the golden chersonese and the way thither-第56章

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restlessly　like　a　wild　beast　in　a　menagerie；　there　were　many　birds　in
cages；　and　under　the　house　was　much　rubbish；　among　which　numerous　fowls
were　picking。　There　was　much　fishing…tackle　on　the　walls；　both　men　and
women　being　excessively　fond　of　what　I　suppose　may　be　called　angling。
They　brought　us　young　cocoa…nuts；　and　the　milk；　drank　as　it　always
ought　to　be；　through　one　of　the　holes　in　the　nut；　was　absolutely
delicious。

Where　the　Malays　are　not　sophisticated　enough　to　have　glass　or　china；
they　use　dried　gourds　for　drinking…vessels。　The　cocoa…nut　is　an
invaluable　product　to　them。　Besides　furnishing　them　with　an
incomparable　drink；　it　is　the　basis　of　the　curries　on　which　they　live
so　much；　and　its　meat　and　milk　enter　into　the　composition　of　their
sweet　dishes。　I　went　to　see　the　women　behind　their　screen；　and　found
one　of　them　engaged　in　making　a　dish　which　looked　like　something　which
we　used　to　call　syllabub。　It　was　composed　of　remarkably　unbleached
sago；　which　they　make　from　the　sago…palm；　boiled　down　with　sugar　to
nearly　a　jelly。　It　was　on　an　earthenware　plate；　and　the　woman　who　was
preparing　it　mixed　sugar　with　cocoa…nut　milk；　and　whipping　it　with　a
bunch　of　twigs　to　a　slight　froth；　poured　it　over　the　jelly。

When　the　rain　ceased　we　got　through　the　timber　belt　into　a　forlorn
swamp　of　wet　padi；　where　the　water　was　a　foot　deep；　and　in　some　places
so　unintelligibly　hot　that　it　was　unpleasant　to　put　one's　feet　into　it。
It　was　truly　a　dismal　swamp；　and　looked　as　if　the　padi　were　coming　up
by　accident　among　the　reeds　and　weeds。　Indeed；　I　should　have　thought
that　it　was　a　rice　fallow；　but　for　a　number　of　grotesque　scarecrows；
some　mere　bundles　of　tatters；　but　others　wearing　the　aspect　of　big
birds；　big　dolls；　or　cats。　I　could　not　think　how　it　was　that　these
things　made　spasmodic　jerking　movement；　as　there　was　not　a　breath　of
air；　and　they　were　all　soaked　by　the　shower；　till　I　saw　that　they　were
attached　by　long　strings　to　a　little　grass　hut　raised　on　poles；　in
which　a　girl　or　boy　sat　〃bird…scaring。〃　The　sparrows　rob　the
rice…fields；　and　so　do　the　beautiful　padi…birds；　of　which　we　saw　great
numbers。

The　Malays　are　certainly　not　industrious；　they　have　no　need　to　be　so；
and　their　cultivation　is　rude。　They　plow　the　rice…land　with　a　plow
consisting　of　a　pole　eight　feet　long；　with　a　fork　protruding　from　one
end　to　act　as　a　coulter；　and　a　bar　of　wood　inserted　over　this　at　an
oblique　angle　forms　a　guiding　handle。　This　plow　is　drawn　by　the　great
water　buffalo。　After　plowing；　the　clods　are　broken　by　dragging　a　heavy
beam　over　them；　and　are　harrowed　by　means　of　a　beam　set　with　iron
spikes　The　women　do　the　sowing　and　planting。　The　harvest　succeeds　the
planting　in　four　months。　　The　rice　ears　are　cut　short　off；　sometimes　by
a　small　sickle；　and　sometimes　by　an　instrument　which　produces　the
effect　of　shears。　Threshing　consists　in　beating　the　ears　with　thick
sticks　to　loosen　the　husks；　after　which　the　padi　is　carried　in　baskets
to　platforms　ten　feet　above　the　ground；　and　is　allowed　to　fall　on　mats；
when　the　chaff　is　driven　away　by　the　wind。　It　is　husked　by　a　pestle；
and　it　requires　some　skill　to　avoid　crushing　the　grain。　All　these
operations　are　performed　by　women。

The　Perak　Malays　don't　like　working　for　other　people；　but　some　of　them
cultivate　sugar…cane　and　maize　for　sale。　Even　for　clearing　jungle…land
foreign　labor　has　to　be　resorted　to。

Ah；　that　swamp　is　a　doleful　region！　One　cannot　tell　where　it　ends　and
where　the　jungle　begins；　and　dark；　heavy；　ominous…looking　clouds
generally　concealed　the　forest…covered　hills　which　are　not　far　off。　I
almost　felt　the　redundancy　of　vegetation　to　be　oppressive；　and　the
redundancy　of　insect　and　reptile　life　certainly　was　so；　swarms　of
living　creatures　leaped　in　and　out　of　the　water；　bigger　ones　hidden
from　view　splashed　heavily；　and　a　few　blackish；　slug…like　looking
reptiles；　which　drew　blood；　and　hung　on　for　an　hour　or　two；　attached
themselves　to　my　ankles。　I　was　amused　when　Captain　Walker　congratulated
himself　on　the　absence　of　leeches；　for　these　blood…suckers　were　at
least　their　next　of　kin。　I　fell　down　into　the　water　twice　from　the
submerged　ridge　that　I　tried　to　walk　upon；　but　there　is　no　risk　of　cold
from　a　hot　bath　in　a　stove。

Then　we　came　to　a　smothered；　reedy；　ditch…like　stream；　in　which　was　an
old　〃dug…out〃　half　full　of　water；　in　which　we　managed　to　stow
ourselves；　and　by　careful　balancing　contrived　to　keep　its　edges　just
above　the　water。　Our　impeded　progress　down　this　ditch　startled　myriads
of　whirring；　splashing　creatures。　The　ditch　opened　into　a　reedy　swamp
where　hideous　pink　water　buffaloes　were　wallowing　and　enjoying
themselves；　but　on　the　report　of　a　gun　they　all　plunged　into　deep　water
and　swam　away；　except　for　their　big　horns；　looking　more　like
hippopotami　than　bovine　quadrupeds。　They　are　nearly　as　ugly　as　a
rhinoceros；　all　albino　animals　are　ugly；　and　when　these　are　wet　their
hides　are　a　bright　salmon　pink。

The　swamp　merged　itself　into　a　lotus　lake；　covered　over　much　of　its
extent　with　thousands　of　noble　leaves　and　rose…pink　blossoms。　It
seemed　almost　sacrilege　to　tear　and　bruise　and　break　them　and　push
rudely　through　them　in　our　canoe。　A　sadder　and　lonelier　scene　could　not
be。　I　have　seldom　been　more　powerfully　affected　by　nature。　The　lake
lying　in　hot　mist　under　dark　clouds；　with　the　swamp　and　jungle　on　one
side　and　an　absolutely　impenetrable　wall　of　entangled　trees　and
trailers　on　the　other；　so　dense　and　matted　that　before　putting　one's
feet　on　shore　space　would　have　to　be　cut　for　them　with　a　parang；　seemed
as　if　it　must　be　a　hundred　miles　from　the　abodes　of　men；　and　as　if
nobody　had　ever　been　there　before　or　ever　would　be　there　again。　　The
heavy　mist　lifted；　showing　mountains；　range　beyond　range；
forest…covered；　extending　back　into　the　heart　of　the　peninsula；　and
though　the　highest　may　be　under　five　thousand　feet　in　height；　yet　from
their　shape；　and　from　rising　so　near　the　sea…level；　and　from　the　woolly
mists　which　hung　round　their　bases；　and　from　something　in　the　gray；　sad
atmosphere；　they　looked　fully　ten　thousand　feet　high。

Captain　Walker　climbed　into　a　low　tree　which　overhung　the　lake　to　look
out　for　teal　and　widgeon；　which　were　perfectly　innumerable；　while　the
Malays；　never　uttering　a　word；　silently　poled　the　boat　over　the　dreary
lake　in　the　dreary　evening　to　put　up　the　birds。　There　they　went　high
over　our　heads　in　long　flights；　and　every　time　there　was　the　report　of
a　gun　there　were　screams　and　shrieks　and　squawks；　and　myriads　of　birds
rose　out　of　their　reedy　covers；　and　fish　splashed；　and　the　smoke　lay
heavily　on　the　water；　and　then　all　was　silent　again。　Any　place　more
solitary　and　apparently　isolated　could　not　be　imaginedit　was　a　most
pathetic　scene。　Hazy　visions　of　the　mere　near　which　King　Arthur　lay
dying　came　before　my　eyes。　If　I　had　seen　the　solemn　boat　with　〃the
three　fair　queens；〃　in　〃robes　of　samite；　mystic；　wonderful；〃　I　should
not　have　been　surprised；　nor　would　it　have　been　odd　if　the　lake　had
changed　into　the　Styx；　across　which　I　was　being　ferried；　a　cold；
colorless　shade。　To　and　fro；　up　and　down；　we　poled　over　the　tragic
waters　till　I　actually　felt　a　terror　far　beyond　eeriness　taking
possession　of　me。

It　grew　grayer　and　darker；　and　we　went　back　for　Captain　Walker；　who；
with　the　absorption　of　a　true　sportsman；　had　hardly　noticed　the　falling
shadows。　It　was　a　relief　to　hear　the　human　voice　once　more。　It　broke
the　worst　spell　I　was　ever　bound　by。　As　he　came　out　on　the　branch　to
get　into　the　canoe　it　gave　way；　and　he　fell　into　the　water　up　to　his
chin。　Then　the　boat　pole　broke；　so　that　when　we　got　back　to　the　padi　it
was　obvious　that　〃the　dark〃　was　coming　〃at　one　stride；〃　and　I　suggested
that；　as　we　had　two　miles　to　walk　and　a　river　to　cross　at　night；　and　we
should　certainly　be　very　late　for　dinner；　Mr。　Low　might　become　uneasy
about　us；　as　we　were　both　strangers　and　unable　to　speak　the　language；
but　Captain　Walker　thought　differently。

There　had　been　so　much　rain　that　it　was　heavy　wading　through　the　padi；
and　it　was　quite　dark　when　we　reached　the　jungle；　in　which　the　rain　had
made　the　footing　very　precarious；　and　in　darkness　we　forded　the　swollen
stream；　and　stumbled　along　the　shore　of　the　Perak；　where　fireflies　in
thousands　were　flashing　among　the　bushesa　beautiful　sight。　When　we
reached　the　bank　of　the　river　where　we　had　left　the　canoe　we　found
several　Malays；　who　laughed　and　seemed　singularly　pleased　to　see　us；
and　talked　vociferously　to　our　men；　i。e。；　vociferously　for　Malays；　who
are　in　the　habit　of　speaking　quietly。　It　was　very　difficult　to　get　down
the　steep；　slippery　bank；　into　a　precarious　canoe　which　I　could　not
see；　and　so　thick　was　the　darkness　that　I　sat　down　in　the　water　between
the　two　gridirons；　and　had　to　remain　there　during　the　crossing；　which
took　a　long　time；　being　against　the　stream。

When　we　landed；　a　Sikh　sergeant　met　us；　very　much　excited。　　He　spoke
Malayan；　and　I　guessed　from　a　few　words　that　I　knew　that　there　was　a
hue　and　cry　at　the　Residency。　You　know　how　all　pleasure　is　at　once
spoiled　when；　after　you　have　been　enjoying　yourself　very　much；　you　find
that　people　at　home　have　been　restless　and　uneasy　about　you；　and　as　it
is　one　of　my　traveling　principles　to　avoid　being　a　bother　to　people；　I
was　very　sorry。　We　found　a　general　state　of　perturbation。　Major
Swinburne；　who　was　leaning　over　the　veranda；　received　us　with　some　very
pungent　objurgations；　and　told　us　that　Mr。　Low　was　out　and　very
anxious。　I　was　covered　with　mire；　and　wet　from　head　to　foot；　and
disappeared；　but　when　we　sat　down　to　the　long…delayed　dinner　I　saw　from
Mr。　Low's　silence　and　gloomy　manner　that　he　had　been　really　much
annoyed；　however；　he　recovered　himself；　and　we　had　a　very　lively
evening　of　conversation　and　discussion；　though　I　had　a　good　deal　of
pain　from　the　inflamed　bites　of　the　bloodsuckers　in　the　swamp。　Malay
scouting　parties　had　been　sent　in　various　directions。　Rajah　Dris　was
away　with　one；　and　the　Sikh　police　were　all　ready　to　do　nobody　knows
what；　as　there　were　no　dogs。　Major　Swinburne　said　that　his　fears　did
not　travel　farther　than　the　river；　which　he　thinks　is　dangerous　to
cross　at　night　in　a　〃dug…out；〃　but　Mr。　Low　had　before　him　the
possibility　of　our　having　been　assailed　by　bad　characters；　or　of　our
having　encountered　a　tiger　in　the　jungle；　and　of　my　having　been　carried
off　from　my　inability　to　climb　a　tree！

Eblis　is　surely　dying。　He　went　to　the　roof；　where　the　half…tamed
siamang　was　supporting　him　hour　after　hour　as　gently　as　a　mother　would
support　a　sick　child。　This　wild　ape　has　been　very　gentle　and　good　to
Eblis　ever　since　he　became　ill。　I　went　out　for　a　short　time　with　Mr。
Low；　and　on　returning　he　called　Eblis；　but　the　little　thing　was　too
weak　to　come；　and　began　to　cry　feebly；　on　which　the　wild　ape　took　him
by　one　of　his　hands；　put　an　arm　round　him；　gently　led　him　to　a　place
from　which　he　could　drop　upon　Mr。　　Low's　chair；　and　then　darted　away；
but　while　daylight　lasted　was　looking　anxiously　at　Eblis；　and　at　6　A。M。
had　so　far　conquered　his　timidity　that　he　sat　on　the　window…sill　behind
Mr。　Low；　that　he　might　watch　his　sick　friend。　The　little　bewitching
thing；　which　is　much　emaciated；　clings　to　its