　rises　are
mainly　composed　of　red　clay；　sandstones；　shales；　and　granitic　and
feldspathic　rocks；　with　extensive　deposits　of　laterite　in　red　clays　on
the　surface。　In　the　valleys　along　the　rivers　the　soil　consists　of　rich
alluvial　deposits。

Undoubtedly　Selangor　has　great　capabilities；　and　if　the　difficulties　of
the　labor　question　can　be　satisfactorily　disposed　of；　it　is　likely　that
the　new　offer　of　leases　for　nine　hundred　and　ninety…nine　years；　subject
to　improvement　clauses；　will　attract　a　number　of　planters　to　its
fertile　soil　and　wholesome　climate。　Selangor　includes　three　large
districts；　each　on　a　considerable　river　of　its　ownSelangor；　Klang；
and　Langat。

The　Sultan