the golden chersonese and the way thither-第36章

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thrive；　which　I　greatly　doubt；　on　tin　and　gutta；　but　Klang　is　a　most
misthriven；　decayed；　dejected；　miserable…looking　place。*　The　nominal
ruler　of　Selangor　is　Sultan　Abdul　Samat；　but　he　hybernates　on　a　pension
at　Langat；　a　long　way　off；　and　must　be　nearly　obliterated；　I　think。
＇*Kwala　Lumpor　is　now　the　most　important　mining　entrepot　in　Selangor；
and　in　1880　the　British　Resident　and　his　staff　were　removed　thither。＇

It　is　a　great　change　from　Malacca　in　every　respect。　I　left　it　with
intense　regret。　Hospitality；　kindness；　most　genial　intercourse；　and　its
own　semi…mediaeval　and　tropical　fascinations；　made　it　one　of　the
brightest　among　the　many　bright　spots　of　my　wanderings。　Mr。　Hayward
took　me　to　the　Rainbow　in　a　six…oared　boat；　manned　by　six　policemen；
completing　the　list　of　〃Government　facilities〃　as　far　as　Malacca　is
concerned。　The　mercury　was　90　degrees　in　my　little　cabin　or　den；　and　it
swarmed　not　only　with　mosquitoes；　but　with　cockroaches；　which；　in　the
dim　light；　looked　as　large　as　mice。　Of　course；　no　one　sleeps　below　in
the　tropics　who　can　avoid　it；　so　as　the　deck　was　thick　with　Chinamen；　I
had　my　mattress　laid　on　a　bench　on　the　bridge；　which　was　only　occupied
by　two　Malay　look…out　men。　There　is　not　very　much　comfort　when　one
leaves　the　beaten　tracks　of　travel；　but　any　loss　is　far　more　than　made
up　for　by　the　intense　enjoyment。

It　was　a　delightful　night。　The　moon　was　only　a　hemisphere；　yet　I　think
she　gave　more　light　than　ours　at　the　full。　The　night　was　so　exquisite
that　I　was　content　to　rest　without　sleeping；　the　Babel　noises　of　fowls
and　men　had　ceased；　and　there　were　only　quiet　sounds　of　rippling　water；
and　the　occasional　cry　of　a　sea…bird　as　we　slipped　through　the　waveless
sea。　When　the　moon　set；　the　sky　was　wonderful　with　its　tropic　purple
and　its　pavement　and　dust　of　stars。　I　have　become　quite　fond　of　the
Southern　Cross；　and　don't　wonder　that　the　early　navigators　prostrated
themselves　on　deck　when　they　first　saw　it。　It　is　not　an　imposing
constellation；　but　it　is　on　a　part　of　the　sky　which　is　not　crowded　with
stars；　and　it　always　lies　aslant　and　obvious。　　It　has　become　to　me　as
much　a　friend　as　is　the　Plough　of　the　northern　regions。

At　daybreak　the　next　morning　we　were　steaming　up　the　Klang　river；　whose
low　shores　are　entirely　mangrove　swamps；　and　when　the　sun　was　high　and
hot　we　anchored　in　front　of　the　village　of　Klang；　where　a　large　fort　on
an　eminence；　with　grass　embankments　in　which　guns　are　mounted；　is　the
first　prominent　object。　Above　this　is　a　large　wooden　bungalow　with　an
attap　roof；　which　is　the　British　Residency。　There　was　no　air；　and　the
British　ensign　in　front　of　the　house　hung　limp　on　the　flag…staff。　Below
there　is　a　village；　with　clusters　of　Chinese　houses　on　the　ground；　and
Malay　houses　on　stilts；　standing　singly；　with　one　or　two　Government
offices　bulking　largely　among　them。　A　substantial　flight　of　stone　steps
leads　from　the　river　to　a　skeleton　jetty　with　an　attap　roof；　and　near
it　a　number　of　attap…roofed　boats　were　lying；　loaded　with　slabs　of　tin
from　the　diggings　in　the　interior；　to　be　transhipped　to　Pinang。　A
dainty　steam…launch；　the　Abdulsamat；　nominally　the　Sultan's　yacht；
flying　a　large　red　and　yellow　flag；　was　also　lying　in　the　river。

Mr。　Bloomfield　Douglas；　the　Resident；　a　tall；　vigorous；　elderly　man；
with　white　hair；　a　florid　complexion；　and　a　strong　voice　heard
everywhere　in　authoritative　tones；　met　me　with　a　four…oared　boat；　and　a
buggy　with　a　good　Australian　horse　brought　me　here。　From　this　house
there　is　a　large　but　not　a　beautiful　view　of　river　windings；　rolling
jungle；　and　blue　hills。　The　lower　part　of　the　house；　which　is　supported
on　pillars；　is　mainly　open；　and　is　used　for　billiard…room；　church；
lounging…room；　afternoon　tea…room；　and　audience…room；　but　I　see　nothing
of　the　friendly；　easy…going　to　and　fro　of　Chinese　and　Malays；　which
was　a　pleasant　feature　of　the　Residency　in　Sungei　Ujong。　In　fact；　there
is　here　much　of　the　appearance　of　an　armed　post　amidst　a　hostile
population。　In　front　of　the　Residency　there　is　a　six…pounder　flanked　by
two　piles　of　shot。　Behind　it　there　is　a　guard…room；　with　racks　of
rifles　and　bayonets　for　the　Resident's　body…guard　of　twelve　men；　and
quarters　for　the　married　soldiers；　for　soldiers　they　are；　though　they
are　called　policemen。　A　gong　hangs　in　front　of　the　porch　on　which　to
sound　the　alarm；　and　a　hundred　men　fully　armed　can　turn　out　at　five
minutes'　notice。

The　family　consists　of　the　Resident；　his　wife；　a　dignified　and　gracious
woman；　with　a　sweet　but　plaintive　expression　of　countenance；　and　an
afflicted　daughter；　on　whom　her　mother　attends　with　a　loving；　vigilant；
and　ceaseless　devotion　of　a　most　pathetic　kind。　The　circle　is　completed
by　a　handsome　black　monkey　tied　to　a　post；　and　an　ape　which　they　call
an　ouf；　from　the　solitary　monosyllable　which　it　utters；　but　which　I
believe　to　be　the　〃agile　gibbon；〃　a　creature　so　delicate　that　it　has
never　yet　survived　a　voyage　to　England。

It　is　a　beautiful　creature。　I　could　〃put　off〃　hours　of　time　with　it。　It
walks　on　its　hind　legs　with　a　curious　human　walk；　hanging　its　long　arms
down　by　its　sides　like　B…。　　It　will　walk　quietly　by　your　side　like
another　person。　It　has　nice　dark　eyes；　with　well…formed　lids　like　ours；
a　good　nose；　a　human　mouth　with　very　nice　white　teeth；　and　a　very
pleasant　cheery　look　when　it　smiles；　but　when　its　face　is　at　rest　the
expression　is　sad　and　wistful。　It　spends　a　good　deal　of　its　time　in
swinging　itself　most　energetically。　It　has　very　pretty　fingers　and
finger…nails。　It　looks　fearfully　near　of　kin　to　us；　and　yet　the　gulf　is
measureless。　It　can　climb　anywhere；　and　take　long　leaps。　　This　morning
it　went　into　a　house　in　which　a　cluster　of　bananas　is　hanging；　leaped
up　to　the　roof；　and　in　no　time　had　peeled　two；　which　it　ate　very
neatly。　It　has　not　even　a　rudimentary　tail。　When　it　sits　with　its　arms
folded　it　looks　like　a　gentlemanly　person　in　a　close…fitting　fur　suit。

The　village　of　Klang　is　not　interesting。　It　looks　like　a　place　which
has　〃seen　better　days；〃　and　does　not　impress　one　favorably　as　regards
the　prosperity　of　the　State。　Above　it　the　river　passes　through　rich
alluvial　deposits；　well　adapted　for　sugar；　rice；　and　other　products　of
low…lying　tropical　lands；　but　though　land　can　be　purchased　on　a　system
of　deferred　payments　for　two　dollars　an　acre；　these　lands　are　still
covered　with　primeval　jungle。　Steam…launches　and　flattish…bottomed
native　boats　go　up　the　river　eighteen　miles　farther　to　a　village　called
Damarsara；　from　which　a　good　country　road　has　been　made　to　the　great
Chinese　village　and　tin　mines　of　Kwala　Lumpor。　The　man…eating　tigers；
which　almost　until　now　infested　the　old　jungle　track；　have　been　driven
back；　and　plantations　of　tobacco；　tapioca；　and　rice　have　been　started
along　the　road。　On　a　single　Chinese　plantation；　near　Kwala　Lumpor；
there　are　over　two　thousand　acres　of　tapioca　under　cultivation；　and　the
enterprising　Chinaman　who　owns　it　has　imported　European　steam　machinery
for　converting　the　tapioca　roots　into　the　marketable　article。　Whatever
enterprise　I　hear　of　in　the　interior　is　always　in　the　hands　of
Chinamen。　Klang　looks　as　if　an　incubus　oppressed　it；　and　possibly　the
Chinese　are　glad　to　be　as　far　as　possible　from　the　seat　of　what
impresses　me　as　a　fussy　Government。　At　all　events；　Klang；　from　whatever
cause；　has　a　blighted　look；　and　deserted　houses　rapidly　falling　into
decay；　overgrown　roads；　fields　choked　with　weeds；　and　an　absence　of
life　and　traffic　in　the　melancholy　streets；　have　a　depressing
influence。　The　people　are　harassed　by　a　vexatious　and　uncertain　system
of　fees　and　taxes；　calculated　to　engender　ill　feeling；　and　things
connected　with　the　administration　seem　somewhat　〃mixed。〃

You　will　be　almost　tired　of　the　Chinese；　but　the　more　I　see　of　them　the
more　I　am　impressed　by　them。　These　States；　as　well　as　Malacca；　would　be
jungles　with　a　few　rice　clearings　among　them　were　it　not　for　their
energy　and　industry。　　Actually　the　leading　man；　not　only　at　Kwala
Lumpor　（now　the　seat　of　government）；　but　in　Selangor；　is　Ah　Loi；　a
Chinaman！　During　the　disturbances　before　we　〃advised〃　the　State；　the
Malays　burned　the　town　of　Kwala　Lumpor　three　times；　and　he　rebuilt　it；
and；　in　spite　of　many　disasters　stuck　to　it　at　the　earnest　request　of
the　native　government。　He　has　made　long　roads　for　the　purpose　of
connecting　the　most　important　of　the　tin　mines　with　the　town。　His
countrymen　place　implicit　confidence　in　him；　and　Mr。　Syers；　the
admirable　superintendent　of　police；　tells　me　that　by　his　influence　and
exertions　he　has　so　successfully　secured　peace　and　order　in　his　town
and　district　that　during　many　years　not　a　single　serious　crime　has　been
committed。　He　employs　on　his　estatein　mines；　brickfields；　and
plantationsover　four　thousand　men。　He　has　the　largest　tapioca　estate
in　the　country　and　the　best　machinery。　He　has　introduced　the
manufacture　of　bricks；　has　provided　the　sick　with　an　asylum；　has　been
loyal　to　British　interests；　has　been　a　most　successful　administrator　in
the　populous　district　intrusted　to　him；　and　has　dispensed　justice　to
the　complete　satisfaction　of　his　countrymen。　While　he　is　the　creator　of
the　commercial　interests　of　Selangor；　he　is　a　man　of　large　aims　and　of
an　enlightened　public　spirit。　Is　there　no　decoration　of　St。　　Michael　or
St。　George　in　reserve　for　Ah　Loi？*　So　far；　however；　from　receiving　any
suitable　recognition　of　his　services；　it　is　certain　that　Ah　Loi's
claims　for　compensation　for　losses；　etc。；　have　not　yet　been　settled。
＇*The　months　after　my　visit；　Ah　Loi　received　the　Sultan　of　Selangor　for
several　days　with　great　magnificence；　and　in　July；　1880；　he　entertained
the　Governor　of　the　Straits　Settlements　and　his　suite　with　yet　greater
splendor；　erecting　for　the　occasion　a　fine　banqueting…hall　with　open
sides。＇

Sir　F。　A。　Weld　writes　of　this　visit〃At　Kwala　Lumpor；　besides　the
reception　and　a　dinner　at　the　Capitan　China's；　a　Chinese　theatrical
performance　was　given　representing　a　sultan　and　great　rajahs；
quarreling；　but　laying　aside　their　quarrels　on　the　appearance　of　a
'governor；'　who　pacifies　the　country。　Addresses　and　odes　were　also　sung
and　recited　to　me　from　the　stage；　and　the　performers　representing　the
great　personages　prostrated　themselves　and　made　obeisances。　　The
dresses　were　all　real　hand…worked　gold　and　silver　embroidery　on　thick
silks　of　the　richest　colors。　The　princes　were　attended　by　their
warriors；　some　of　whose　helmets　and　arms　were　magnificent；　with　banners
and　feather　standards；　and　coats　of　arms；　or　their　equivalents；　borne
aloft　by　heralds；　ladies　also　appeared；　one　a　prima…donna；　other
actresses　rode　hobby…horses；　only　the　head　of　the　woman　and　hobby…horse
being　visible　in　the　clouds　of　silk　and　gold。　Jesters　jested；　and
tumblers；　in　blue；　loose　tunics　and　wide　scarlet　trousers；　shot　across
the　stage　when　there　was　any　room　in　front　of　the　crowd　of　actors　with
the　rapidity　of　meteors。　The　pace　was　too　great　to　be　even　sure　that
they　were　human　beings。　I　have　seen　Kean's　Shakespearian　revival
pageants　formerly　in　London；　but　I　never　realized　what　a　mediaeval
court　pageant　might　have　been　till　in　the　heart　of　the　Malay　Peninsula
I　saw　the　most　gorgeous　combination　of　color