the golden chersonese and the way thither-第57章

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Mr。　Low；　that　he　might　watch　his　sick　friend。　The　little　bewitching
thing；　which　is　much　emaciated；　clings　to　its　master　now　the　whole
time；　unlike　other　animals；　which　hide　themselves　when　they　are　ill；
puts　out　its　feeble　little　arms　to　him　with　a　look　of　unspeakable
affection　on　its　poor；　pinched　face；　and　murmurs　in　a　feeble　voice　ouf！
ouf！　Mr。　Low　pours　a　few　drops　of　milk　down　its　throat　every　half　hour；
and　if　he　puts　it　down　for　a　moment；　it　screams　like　a　baby　and
stretches　out　its　thin　hands。

It　is　very　interesting　and　pleasant　to　see　the　relations　which　exist
between　Mr。　Low　and　the　Malays。　At　this　moment　three　Rajahs　are　lying
about　on　the　veranda；　and　their　numerous　followers　are　clustered　on　and
about　the　stairs。　　He　never　raises　his　voice　to　a　native；　and　they　look
as　if　they　like　him；　and　from　their　laughter　and　cheeriness　they　must
be　perfectly　at　ease　with　him。　He　is　altogether　devoted　to　the
interests　of　Perak；　and　fully　carries　out　his　instructions；*　which
were；　〃to　look　upon　Perak　as　a　native　State　ultimately　to　be　governed
by　native　Rajahs；〃　whom　he　is　to　endeavor　to　educate　and　advise
〃without　interfering　with　the　religion　or　custom　of　the　country。〃　He
obviously　attempts　to　train　and　educate　these　men　in　the　principles　and
practice　of　good　government；　so　that　they　shall　be　able　to　rule　firmly
and　justly。　Perak　is　likely　to　become　the　most　important　State　of　the
Peninsula；　and　I　earnestly　hope　that　Mr。　Low's　wise　and　patient　efforts
will　bring　forth　good　fruit；　at　all　events　in　Rajah　Dris。　　
＇*See　Appendix　A。＇

Mr。　Low　is　only　a　little　over　fifty　now；　and　when　he　first　came　the
Rajahs　told　him　that　they　were　〃glad　that　the　Queen　had　sent　them　an
_old_　gentleman！〃　He　is　excessively　cautious；　and；　like　most　people　who
have　had　dealings　with　Orientals；　is　possibly　somewhat　suspicious；　but
his　caution　is　combined　with　singular　kindness　of　heart；　and　an　almost
faulty　generosity　regarding　his　own　concerns；　as；　for　instance；　he
refuses　to　send　his　servants　to　prison　when　they　rob　him；　saying：　〃Poor
fellows！　they　know　no　better。〃　He　is　just　as　patiently　forbearing　to
the　apes。　Mr。　…　told　me　that　he　had　made　a　very　clean　and　careful
copy　of　a　dispatch　to　Lord　Carnarvon；　when　Mahmoud　dipped　his　fingers
in　the　ink　and　drew　them　over　a　whole　page；　and　he　only　took　him　in　his
arms　and　said：　〃Poor　creature；　you've　given　me　a　great　deal　of　trouble；
but　you　know　no　better。〃

This　is　my　last　evening　here；　and　I　am　so　sorry。　It　is　truly　〃the
wilds。〃　There　is　rest。　Then　the　apes　are　delightful　companions；　and
there　are　all　sorts　of　beasts；　and　birds；　and　creeping　things；　from
elephants　downward。　　The　scenery　and　vegetation　of　the　neighborhood　are
beautiful；　the　quiet　Malay　life　which　passes　before　one　in　a　series　of
pictures　is　very　interesting；　and　the　sight　of　wise　and　righteous　rule
carried　on　before　one's　eyes；　with　a　total　absence　of　humbug　and
red…tapeism；　and　which　never　leaves　out　of　sight　the　training　of　the
Malays　to　rule　themselves；　is　always　pleasing。　I　like　Kwala　Kangsa
better　than　any　place　that　I　have　been　at　in　Asia；　and　am
proportionately　sorrier　to　leave　it。　Mr。　Low　would　have　sent　me　up　the
Perak　in　the　Dragon　boat；　and　over　the　mountains　into　Kinta　on
elephants；　if　I　could　have　stayed；　but　I　cannot　live　longer　without
your　letters；　and　they；　alas！　are　at　Colombo。　Mr。　Low　kindly　expresses
regret　at　my　going；　and　says　he　has　got　quite　used　to　my　being　here；
and　added：　〃You　never　speak　at　the　wrong　time。　When　men　are　visiting　me
they　never　know　when　to　be　quiet；　but　bother　one　in　the　middle　of
business。〃　This　is　most　amusing；　for　it　would　be　usually　said：　〃Women
never　know　when　to　be　quiet。〃　Mr。　Maxwell　one　day　said；　that　when　men
were　with　him　he　could　〃get　nothing　done　for　their　clatter。〃　I　wished
to　start　at　4　A。M。　to…morrow；　to　get　the　coolness　before　sunrise；　but
there　are　so　many　tigers　about　just　now　in　the　jungle　through　which　the
road　passes；　that　it　is　not　considered　prudent　for　me　to　leave　before
six；　when　they　will　have　retired　to　their　lairs。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXII

A　Pleasant　CanterA　Morning　HymnThe　Pass　of　Bukit　BerapitThe
〃Wearing　World〃　Again！A　Bad　SpiritMalay　Demonology〃Running
Amuck〃An　Amok…Runner's　CareerThe　Supposed　Origin　of　AmokJungle
Openings　in　PerakDebt…SlaveryThe　Fate　of　Three　Runaway
SlavesMoslem　Prayers〃Living　Like　Leeches〃Malay　ProverbsA
〃Ten…Thousand…Man　Umbrella〃


BRITISH　RESIDENCY；　TAIPENG；　February　21。

I　am　once　again　on　this　breezy　hill；　watching　the　purple　cloud…shadows
sail　over　the　level　expanse　of　tree…tops　and　mangroves；　having
accomplished　in　about　four　hours　the　journey；　which　took　nearly　twelve
in　going　up。　The　sun　was　not　up　when　I　left　the　bungalow　at　Kwala
Kangsa　this　morning。　I　rode　a　capital　pony；　on　Mr。　Low's　English
saddle；　a　Malay　orderly　on　horseback　escorting　me；　and　the　royal
elephant　carried　my　luggage。　It　was　absurd　to　see　this　huge　beast　lie
down　merely　to　receive　my　little　valise　and　canvas　roll；　with　a　small
accumulation　of　Malacca　canes；　mats；　krises；　tigers'　teeth　and　claws；
and　an　elephant's　tusk；　the　whole　not　weighing　100　lbs。

Mr。　Low　was　already　at　his　work；　writing　and　nursing　Eblis　at　the　same
time；　the　wild　ape　sitting　on　a　beam　looking　on。　I　left；　wishing　I　were
coming　instead　of　going；　and　had　a　delightful　ride　of　eighteen　miles。
The　little　horse　walked　very　fast　and　cantered　easily。　How　peaceful
Perak　is　now；　to　allow　of　a　lady　riding　so　far　through　the　jungle　with
only　an　unarmed　Malay　attendant！　Major　M'Nair　writes：　　〃The　ordinary
native　is　a　simple；　courteous　being；　who　joins　with　an　intense　love　of
liberty　a　great　affection　for　his　simple　home　and　its　belongings；〃　and
I　quite　believe　him。　Stories　of　amok　running；　〃piracies；〃　treachery；
revenge；　poisoned　krises；　and　assassinations；　have　been　made　very　much
of；　and　any　crime　or　slight　disturbance　in　the　native　States　throws　the
Settlements　into　a　panic。　It　must　have　been　under　the　influence　of　one
of　these　that　such　a　large　sea　and　land　force　was　sent　to　Perak　three
years　ago。　Crime　in　the　Malay　districts　in　these　States　is　so　rare；
that　were　it　not　for　the　Chinese；　a　few　policemen　would　be　all　the
force　that　would　be　needed。　The　〃village　system；〃　the　old　Malay　system
with　its　head　man　and　village　officials；　though　formerly　abused；　seems
under　the　new　regime　to　work　well；　and　by　it　the　Malays　have　been　long
accustomed　to　a　species　of　self…government；　and　to　the　maintenance　of
law　and　order。　I　notice　that　all　the　European　officials　who　speak　their
language　and　act　righteously　toward　them　like　them　very　much；　and　this
says　much　in　their　favor。

I　met　with　no　adventures　on　the　journey。　I　had　a　delightful　canter　of
several　miles　before　the　sun　was　above　the　tree…tops；　the　morning
mists；　rose…flushed；　rolled　grandly　away；　and　just　as　I　reached　the
beautiful　pass　of　Bukit　Berapit；　the　apes　were　hooting　their　morning
hymn；　and　the　forests　rang　with　the　joyous　trills　and　songs　of　birds。
〃All　Thy　works　praise　Thee；　O　Lord！〃

There　were　gorgeous　butterflies。　Among　them　I　noticed　one　with　the
upper　part　of　its　body　and　the　upper　side　of　its　wings　of　jet　black
velvet；　and　the　lower　half　of　its　body　and　the　under　side　of　its　wings
of　peacock…blue　velvet；　spotted；　another　of　the　same　〃make；〃　but　with
gold　instead　of　blue；　and　a　third　with　the　upper　part　of　the　body　and
wings　of　black　velvet　with　cerise　spots；　the　lower　part　of　the　body
cerise；　and　the　under　side　of　the　wings　white　with　cerise　spots。　All
these　measured　fully　five　inches　across　their　expanded　wings。　In　one
opening　only　I　counted　thirty…seven　varieties　of　these　brilliant
creatures；　not　in　hundreds　but　in　thousands；　mixed　up　with　blue　and
crimson　dragon…flies　and　iridescent　flies；　all　joyous　in　the　sunshine。

The　loud…tongued　stream　of　crystal　water　was　very　full；　and　through　the
deep　greenery；　and　among　the　great；　gray；　granite　boulders；　it　flung
its　broad　drifts　of　foam；　rejoicing　in　its　strength；　and　every　green
thing　leaned　lovingly　toward　it　or　stooped　to　touch　it；　and　all
exquisite　things　which　love　damp；　all　tender　mosses　and　selaginellas；
all　shade…loving　ferns　and　aroids；　flourish　round　it　in　perennial
beauty；　while　high　above；　in　the　sunshine；　amid　birds　and　butterflies；
the　graceful　areca　palm　struggles　with　the　feathery　bamboo　for
precarious　root…hold　on　rocky　ledges；　and　spikes　of　rose…crimson
blossoms；　and　dark　green　fronds　of　bananas；　and　all　the　leafy　wealth
born　of　moisture　and　sunshine；　cling　about　it　tenderly。　And　lower　down
the　great　forest　trees　arch　over　it；　and　the　sunbeams　trickle　through
them；　and　dance　in　many　a　quiet　pool；　turning　the　far…down　sands　to
gold；　brightening　majestic　tree…ferns；　and　shining　on　the　fragile
polypodium　tamariscinum　which　clings　tremblingly　to　the　branches　of　the
graceful　waringhan；　on　a　beautiful　lygodium　which　adorns　the　uncouth
trunk　of　an　artocarpus；　on　glossy　ginger…worts　and　trailing　yams；　on
climbers　and　epiphytes；　and　on　gigantic　lianas　which；　climbing　to　the
tops　of　the　tallest　trees；　descend　in　vast　festoons；　many　of　them　with
orange　and　scarlet　flowers　and　fruitage；　passing　from　tree　to　tree；　and
interlacing　the　forest　with　a　living　network；　while　selaginellas　and
lindsayas；　and　film　ferns；　and　trichomanes　radicans　drape　the　rocks　in
feathery　green；　along　with　mosses　scarcely　distinguishable　from　ferns。
Little　rivulets　flash　out　in　foam　among　the　dark　foliage；　and　mingle
their　musical　warble　with　the　deep　bass　of　the　torrent；　and　there　are
twilight　depths　of　leafy　shade　into　which　the　sunshine　never
penetrates；　damp　and　cool；　in　which　the　music　of　the　water　is　all　too
sweet；　and　the　loveliness　too　entrancing；　creating　that　sadness　hardly
〃akin　to　pain〃　which　is　latent　in　all　intense　enjoyment。

Gunong　Pondok；　the　limestone　butte；　twelve　hundred　feet　in　nearly
perpendicular　height；　showed　all　its　brilliancy　of　color；　and　Gunong
Bubu；　one　of　the　highest　mountains　in　Perak；　reared　his　granite　crest
above　the　forest。　The　lotus　lake　at　Bukit　Gantang　was　infinitely　more
beautiful　than　under　the　grayer　sky　of　Friday；　a　thousand　rosy　vases
were　drinking　in　the　sunshine；　and　ten　thousand　classic　leaves　were
spreading　their　blue…green　shields　below　them；　all　nature　smiled　and
sang。　I　was　loath　to　exchange　my　good　horse　for　a　gharrie；　with　a　Kling
driver　draped　slightly　in　Turkey…red　cotton　sitting　on　the　shafts；　who；
statuesque　as　he　was；　had　a　far　less　human　expression　than　Mahmoud　and
Eblis。　In　the　noonday　the　indigo…colored　Hijan　hills；　with　their
swollen　waterfall　coming　down　in　a　sheet　of　foam；　looked　cool；　but　as
we　dashed　through　Taipeng　I　felt　overpowered　once　more　by　what　seems
the　〃wearing　world；〃　after　beautiful；　silent　Kwala　Kangsa；　for　there
are　large　shops　with　gaudy　sign…boards；　stalls　in　the　streets；　tribal
halls；　buffalo…carts　with　buffaloes　yoked　singly；　for　the　spread　of
their　huge　horns　is　so　great　that　they　cannot　be　yoked　in　pairs；　trains
of　carts　with　cinnamon…colored；　humped　bullocks　yoked　in　pairs　standing
at　shop　doors；　gharries　with　fiery　Sumatra　ponies　dashing　about；　crowds
of　Chinese　coolies；　busy　and　half…naked；　filling　the　air　with　the　din
of　their　ceaseless　industry；　and　all　the　epitomi