the golden chersonese and the way thither-第36节

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it　all！　It　is　wonderful；　no　words　could　describe　it；　far　less　mine。　Mr。
Darwin　says　so　truly　that　a　visit　to　the　tropics　（and　such　tropics）　is
like　a　visit　to　a　new　planet。　This　new　wonder…world；　so　enchanting；
tantalizing；　intoxicating；　makes　me　despair；　for　I　cannot　make　you　see
what　I　am　seeing！　Amidst　all　this　wealth　of　nature　and　in　this
perennial　summer　heat　I　quite　fail　to　realize　that　it　is　January；　and
that　with　you　the　withered　plants　are　shriveling　in　the　frost…bound
earth；　and　that　leafless　twigs　and　the　needles　of　half…starved　pines
are　shivering　under　the　stars　in　the　aurora…lighted　winter　nights。

But　to　the　jungle　again；　The　great　bamboo　towers　up　along　the　river
sides　in　its　feathery　grace；　and　behind　it　the　much　prized　Malacca
cane；　the　rattan；　creeping　along　the　ground　or　climbing　trees　and
knotting　them　together；　with　its　tough　strands；　from　a　hundred　to
twelve　hundred　feet　in　length；　matted　and　matting　together　while　ferns；
selaginellas；　and　lycopodiums　struggle　for　space　in　which　to　show　their
fragile　beauty；　along　with　hardier　foliaceous　plants；　brown　and
crimson；　green　and　crimson；　and　crimson　flecked　with　gold；　and　the
great　and　lesser　trees　alike　are　loaded　with　trailers；　ferns；　and
orchids；　among　which　huge　masses　of　the　elk…horn　fern　and　the　shining
five…foot　fronds　of　the　Asplenium　Nidus　are　everywhere　conspicuous。

Not　only　do　orchids　crowd　the　branches；　and　the　hoya　carnosa；　the　yam；
the　blue…blossomed　Thunbergia；　the　vanilla　（？）；　and　other　beautiful
creepers；　conceal　the　stems；　while　nearly　every　parasitic　growth
carries　another　parasite；　but　one　sees　here　a　filament　carelessly
dangling　from　a　branch　sustaining　some　bright…hued　epiphyte　of　quaint
mocking　form；　then　a　branch　as　thick　as　a　clipper's　main…mast　reaches
across　the　river；　supporting　a　festooned　trailer；　from　whose　stalks
hang；　almost　invisibly　suspended；　oval　fruits；　almost　vermilion
colored；　then　again　the　beautiful　vanilla　and　the　hoya　carnosa　vie　with
each　other　in　wreathing　the　same　tree；　or　an　audacious　liana；　with
great　clusters　of　orange　or　scarlet　blossoms；　takes　possession　of
several　trees　at　once；　lighting　up　the　dark　greenery　with　its　flaming
splotches；　or　an　aspiring　trailer；　dexterously　linking　its　feebleness
to　the　strength　of　other　plants；　leaps　across　the　river　from　tree　to
tree　at　a　height　of　a　hundred　feet；　and；　as　though　in　mockery；　sends
down　a　profusion　of　crimson　festoons　far　out　of　reach。　But　it　is　as
useless　to　attempt　to　catalogue　as　to　describe。　To　realize　an
equatorial　jungle　one　must　see　it　in　all　its　wonderment　of　activity　and
stillnessthe　heated；　steamy　stillness　through　which　one　fancies　that
no　breeze　ever　whispers；　with　its　colossal　flowering　trees；　its　green
twilight；　its　inextricable　involvement；　its　butterflies　and　moths；　its
brilliant　but　harsh　voiced　birds；　its　lizards　and　flying　foxes；　its
infinite　variety　of　monkeys；　sitting；　hanging　by　hands　or　tails；
leaping；　grimacing；　jabbering；　pelting　each　other　with　fruits；　and　its
loathsome　saurians；　lying　in　wait　on　slimy　banks　under　the　mangroves。
All　this　and　far　more　the　dawn　revealed　upon　the　Linggi　river；　but
strange　to　say；　through　all　the　tropic　splendor　of　the　morning；　I　saw　a
vision　of　the　Trientalis　Europea；　as　we　saw　it　first　on　a　mossy
hillside　in　Glen　Cannich！

But　I　am　forgetting　that　the　night　with　its　blackness　and　mystery　came
before　the　sunrise；　that　the　stars　seldom　looked　through　the　dense
leafage；　and　that　the　pale　green　lamps　of　a　luminous　fungus　here　and
there；　and　the　cold　blue　sheet…lightning　only　served　to　intensify　the
solemnity　of　the　gloom。　While　the　blackest　part　of　the　night　lasted　the
〃view〃　was　usually　made　up　of　the　black　river　under　the　foliage；　with
scarcely　ten　yards　of　its　course　free　from　obstructiongreat　snags　all
along　it　sticking　up　menacingly；　trees　lying　half　or　quite　across　it；
with　barely　room　to　pass　under　them；　or　sometimes　under　water；　when　the
boat　〃drave　heavily〃　over　them；　while　great　branches　brushed　and　ripped
the　thatch　continually；　and　as　one　obstacle　was　safely　passed；　the
rapidity　of　the　current　invariably　canted　us　close　on　another；　but　the
vigilant　skill　of　the　boatmen　averted　the　slightest　accident。　〃Jaga！
Jaga！〃caution！　caution！was　the　constant　cry。　The　most　unpleasant
sensations　were　produced　by　the　constant　ripping　and　tearing　sounds　as
we　passed　under　the　low　tunnel　of　vegetation；　and　by　the　perpetual
bumping　against　timber。

The　Misses　Shaw　passed　an　uneasy　night。　The　whisky　had　cured　the
younger　one　of　her　severe　sick　headache；　and　she　was　the　prey　of　many
terrors。　They　thought　that　the　boat　would　be　ripped　up；　that　the　roof
would　be　taken　off；　that　a　tree　would　fall　and　crush　us；　that　the
boatmen；　when　they　fell　overboard；　as　they　often　did；　would　be　eaten　by
alligators；　that　they　would　see　glaring　eyeballs　whenever　the　cry
〃Rimou！〃a　tiger！was　raised　from　the　bow；　and　they　continually　awoke
me　with　news　of　something　that　was　happening　or　about　to　happen；　and
were　drolly　indignant　because　they　could　not　sleep；　while　I；　a　blasee
old　campaigner；　slept　whenever　they　would　let　me。　Day　broke　in　a　heavy
mist；　which　disappeared　magically　at　sunrise。　As　the　great　sun　wheeled
rapidly　above　the　horizon　and　blazed　upon　us　with　merciless　fierceness；
all　at　once　the　jungle　became　vociferous。　Loudly　clattered　the　busy
cicada；　its　simultaneous　din；　like　a　concentration　of　the　noise　of　all
the　looms　in　the　world；　suddenly　breaking　off　into　a　simultaneous
silence；　the　noisy　insect　world　chirped；　cheeped；　buzzed；　whistled；
birds　hallooed；　hooted；　whooped；　screeched；　apes　in　a　loud　and　not
inharmonious　chorus　greeted　the　sun；　and　monkeys　chattered；　yelled；
hooted；　quarreled；　and　spluttered。　The　noise　was　tremendous。　But　the
forest　was　absolutely　still；　except　when　some　heavy　fruit；　over　ripe；
fell　into　the　river　with　a　splash。　The　trees　above　us　were　literally
alive　with　monkeys；　and　the　curiosity　of　some　of　them　about　us　was　so
great　that　they　came　down　on　〃monkey　ropes〃　and　branches　for　the　fun　of
touching　the　roof　of　the　boat　with　their　hands　while　they　hung　by　their
tails。　　They　were　all　full　of　frolic　and　mischief。

Then　we　had　a　slim　repast　of　soda　water　and　bananas；　the　Hadji
worshiped　with　his　face　toward　Mecca；　and　the　boatmen　prepared　an
elaborate　curry　for　themselves；　with　salt　fish　for　its　basis；　and　for
its　tastiest　condiment　blachanga　Malay　preparation　much　relished　by
European　lovers　of　durion　and　decomposed　cheese。　It　is　made　by
trampling　a　mass　of　putrefying　prawns　and　shrimps　into　a　paste　with
bare　feet。　This　is　seasoned　with　salt。　The　smell　is　penetrating　and
lingering。　Our　men　made　the　boat　fast；　rinsed　their　mouths；　washed
their　hands；　and　ate；　using　their　fingers　instead　of　chopsticks。　Poor
fellows！　they　had　done　twelve　hours　of　splendid　work。

Then　one　of　them　prepared　the　betel…nut　for　the　rest。　I　think　I　have
not　yet　alluded　to　this　abominable　practice　of　betel…nut　chewing；　which
is　universal　among　the　inhabitants　of　the　Malay　Peninsula；　the
betel…nut　being　as　essential　to　a　Malay　as　tobacco　is　to　a　Japanese；　or
opium　to　the　confirmed　Chinese　opium…smoker。　It　is　a　revolting　habit；
and　if　a　person　speaks　to　you　while　he　is　chewing　his　〃quid〃　of　betel；
his　mouth　looks　as　if　it　were　full　of　blood。　People　say　that　the
craving　for　stimulants　is　created　by　our　raw；　damp　climate；　but　it　is
as　strong　here；　at　the　equator；　in　this　sunny；　balmy　air。　I　have　not
yet　come　across　a　region　in　which　men；　weary　in　body　or　spirit；　are　not
seeking　to　stimulate　or　stupefy　themselves。　The　Malay　men　and　women
being　prohibited　by　the　Koran　from　using　alcohol；　find　the　needed
fillip　in　this　nut；　but　it　needs　preparation　before　it　suits　their
palates。

The　betel…nut　is　the　fruit　of　the　lovely；　graceful；　slender…shafted
areca　palm。　This　tree　at　six　years　old　begins　to　bear　about　one　hundred
nuts　a　year；　which　grow　in　clusters；　each　nut　being　about　the　size　of　a
nutmeg；　and　covered　with　a　yellow；　fibrous　husk。　The　requisites　for
chewing　are：　a　small　piece　of　areca　nut；　a　leaf　of　the　Sirih　or　betel
pepper；　a　little　moistened　lime；　and；　if　you　wish　to　be　very　luxurious；
a　paste　made　of　spices。　The　Sirih　leaf　was　smeared　with　a　little　fine
lime　taken　from　a　brass　box；　on　this　was　laid　a　little；　brownish　paste；
on　this；　a　bit　of　the　nut；　the　leaf　was　then　folded　neatly　round　its
contents；　and　the　men　began　to　chew；　and　to　spitthe　inevitable
consequence。　The　practice　stains　the　teeth　black。　I　tasted　the　nut；　and
found　it　pungent　and　astringent；　not　tempting。　The　Malays　think　you
look　like　a　beast　if　you　have　white　teeth。

The　heat　was　exhausting；　the　mercury　87　degrees　in　the　shade　as　early
as　8：30；　and　we　all　suffered；　more　or　less；　from　it　in　our　cramped
position　and　enforced　inactivity。　At　nine；　having　been　fourteen　hours
on　the　river；　we　came　on　a　small　cleared　space；　from　which　a　bronzed；
frank…faced　man；　dressed　in　white　linen；　hallooed　to　us　jovially；　and
we　were　soon　warmly　greeted　by　Captain　Murray；　the　British　Resident　in
the　State　of　Sungei　Ujong。　On　seeing　him；　we　hoped　to　find　a　gharrie
and　to　get　some　breakfast；　and　he　helped　us　on　shore；　as　if　our　hopes
were　to　be　real