the golden chersonese and the way thither-第25节

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unmercifully　beating　on　great　stones　the　delicate　laces；　gauzy　silks；
and　elaborate　flouncings　of　the　European　ladies；　of　the　ceaseless　rush
and　hum　of　industry；　and　of　the　resistless；　overpowering；　astonishing
Chinese　element；　which　is　gradually　turning　Singapore　into　a　Chinese
city！　I　must　conclude　abruptly；　or　lose　the　mail。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　VIII

St。　Andrew's　CathedralSingapore　Harbor　ScenesChinese
PreponderanceFirst　Impressions　of　MalaccaA　Town　〃Out　of　the
Running〃


S。S。　〃RAINBOW；〃　MALACCA　ROADS；　January　20。

Yesterday　I　attended　morning　service　in　St。　Andrew's；　a　fine　colonial
cathedral；　prettily　situated　on　a　broad　grass　lawn　among　clumps　of
trees　near　the　sea。　There　is　some　stained　glass　in　the　apse；　but　in　the
other　windows；　including　those　in　the　clerestory；　Venetian　shutters
take　the　place　of　glass；　as　in　all　the　European　houses。　There　are
thirty…two　punkahs；　and　the　Indians　who　worked　them；　anyone　of　whom
might　have　been　the　model　of　the　Mercury　of　the　Naples　Museum；　sat　or
squatted　outside　the　church。　The　service　was　simple　and　the　music　very
good；　but　in　the　Te　Deum；　just　as　the　verse　〃Thou　art　the　King　of
Glory；　O　Christ；〃　I　caught　sight　of　the　bronze　faces　of　these　〃punkah…
wallahs；〃　mostly　bigoted　Mussulmen；　and　was　overwhelmed　by　the
realization　of　the　small　progress　which　Christianity　has　made　upon　the
earth　in　nineteen　centuries。　A　Singhalese　D。D。　preached　an　able　sermon。
Just　before　the　communion　we　were　called　out；　as　the　Rainbow　was　about
to　sail；　and　a　harbor　boat；　manned　by　six　splendid　Klings；　put　us　on
board。

The　Rainbow　is　a　very　small　vessel；　her　captain　half　Portuguese　and
half　Malay；　her　crew　Chinese；　and　her　cabin　passengers　were　all　Chinese
merchants。　Her　engineer　is　a　Welshman；　a　kindly　soul；　who　assured　Mr。
；　when　he　commended　me　to　his　care；　that　〃he　was　a　family　man；　and
that　nothing　gave　him　greater　pleasure　than　seeing　that　ladies　were
comfortable；〃　and　I　owe　to　his　good　offices　the　very　small　modicum　of
comfort　that　I　had。　Waiting　on　the　little　bridge　was　far　from　being
wearisome；　there　was　such　a　fascination　in　watching　the　costumed　and
manifold　life　of　the　harbor；　the　black…hulled；　sullen…looking　steamers
from　Europe　discharging　cargo　into　lighters；　Malay　prahus　of　all　sizes
but　one　form；　sharp　at　both　ends；　and　with　eyes　on　their　bows；　like　the
Cantonese　and　Cochin　China　boats；　reeling　as　though　they　would　upset
under　large　mat　sails；　and　rowing…boats　rowed　by　handsome；　statuesque
Klings。　A　steamer　from　Jeddah　was　discharging　six　hundred　pilgrims　in
most　picturesque　costumes；　and　there　were　boats　with　men　in　crimson
turbans　and　graceful　robes　of　pure　white　muslin；　and　others　a　mass　of
blue　umbrellas；　while　some　contained　Brahmins　with　the　mark　of　caste
set　conspicuously　on　their　foreheads；　all　moving　in　a　veil　of　gold　in
the　setting　of　a　heavy　fringe　of　cocoa…palms。

We　sailed　at　four；　with　a　strong　favorable　breeze；　and　the　sea　was
really　delightful　as　we　passed　among　green　islets　clothed　down　to　the
water's　edge　with　dense　tropical　vegetation；　right　out　into　the　open
water　of　the　Straits　of　Malacca；　a　burning；　waveless　sea；　into　which
the　sun　was　descending　in　mingled　flame　and　blood。　Then；　dinner　for
three；　consisting　of　an　excellent　curry；　was　spread　on　the　top　of　the
cabin；　and　eaten　by　the　captain；　engineer；　and　myself；　after　which　the
engineer　took　me　below　to　arrange　for　my　comfort；　and　as　it　was
obviously　impossible　for　me　to　sleep　in　a　very　dirty　and　very　small
hole；　tenanted　by　cockroaches　disproportionately　large；　and　with　a
temperature　of　eighty…eight　degrees；　he　took　a　mattress　and　pillows
upon　the　bridge；　told　me　his　history；　and　that　of　his　colored　wife　and
sixteen　children　under　seventeen；　of　his　pay　of　35　pounds　a　month；　lent
me　a　box　of　matches；　and　vanished　into　the　lower　regions　with　the
consoling　words；　〃If　you　want　anything　in　the　night；　just　call
'Engineer'　down　the　engine　skylight。〃　It　does　one's　heart　good　to　meet
with　such　a　countryman。

The　Rainbow　is　one　of　the　many　tokens　of　preponderating　Chinese
influence　in　the　Straits　of　Malacca。　The　tickets　are　Chinese；　as　well
as　the　ownership　and　crew。　The　supercargo　who　took　my　ticket　is　a　sleek
young　Chinaman　in　a　pigtail；　girdle；　and　white　cotton　trousers。　The
cabin　passengers　are　all　Chinamen。　The　deck　was　packed　with　Chinese
coolies　on　their　way　to　seek　wealth　in　the　diggings　at　Perak。　They　were
lean；　yellow；　and　ugly；　smoked　a　pipe　of　opium　each　at　sundown；　wore
their　pigtails　coiled　round　their　heads；　and　loose　blue　cotton
trousers。　We　had　slipped　our　cable　at　Singapore；　because　these　coolies
were　clambering　up　over　every　part　of　the　vessel；　and　defying　all
attempts　to　keep　them　out；　so　that　〃to　cut　and　run〃　was　our　only
chance。　The　owners　do　not　allow　any　intoxicant　to　be　brought　on　board；
lest　it　should　be　given　to　the　captain　and　crew；　and　they　should　take
too　much　and　lose　the　vessel。　I　am　the　only　European　passenger　and　the
only　woman　on　board。　I　had　a　very　comfortable　night　lying　on　deck　in
the　brisk　breeze　on　the　waveless　sea；　and　though　I　watched　the　stars；
hoping　to　see　the　Southern　Cross　set；　I　fell　asleep；　till　I　was　awoke
at　the　very　earliest　dawn　by　a　most　formidable　Oriental　shouting　to　me
very　fiercely　I　thought；　with　a　fierce　face；　but　it　occurred　to　me　that
he　was　trying　to　make　me　understand　that　they　wanted　to　wash　decks；　so
I　lifted　my　mattress　on　a　bench　and　fell　asleep　again；　waking　to　find
the　anchor　being　let　go　in　the　Malacca　roads　six　hours　before　we　should
have　arrived。

I　am　greatly　interested　with　the　first　view　of　Malacca；　one　of　the
oldest　European　towns　in　the　East；　originally　Portuguese；　then　Dutch；
and　now；　though　under　English　rule；　mainly　Chinese。　There　is　a　long　bay
with　dense　forests　of　cocoa…palms；　backed　by　forests　of　I　know　not
what；　then　rolling　hills；　and　to　the　right　beyond　these　a　mountain
known　as　Mount　Ophir；　rich　in　gold。　Is　this　possibly；　as　many　think；
the　Ophir　of　the　Bible；　and　this　land　of　gems　and　gold　truly　the
〃Golden　Chersonese？〃　There　are　islets　of　emerald　green　lying　to　the
south；　and　in　front　of　us　a　town　of　antiquated　appearance；　low　houses；
much　colored；　with　flattish；　red…tiled　roofs；　many　of　them　built　on
piles；　straggling　for　a　long　distance；　and　fringed　by　massive…looking
bungalows；　half　buried　in　trees。　A　hill　rises　near　the　middle；　crowned
by　a　ruined　cathedral；　probably　the　oldest　Christian　church　in　the　Far
East；　with　slopes　of　bright　green　grass　below；　timbered　near　their　base
with　palms　and　trees　of　a　nearly　lemon…colored　vividness　of
spring…green；　and　there　are　glimpses　of　low；　red　roofs　behind　the　hill。
On　either　side　of　the　old…world…looking　town　and　its　fringe　of
bungalows　are　glimpses　of　steep；　reed　roofs　among　the　cocoa…palms。　A
long；　deserted…looking　jetty　runs　far　out　into　the　shallow　sea；　a　few
Chinese　junks　lie　at　anchor；　in　the　distance　a　few　Malay　fishermen　are
watching　their　nets；　but　not　a　breath　stirs；　the　sea　is　without　a
ripple；　the　gray　clouds　move　not；　the　yellow　plumes　of　the　palms　are
motionless；　the　sea；　the　sky；　the　town；　look　all　alike　asleep　in　a
still；　moist；　balmy　heat。


Stadthaus；　Malacca；　4　P。M。Presently　we　were　surrounded　by　a　crowd　of
Malay　boats　with　rude　sails　made　of　mats；　but　their　crews　might　have
been　phantoms　for　any　noise　they　made。　By　one　of　these　I　sent　my　card
and　note　of　introduction　to　the　Lieutenant…Governor。　An　hour　afterward
the　captain　told　me　that　the　Governor　usually　went　into　the　country
early　on　Monday　morning　for　two　days；　which　seemed　unfortunate。　Soon
after；　the　captain　and　engineer　went　ashore；　and　I　was　left　among　a
crowd　of　Chinamen　and　Malays　without　any　possibility　of　being
understood　by　any　of　them；　to　endure　stifling　heat　and　provoking
uncertainty；　much　aggravated　by　the　want　of　food；　for　another　three
hours。　At　last；　when　very　nearly　famished；　and　when　my　doubts　as　to　the
wisdom　of　this　novel　and　impromptu　expedition　had　become　very　serious
indeed；　a　European　boat　appeared；　moving　with　the　long　steady　stroke　of
a　man…of…war's　boat；　rowed　by　six　native　policemen；　with　a
frank…looking　bearded　countryman　steering；　and　two　peons　in　white；　with
scarlet…and…gold　hats　and　sashes；　in　the　bow；　and　as　it　swept　up　to
the　Rainbow's　side　the　man　in　white　stepped　on　board；　and　introduced
himself　to　me　as　Mr。　Biggs；　the　colonial　chaplain；　deputed　to　receive
me　on　behalf　of　the　Governor；　who　was　just　leaving　when　my　card
arrived。　He　relieved　all　anxiety　as　to　my　destination　by　saying　that
quarters　were　ready　for　me　in　the　Stadthaus。

We　were　soon　on　a　lovely　shore　under　the　cathedral…crowned　hill；　where
the　velvety　turf　slopes　down　to　the　sea　under　palms　and　trees　whose
trunks　are　one　mass　of　ferns；　brightened　by　that　wonderful　flowering
tree　variously　known　as　the　〃flamboyant〃　and　the　〃flame　of　the　forest〃
（Poinciana　regia）。　Very　still；　hot；　tropical；　sleepy；　and　dreamy；
Malacca　looks；　a　town　〃out　of　the　running；〃　utterly　antiquated；　mainly
un…English；　a　veritable　Sleepy　Hollow。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　IX

The　Lieutenant…Governor　of　MalaccaA　Charming　HouseholdThe　Old
StadthausA　Stately　HabitationAn　Endless　SiestaA　Tropic
DreamChinese　HousesC