the golden chersonese and the way thither-第43章

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planted；　and　yields　two　crops　annually　for　about　thirteen　years。　It　is
an　East　Indian　plant；　rather　pretty；　but　of　rambling　and　untidy　growth；
a　climber；　with　smooth；　soft　stems；　ten　or　twelve　feet　long；　and　tough；
broadly　ovate　leaves。　It　is　supported　much　as　hops　are。　When　the
berries　on　a　spike　begin　to　turn　red　they　are　gathered；　as　they　lose
pungency　if　they　are　allowed　to　ripen。　They　are　placed　on　mats；　and　are
either　trodden　with　the　feet　or　rubbed　by　the　hands　to　separate　them
from　the　spike；　after　which　they　are　cleaned　by　winnowing。　Black　pepper
consists　of　such　berries　wrinkled　and　blackened　in　the　process　of
drying；　and　white　pepper　of　similar　berries　freed　from　the　skin　and　the
fleshy　part　of　the　fruit　by　being　soaked　in　water　and　then　rubbed。　Some
planters　bleach　with　chlorine　to　improve　the　appearance；　but　this
process；　as　may　be　supposed；　does　not　improve　the　flavor。

In　these　climates　the　natives　use　enormous　quantities　of　pepper；　as
they　do　of　all　hot　condiments；　and　the　Europeans　imitate　them。

Although　there　are　so　many　plantations；　a　great　part　of　Pinang　is
uncleared；　and　from　the　peak　most　of　it　looks　like　a　forest。　It
contains　ninety　thousand　inhabitants；　the　Chinese　more　than　equaling
all　the　other　nationalities　put　together。　Its　trade；　which　in　1860　was
valued　at　3；500；000　pounds；　is　now　（1880）　close　upon　8；000；000　pounds；
Pinang　being；　like　Singapore；　a　great　entrepot　and　〃distributing
point。〃

Now　for　the　wilds　once　more！

I。　L。　B。



A　CHAPTER　ON　PERAK

The　Boundaries　and　Rivers　of　PerakTin　MiningFruits　and
VegetablesThe　Gomuti　PalmThe　Trade　of　PerakA　Future　of　CoffeeA
Hopeful　LookoutChinese　DifficultiesChinese　Disturbances　in
LarutThe　〃Pangkor　Treaty〃A　〃Little　War〃The　Settlement　of
PerakThe　Resident　and　Assistant…Resident


The　〃protected〃　State　of　Perak　（pronounced　Payrah）　is　the　richest　and
most　important　of　the　States　of　the　Peninsula；　as　well　as　one　of　the
largest。　Its　coast…line；　broken　into；　however；　by　a　bit　of　British
territory；　is　about　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　miles　in　length。　Its
sole　southern　boundary　is　the　State　of　Selangor。　On　the　north　it　has
the　British　colony　of　Province　Wellesley；　and　the　native　States　of
Kedah　and　Patani；　tributary　to　Siam。　Its　eastern　boundary　is　only　an
approximate　one；　Kelantan　joining　it　in　the　midst　of　a　vast　tract　of
unexplored　country　inhabited　solely　by　the　Sakei　and　Semang　aborigines。
The　State　is　about　eighty　miles　wide　at　its　widest　part；　and　thirty　at
its　narrowest；　and　is　estimated　to　contain　between　four　and　five
thousand　square　miles。　The　great　artery　of　the　country　is　the　Perak
river；　a　most　serpentine　stream。　Ships　drawing　thirteen　feet　of　water
can　ascend　it　as　far　as　Durian　Sabatang；　fifty　miles　from　its　mouth；
and　boats　can　navigate　it　for　one　hundred　and　thirty　miles　farther。
This　river；　even　one　hundred　and　fifty　miles　from　its　mouth　at　Kwala
Kangsa；　is　two　hundred　yards　wide；　and　might　easily　be　ascended　by
〃stern…wheel〃　boats　drawing　a　foot　of　water；　such　as　those　which　ply　on
the　upper　Mississippi。　Next　in　size　to　the　Perak　is　the　Kinta；　which
falls　into　the　Perak；　besides　which　there　are　the　Bernam　and　Batang
Padang　rivers；　both　navigable　for　vessels　of　light　draught。　Along　the
shores　of　these　streams　most　of　the　Malay　kampongs　are　built。

The　interior　of　Perak　is　almost　altogether　covered　with　magnificent
forests；　out　of　which　rise　isolated　limestone　hills；　and　mountain
ranges　from　five　thousand　to　eight　thousand　feet　in　height。　The　scenery
is　beautiful。　The　neighborhood　of　the　mangrove　swamps　of　the　coast　is
low　and　swampy；　but　as　the　ground　rises；　the　earth　which　has　been
washed　down　from　the　hills　becomes　fertile；　and　farther　inland　the
plains　are　so　broken　up　by　natural　sand　ridges　which　lighten　the　soil；
that　it　is　very　suitable　for　rice　culture。

Tin　is　the　most　abundant　of　the　mineral　products　of　Perak；　and；　as　in
the　other　States；　the　supply　is　apparently　inexhaustible。　So　far　it　is
obtained　in　〃stream　works〃　only。　The　export　of　this　metal　has　risen
from　144；000　pounds　in　1876　to　436；000　pounds　in　1881。　Tin…mining
continues　to　attract　a　steady　stream　of　Chinese　immigration；　and　the
Resident　believes　that　the　number　of　Chinamen　has　increased　from　twenty
thousand　in　1879　to　forty　thousand　in　1881。　Wealth　is　reckoned　in　slabs
of　tin；　and　lately　for　an　act　of　piracy　a　Rajah　was　fined　so　many　slabs
of　tin；　instead　of　so　many　hogsheads　of　oil；　as　he　would　have　been　on
the　West　African　coast。

Gold　is　found　in　tolerable　quantities；　even　by　the　Malay　easy…going
manner　of　searching　for　it；　and　diamonds　and　garnets　are　tolerably
abundant。　Gold　can　be　washed　with　little　difficulty　from　most　of　the
river　beds；　and　from　various　alluvial　deposits。　The　metal　thus　found　is
pure；　but　〃rough　and　shotty。〃　The　nearer　the　mountains　the　larger　the
find。　It　is　of　a　rich；　red　color。　Iron　ore　is　abundant；　but　though　coal
has　been　found；　it　is　not　of　any　commercial　value。　The　methods　of
mining　both　for　tin　and　gold　are　of　the　most　elementary　kind；　and　it　is
probable　that　Perak　has　still　vast　metallic　treasures　to　yield　up　to
scientific　exploration　and　Anglo…Saxon　energy。

Rice　is　the　staple　food　of　the　inhabitants。　Dry　rice　on　the　hillsides
was　the　kind　which　was　formerly　exclusively　cultivated；　but　from　some
Indians　who　came　from　Sumatra　to　Perak　the　Malays　have　learned　the　mode
of　growing　the　wet　variety；　and　it　is　now　largely　practiced。　Partly　in
consequence　of　a　great　lack　of　agricultural　energy；　and　partly　from　the
immense　quantity　of　rice　required　by　the　non…producing　Chinese　miners；
Perak　imported　in　1881　rice　to　the　value　of　70；000　pounds。

There　is　scarcely　a　tropical　product　which　this　magnificent　region　does
not　or　may　not　produce；　gutta…percha；　india…rubber；　sago；　tapioca；
palm…oil　and　fibre；　yams；　sweet　potatoes；　cloves；　nutmegs；　coffee；
tobacco；　pepper；　gambier；　with　splendid　fruits　in　perfectionthe
banana；　bread…fruit；　anona；　cocoa…nut；　mangosteen；　durion；　jak…fruit；
cashew…nut；　guava；　bullock's　heart；　pomegranate；　shaddock；
custard…apple；　papaya；　pine…apple；　with　countless　others。　The
indigenous　fruits　alone　are　so　innumerable；　that　a　description　of　the
most　valuable　of　them　would　fill　a　chapter。

Our　homely　vegetables　do　not　flourish；　but　watermelons；　cucumbers；
gourds；　capsicums；　chilies；　cocoa…nut　cabbage；　edible　arums；　and；　where
the　Chinese　have　settled；　coarse　lettuces；　radishes；　and　pulse；　grow
abundantly；　with　various　other　not　altogether　to　be　despised　vegetables
with　Malay　names。

The　timber　is　magnificent；　and　under　the　unworthy　name　of　〃jungle
produce〃　a　large　trade　is　done　in　it。　Perak　is　the　land　of　palms；　and
produces　the　invaluable　cocoa…palm；　most　parts　of　which　have　their
commercial　value；　the　areca　palm　which　produces　the　betel…nut；　the
gomuti　palm　from　whose　strong　black　fibres　they　make　ropes；　cordage；
and　strands　for　capturing　the　alligator；　the　jaggary…palm；　from　which
sugar　is　made；　as　well　as　a　fermented　beverage；　the　nibong　palm；　which
grows　round　the　Malay　kampong；　and　is　used　for　their　gridiron　floors
and　for　the　posts　of　their　houses；　the　dwarf…palms　which　serve　no　other
purpose　than　to　gladden　the　eyes　by　their　beauty；　and　the　nipah　palm
which　fringes　the　rivers；　and；　under　the　name　of　attap；　forms　the
thatch　of　both　native　and　foreign　houses。

Road…making　has　not　made　great　strides　in　Perak；　but　railroads　are
being　planned；　and　a　good　road　extends　from　the　port　of　Larut　to　the
great　Chinese　mining　town　of　Taipeng；　and　thence　to　the　British
residency　at　Kwala　Kangsa；　a　distance　of　over　thirty…three　miles；　the
electric　telegraph　accompanying　the　road。　Others　are　in　course　of
construction；　and　there　are　numerous　elephant　and　jungle　tracks　through
the　western　parts　of　the　State。

Still；　the　rivers　form　the　natural　highways。　Perak　has　two　portsTeluk
Anson　on　the　Perak　river；　thirty…four　miles　from　its　mouth；　and　Teluk
Kertang；　a　few　miles　up　the　Larut　river；　and　eight　miles　from　the　great
tin　mines　of　Taipeng。　　The　import　and　export　trade　is　carried　on　mainly
with　Pinang；　and　at　this　time　one　of　several　small　steamers　leaves
Larut　for　that　port　daily。　A　steamer　calls　at　Teluk　Anson　once　a
fortnight　on　her　voyage　from　and　to　Singapore　and　Pinang；　and　another
calls　at　the　same　port　every　fourth　day；　as　well　as　at　the　Dindings　and
the　Bernam　river。

Trade　is　rapidly　advancing。　The　exports　of　the　State；　which　were　valued
at　147；993　pounds　in　1876；　amounted　to　513；317　pounds　in　1881；　and　the
imports　which　amounted　to　166；275　pounds　in　1876；　had　reached　488；706
pounds　in　1881；　the　whole　import　and　export　trade　of　that　year
amounting　to　1；002；023　pounds。　The　free　population　of　Perak　is　now
estimated　at

　　　　　Malays　　　　　　　　　　56；000
　　　　　Chinese　　　　　　　　　40；000
　　　　　Other　Asiatics　　　　　850
　　　　　Europeans　　　　　　　　　　　90
　　　　　Aborigines　　　　　　　1；000
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　97；940

To　which　may　be　added　a　slave　and　bond　debtor　population　of　nearly　four
thousand　souls。

The　revenue　of　Perak　has　risen　from　42；683　pounds　in　1876　to　138；572
pounds　in　1881；　and　the　expenditure；　keeping　pace　with　it；　has　risen
from　45；277　pounds　in　1876　to　130；587　pounds　in　1881。　The　chief　sources
of　the　Perak　revenue　are　customs　duties；　opium　and　other　farms　and
licenses；　and　land　revenue；　and　the　chief　items　of　expenditure　are　for
civil　and　police　establishments；　roads　and　bridges；　and　allowances　and
pensions　to　chiefs。　It　is　worthy　of　remark　that　the　military
establishmentfor　so　the　magnificent　Sikh　armed　police　force　may　be
calledcosts　more　than　the　civil　establishment。　It　may　also　be
remarked　that　the　revenue　of　Perak；　thanks　to　the　financial　sagacity
and　wise　discrimination　of　the　Resident；　is　collected　with　little
difficulty；　and　without　inflicting　any　real　vexations　or　hardships　on
the　taxpayers。

Public　works；　such　as　the　construction　of　good　cart　roads　and　bridges；
the　making　of　canals；　the　clearing　rivers　from　impediments　to
navigation；　the　enlargement　of　experimental　gardens；　the　introduction
and　breeding　of　sheep；　cattle；　and　improved　breeds　of　poultry；
surveying　wild　land；　and　rebuilding　and　draining　mining　towns；　are
being　carried　on　energetically。　It　has　been　found；　after　long　and
carefully…conducted　experiments；　that　the　lower　mountains　of　Perak　are
admirably　suited　for　the　growth　of　tea；　cinchona；　and　Arabian　coffee；
while　Liberian　coffee　grows　equally　well　on　the　lower　lands。　Coffee
appears　to　be　so　nearly　〃played　out〃　in　Ceylon；　that　many
coffee…planters　have　been　〃prospecting〃　in　Perak；　and　now　that　the
Government　of　India　has　consented　to　the　importation　of　Indian　coolie
labor　into　the　State；　under　certain　restrictions；　as　an　experimental
measure；　a　future　of　coffee　may　be　predicted　with　tolerable　certainty。
One　of　the　causes　for　satisfaction　in　connection　with　this　State　is
that　the　Malays　themselves　are　undoubtedly　contented　with　British　rule；
and　are　prospering　under　it。　Crime　of　any　kind　in　the　Malay　districts
is　very　rare。　The　〃village　system〃　works　well；　and　the　courts　of　law
conduct　their　business　with　an　efficiency　and　economy　which　compare
favorably　with　the　transactions　of　our　colonial　courts；　English　law　is
being　gradua