the golden chersonese and the way thither-第35章

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districts；　each　on　a　considerable　river　of　its　ownSelangor；　Klang；
and　Langat。

The　Sultan　was　actually；　as　he　is　now　nominally；　supreme；　but　the　story
of　disturbances　under　this　government　is　a　very　old　one；　internal
strife　having　been　the　normal　condition　of　the　State　ever　since
Europeans　have　been　acquainted　with　it。　　It　seems　to　have　been　an
undoubted　fact　that　its　rivers　and　island　channels　were　the　resort　of
pirates；　and　that　its　Rajahs　devoted　themselves　with　much　success　to
harrying　small　vessels　trading　in　the　Straits　of　Malacca。

The　name　of　this　State　is　not　found　in　the　earlier　Malayan　records。
Negri　Calang；　or　the　land　of　tin；　was　the　designation　of　this　part　of
the　peninsula；　and　this　depopulated　region　was　formerly　a　flourishing
dependency　under　the　Malay　sovereigns　of　Malacca。　The　population；　such
as　it　is；　is　chiefly　composed　of　the　descendants　of　a　colony　of　Bugis
from　Goa　in　the　Celebes；　who　settled　in　Selangor　at　the　beginning　of
the　eighteenth　century　under　a　Goa　chief；　who　was　succeeded　by　Sultan
Ibrahim；　an　intense　hater　and　sturdy　opponent　of　the　Dutch。　He　attacked
Malacca；　looted　and　burned　its　suburbs；　and　would　have　captured　it　but
for　the　opportune　arrival　of　a　Dutch　fleet。　　He　surprised　the　Dutch
garrison　of　Selangor　by　night；　routed　it；　and　captured　all　its　heavy
artillery　and　ammunition；　but　was　afterward　compelled　to　restore　his
plunder；　and　acknowledge　himself　a　vassal　of　the　Dutch　East　India
Company。　After　this　he　attacked　the　Siamese；　and　was　mainly
instrumental　in　driving　them　out　of　Perak。

He　was　succeeded　in　1826　by　an　ignoble　prince；　and　under　his　weak　and
oppressive　rule；　and　under　the　extortions　and　cruelties　of　his
illegitimate　brothers；　the　State　lapsed　into　decay。　Mr。　Newbold；　who
had　charge　of　a　military　post　on　the　Selangor　frontier　in　1833；
witnessed　many　of　the　atrocities　perpetrated　by　these　Bugis　princes；
who　committed　piracies；　robbed；　plundered；　and　levied　contributions　on
the　wretched　Malays；　without　hindrance。　In　Mr。　Newbold's　day　the　whole
population　of　Kwala　Linggi；　where　he　was　stationed；　fled　by　night　into
the　Malacca　territory；　where　they　afterward　settled　to　escape　from　the
merciless　exactions　to　which　they　were　subjected。　Slavery　and　debt
slavery　added　to　the　miseries　of　the　country；　and　it　is　believed　that
by　emigration　and　other　causes　the　Malay　population　was　reduced　to
between　two　thousand　and　three　thousand　souls。

Only　one　event　in　the　recent　history　of　Selangor　deserves　notice。　This
miserable　ruler；　Sultan　Mohammed；　had　no　legitimate　offspring；　but　it
was　likely　that　at　his　death　his　near　relation；　Tuanku　Bongsu；　a　Rajah
universally　liked　and　respected　by　his　countrymen；　would　have　been
elected　to　succeed　him。　Unfortunately　for　the　good　of　the　State　this
Rajah　took　upon　himself　the　direction　of　the　tin　mines　at　Lukut；
formerly　worked　by　about　four　hundred　Chinese　miners　on　their　own
account；　paying　a　tenth　of　their　produce　to　the　Sultan。　One　dark；　rainy
night　in　September；　1834；　these　miners　rose　upon　their　employers；
burned　their　houses；　and　massacred　them　indiscriminately；　including
this　enlightened　Rajah；　and　his　wife　and　children；　in　attempting　to
escape；　were　thrown　into　the　flames　of　their　house。　The　plunder
obtained　by　the　Chinese；　exclusive　of　the　jewels　and　gold　ornaments　of
the　women；　was　estimated　at　3；500　pounds。　This　very　atrocious　business
was　believed　to　have　been　aided　and　abetted；　if　not　absolutely
concocted；　by　Chinese　merchants　living　under　the　shelter　of　the　British
flag　at　Malacca。　　With　the　death　of　Tuanku　Bongsu　all　hope　of
prosperity　for　Selangor　under　native　rule　was　extinguished。

Matters　became　very　bad　in　the　years　between　1867　and　1873；　the
fighting　among　the　rival　factions　leading　to　a　more　complete
depopulation　of　the　country；　not　only　by　the　loss　in　party　fights；　but
by　the　exodus　of　peaceable　cultivators。　Lawlessness　increased　to　such
an　extent　that　murders　and　robberies　were　of　continual　occurrence。　Mr。
Swettenham；　the　Assistant　Colonial　Secretary；　affirms　that　it　is　hardly
an　exaggeration　to　say　that　every　man　above　twenty　years　old　had　killed
at　least　one　man；　and　that　even　the　women　were　not　unaccustomed　to　use
deadly　weapons　against　each　other。

The　history　of　the　way　in　which　we　gained　a　footing　in　Selangor　is　a
tangled　one；　as　the　story　is　told　quite　differently　by　men　holding　high
positions　in　the　Colonial　Government；　who　unquestionably　are　〃all
honorable　men。〃　Our　first　appearance　on　the　scene　was　in　1871；　when　the
Rinaldo　destroyed　Selangor；　for　reasons　which　will　be　found　in　the
succeeding　letter。　In　November；　1873；　an　act　of　piracy　was　committed　on
the　Jugra　river　near　the　Sultan's　residence。　　On　this　Sir　A。　Clarke；
the　Governor　of　the　Straits　Settlements；　with　a　portion　of　H。B。M。's
China　fleet；　went　to　Langat　and　induced　the　Sultan　to　appoint　a　court
to　try　the　pirates；　three　of　the　ships　and　two　Government　Commissioners
remaining　to　watch　the　trial。　The　prisoners　were　executed；　the
war…ships　patroled　the　coast　for　a　time；　and　everything　became　quiet。

In　1874；　however；　there　were　new　disturbances　and　alleged　piracies；　and
Tunku　Dia　Udin；　the　Sultan's　son…in…law　and　viceroy；　overmatched　by
powerful　Rajahs；　gladly　welcomed　an　official；　who　was　sent　by　Sir　A。
Clarke；　〃to　remain　with　the　Sultan　should　he　desire　it；　and；　by　his
presence　and　advice　give　him　confidence；　and　assistance　to　carry　out
the　promises　which　he　had　made；〃　which　were；　in　brief；　to　suppress
piracy　and　keep　good　order　in　his　dominions；　not　a　difficult　task；　it
might　be　supposed；　for　it　is　estimated　that　he　had　only　about　two
thousand　Malay　subjects　left；　and　the　Chinese　miners　were　under　the
efficient　rule　of　their　〃Capitan；〃　Ah　Loi。

In　January；　1875；　at　Tunku　Dia　Udin's　request；　a　British　Resident　was
sent　to　Selangor。　Some　time　afterward　the　viceroy　retired　to　Kedah；　and
the　Sultan　has　been　〃advised〃　into　a　sort　of　pensioned　retirement；　the
Resident　levying；　collecting；　and　expending　the　taxes。　Sir　Andrew
Clarke　was　very　fortunate　in　his　selection　of　the　Sultan's　first
adviser；　for　Mr。　Davidson；　according　to　all　accounts；　had　an　intimate
knowledge　of　the　Malays；　as　well　as　a　wise　consideration　for　them；　he
had　a　calm　temper　and　much　good　sense；　and　is　held　in　honorable
remembrance；　not　only　for　official　efficiency　but　for　having　gained　the
sincere　regard　of　the　people　of　Selangor。　His　legal　training　and　high
reputation　in　the　colonial　courts　were　of　great　value　in　the　settlement
of　the　many　difficult　questions　which　arose　during　his　brief
administration。　He　was　succeeded　in　1876　by　Mr。　Bloomfield　Douglas；　who
has　held　the　office　of　Resident　for　six　years。

The　revenue　of　Selangor　amounted　in　1881　to　47；045　pounds；　derived
mainly　from　the　export　duty　on　tin；　the　import　duty　on　opium；　and　the
letting　of　opium　and　other　licenses　and　farms。　The　expenditure　was
46；876　pounds；　the　heaviest　items　being　for　〃establishments；〃
〃pensions；〃　and　〃works　and　buildings。〃　The　outlook　for　Selangor　appears
to　be　a　peaceful　one；　and　it　is　to　be　hoped　that；　under　the　energetic
administration　of　Sir　F。　A。　Weld；　its　capabilities　will　be　developed
and　its　anomalies　of　law　and　taxation　reformed；　and　that　both　Malays
and　foreigners　may　experience　those　advantages　of　good　order　and
security　which　result　from　a　just　rule。



LETTER　XIV

The　S。S。　RainbowSunset　at　MalaccaA　Night　at　SeaThe　Residency　at
KlangOur　〃Next…of…Kin〃The　Decay　of　KlangA　Remarkable
ChinamanTheatrical　MagnificenceMisdeed　of　a　〃Rogue　Elephant〃〃A
Cobra！　A　Cobra！〃


S。S。　〃RAINBOW；〃　MALACCA　ROADS；　February　1；　5　P。M。

I　am　once　again　on　board　this　quaint　little　Chinese　steamer；　which　is
rolling　on　a　lazy　ground…swell　on　the　heated；　shallow　sea。　We　were　to
have　sailed　at　four　P。M。；　but　mat…sailed　boats；　with　cargoes　of
Chinese；　Malays；　fowls；　pine…apples；　and　sugar…cane；　kept　coming　off
and　delaying　us。　The　little　steamer　has　long　ago　submerged　her
load…line；　and　is　only　about　ten　inches　above　the　water；　and　still　they
load；　and　still　the　mat…sailed　boats　and　eight…paddled　boats；　with　two
red…clothed　men　facing　forward　on　each　thwart；　are　disgorging　men　and
goods　into　the　overladen　craft。　A　hundred　and　thirty　men；　mostly
Chinese；　with　a　sprinkling　of　Javanese　and　Malays；　are　huddled　on　the
little　deck；　with　goats　and　buffaloes；　and　forty　coops　of　fowls　and
ducks；　the　fowls　and　ducks　cackling　and　quacking；　and　the　Chinese
clattering　at　the　top　of　their　voicessuch　a　Babel！

An　hour　later；　〃Easy　ahead；〃　shouts　the　Portuguese…Malay　captain；　for
the　Rainbow　is　only　licensed　for　one　hundred　passengers；　and　the　water
runs　in　at　the　scuppers　as　she　rolls；　but　five　of　the　mat…sailed　boats
have　hooked　on。　　〃Run　ahead！　full　speed！〃　the　captain　shouts　in
English；　he　dances　with　excitement；　and　screams　in　Malay；　the　Chinamen
are　climbing　up　the　stern；　over　the　bulwarks；　everywhere；　fairly
boarding　us；　and　with　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　souls　on　board；　and　not
a　white　man　or　a　Christian　among　them；　we　steam　away　over　the　gaudy
water　into　the　gaudy　sunset；　and　beautiful；　dreamy；　tropical　Malacca；
with　its　palm…fringed　shores；　and　its　colored　streets；　and　Mount　Ophir
with　its　golden　history；　and　the　stately　Stadthaus；　whose　ancient　rooms
have　come　to　seem　almost　like　my　property；　are　passing　into　memories。　A
gory　ball　drops　suddenly　from　a　gory　sky　into　a　flaming　sea；　and

　　　　　〃With　one　stride　comes　the　dark。〃

There　is　no　place　for　me　except　on　this　little　bridge；　on　which　the
captain　and　I　have　just　had　an　excellent　dinner；　with　hen…coops　for
seats。　These　noisy　fowls　are　now　quiet　in　the　darkness；　but　the　noisier
Chinese　are　still　bawling　at　the　top　of　their　voices。　It　is　too　dark
for　another　line。


British　Residency；　Klang　Selangor。You　will　not　know　where　Klang　is；
and　I　think　you　won't　find　it　in　any　atlas　or　encyclopedia。　Indeed；　I
almost　doubt　whether　you　will　find　Selangor；　the　Malay　State　of　which
Klang　is；　after　a　fashion；　the　capital。　At　present　I　can　tell　you　very
little。

Selangor　is　bounded　on　the　north　by　the　〃protected〃　State　of　Perak；
which　became　notorious　in　England　a　few　years　ago　for　a　〃little　war；〃
in　which　we　inflicted　a　very　heavy　chastisement　on　the　Malays　for　the
assassination　of　Mr。　　Birch；　the　British　Resident。　It　has　on　its　south
and　southeast　Sungei　Ujong；　Jelabu；　and　Pahang；　but　its　boundaries　in
these　directions　are　ill…defined。　The　Strait　of　Malacca　bounds　it　on
the　west；　and　its　coast…line　is　about　a　hundred　and　twenty　miles　long。
From　its　slightly　vague　interior　boundary　to　the　coast；　it　is　supposed
to　preserve　a　tolerably　uniform　depth　of　from　fifty　to　sixty　miles。
Klang　is　on　the　Klang　river；　in　lat。　3　degrees　3'　N。；　and　long。　101
degrees　29'　30〃　E。　I　call　it　〃the　Capital　after　a　fashion；〃　because　the
Resident　and　his　myrmidons　live　here；　and　because　vessels　which　draw
thirteen　feet　of　water　can　go　no　higher；　but　the　true　capital；　created
by　the　enterprise　of　Chinamen；　is　thirty…six　miles　farther　inland；　the
tin…mining　settlement　of　Kwala　Lumpor。　Selangor　thrives；　if　it　does
thrive；　which　I　greatly　doubt；　on　tin　and　gutta；　but　Klang　is　a　most
misthriven；　decayed；　dejected；　miserable…looking　place。*　The　nominal
ruler　of