the golden chersonese and the way thither-第37节

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and　to　get　some　breakfast；　and　he　helped　us　on　shore；　as　if　our　hopes
were　to　be　realized；　and　dragged　us　under　the　broiling　sun　to　a　long
shed；　the　quarters　of　a　hundred　Chinese　coolies；　who　are　making　a　road
through　the　jungle。　We　sat　down　on　one　of　the　long　matted　platforms；
which　serve　them　for　beds；　and　talked；　but　there　was　no　hint　of
breakfast；　and　we　soon　learned　that　the　Malacca　runner　had　not　reached
the　Residency　at　all；　and　that　the　note　sent　from　Permatang　Pasir；
which　should　have　been　delivered　at　1　A。M。；　had　not　been　received　till
8　A。M。；　so　that　Captain　Murray　had　not　been　able　to　arrange　for　our
transport；　and　had　had　barely　time　to　ride　down　to　meet　us　at　such
〃full　speed；〃　as　a　swampy　and　partially　made　road　would　allow。　So　our
dreams　of　breakfast　ended　in　cups　of　stewed　tea；　given　to　us　by　a
half…naked　Chinaman；　and；　to　our　chagrin；　we　had　to　go　back　to　the　boat
and　be　poled　up　the　shallowing　and　narrowing　river　for　four　hours　more；
getting　on　with　difficulty；　the　boat…men　constantly　jumping　into　the
water　to　heave　the　boat　off　mud　banks。


When　we　eventually　landed　at　Nioto；　a　small　village；　Captain　Murray
again　met　us；　and　we　found　a　road；　and　two　antiquated　buggies；　sent　by
a　Chinaman；　with　their　component　parts　much　lashed　together　with　rope。
I　charioteered　one　of　these；　with　reins　so　short　that　I　could　only
reach　them　by　sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　seat；　and　a　whip　so　short　that
I　could　not　reach　the　pony　with　it。　At　a　Chinese　village　some　policemen
brought　us　cocoa…nut　milk。　　After　that；　the　pony　could　not；　or　would
not；　go；　and　the　Malay　syce　with　difficulty　got　it　along　by　dragging
it；　and　we　had　to　walk　up　every　hill　in　the　fierce　heat　of　a　tropic
noon。　At　the　large　Chinese　village　of　Rassa；　a　clever　little　Sumatra
pony　met　us；　and　after　passing　through　some　roughish　clearings；　on
which　tapioca　is　being　planted；　we　arrived　here　at　4　P。M。；　having
traveled　sixty　miles　in　thirty…three　hours。

The　Residency　is　on　a　steepish　hill　in　the　middle　of　an　open　valley；
partially　cleared　and　much　defaced　by　tin　diggings。　The　Chinese　town　of
Serambang　lies　at　the　foot　of　the　hill。　The　valley　is　nearly　surrounded
by　richly　wooded　hills；　some　of　them　fully　three　thousand　feet　high。
These；　which　stretch　away　to　the　northern　State　of　Selangor；　are　bathed
in　indigo　and　cobalt；　slashed　with　white　here　and　there；　where　cool
streams　dash　over　forest…shaded　ledges。　　The　house　consists　of　two
attap　roofed　bungalows；　united　by　their　upper　verandas。　Below　there　are
a　garden　of　acclimatization　and　a　lawn；　on　which　the　Resident　instructs
the　bright　little　daughter　of　the　Datu　Klana　in　lawn　tennis。　It　was
very　hot；　but　the　afternoon　airs　were　strong　enough　to　lift　the　British
ensign　out　of　its　heavy　folds　and　to　rustle　the　graceful　fronds　of　the
areca　palms。

Food　was　the　first　necessity；　then　baths；　then　sleep；　then　dinner　at
7：30；　and　then　ten　hours　more　sleep。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XIII

The　Appurtenances　of　CivilizationBabuCharacteristics　of　Captain
MurrayAn　Embodied　GovernmentChinese　Mining　EnterpriseA　Chinese
Gaming…HouseThe　〃Capitans　China〃New…Year　VisitsSittings　〃In
Equity〃A　Court　of　JusticeThe　Serambang　Prison〃Plantation
Hill〃A　Monster　BonfireAn　Ant　WorldAn　Ant　FuneralNight　on
〃Plantation　Hill〃The　Murder　of　Mr。　LloydA　Chinese　Dragon　PlayA
Visit　to　a　Malay　PrinceThe　Datu　Bandar's　HouseA　Great
TemptationThe　Return　JourneyAn　Obituary　Quotation


RESIDENCY；　SUNGEI　UJONG；　January　30。

We　have　been　here　for　four　days。　The　heat　is　so　great　that　it　is
wonderful　that　one　can　walk　about　in　the　sunshine；　but　the　nights；
though　the　mercury　does　not　fall　below　80　degrees；　are　cool　and
refreshing；　and　the　air　and　soil　are　both　dry；　though　a　hundred　inches
of　rain　fall　in　the　year。　　These　wooden　bungalows　are　hot；　for　the
attap　roofs　have　no　lining；　but　they　are　also　airy。　There　is　no…one　but
myself　at　night　in　the　one　in　which　my　room　is；　but　this　is　nothing
after　the　solitude　of　the　great；　rambling　Stadthaus。　Since　we　came　a
sentry　has　been　on　duty　always；　and　a　bull…dog　is　chained　at　the　foot
of　the　ladder　which　leads　to　both　bungalows。　But　there　is　really
nothing　to　fear　from　these　〃treacherous　Malays。〃　It　is　most　curious　to
see　the　appurtenances　of　civilization　in　the　heart　of　a　Malay　jungle；
and　all　the　more　so　because　our　long　night　journey　up　the　Linggi　makes
it　seem　more　remote　than　it　is。　　We　are　really　only　sixty　miles　from
Malacca。

The　drawing…room　has　a　good　piano；　and　many　tasteful　ornaments；　books；
and　chinagifts　from　loving　friends　and　relations　in　the　far　off
homeand　is　as　livable　as　a　bachelor　would　be　likely　to　make　it。　There
is　a　billiard　table　in　the　corridor。　The　dining…room；　which　is　reached
by　going　out　of　doors；　with　its　red…tiled　floor　and　walls　of　dark；
unpolished　wood；　is　very　pretty。　In　the　middle　of　the　dinner　table
there　is　a　reflecting　lake　for　〃hot…house　flowers；〃　and　exquisite
crystal；　menu　cards　with　holders　of　Dresden　china；　four　classical
statuettes　in　Parian；　with　pine…apples；　granadillas；　bananas；
pomegranates；　and　a　durion　blanda；　are　the　〃table　decorations。〃　The
cuisine　is　almost　too　elaborate　for　a　traveler's　palate；　but　plain　meat
is　rarely　to　be　got；　and　even　when　procurable　is　unpalatable　unless
disguised。　Curry　is　at　each　meal；　but　it　is　not　made　with　curry　powder。
Its　basis　is　grated　cocoa…nut　made　into　a　paste　with　cocoa…nut　milk；
and　the　spices　are　added　fresh。　Turtles　when　caught　are　kept　in　a　pond
until　they　are　needed；　and　we　have　turtle　soup；　stewed　turtle；　curried
turtle　and　turtle　cutlets　ad　nauseam。　Fowls　are　at　every　meal；　but
never　plain　roasted　or　plain　boiled。　　The　first　day　there　was　broiled
and　stewed　elephant　trunk；　which　tastes　much　like　beef。

Babu；　who　is　always　en　grand　tenue；　has　taken　command　of　everything　and
saves　our　host　all　trouble。　He　carves　at　the　sideboard；　scolds　the
servants　in　a　stage　whisper；　and　pushes　them　indignantly　aside　when
they　attempt　to　offer　anything　to　〃his　young　ladies；〃　reduces　Captain
Murray's　butler　to　a　nonentity；　and　as　far　as　he　can　turns　the
Residency　into　Government　House；　waiting　on　us　assiduously　in　our
rooms；　and　taking　care　of　our　clothes。　The　dinner　bell　is　a　bugle。

In　houses　in　these　regions　there　is　always　a　brick…floored　bath…room；
usually　of　large　size；　under　your　bedroom；　to　which　you　descend　by　a
ladder。　This　is　often　covered　by　a　trap…door；　which　is　sometimes
concealed　by　a　couch；　and　in　order　to　descend　the　sofa　cushion　is
lifted。　Here　it　is　an　open　trap　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　A　bath　is　a
necessitynot　a　luxuryso　near　the　equator；　and　it　is　usual　to　take
one　three；　four；　or　even　five　times　a　day；　with　much　refreshment。　One
part　of　Babu's　self…imposed　duty　is　to　look　under　our　pillows　for
snakes　and　centipedes；　and　the　latter　have　been　found　in　all　our　rooms。

I　must　now　make　you　acquainted　with　our　host；　Captain　Murray。　He　was
appointed　when　the　Datu　Klana　asked　for　a　Resident　four　years　ago。　He
devotes　himself　to　Sungei　Ujong　as　if　it　were　his　own　property；　though
he　has　never　been　able　to　acquire　the　language。　He　is　a　man　about
thirty…eight；　a　naval　officer；　and　an　enterprising　African　traveler；
under　the　middle　height；　bronzed；　sun…browned；　disconnected　in　his
conversation　from　the　habit　of　living　without　anyone　in　or　out　of　the
house　to　speak　to；　professing　a　misanthropy　which　he　is　very　far　from
feeling；　for　he　is　quite　unsuspicious；　and　disposed　to　think　the　best
of　every　one；　hasty　when　vexed；　but　thoroughly　kind…hearted；　very
blunt；　very　undignified；　never　happy　（he　says）　out　of　the　wilds；
thoroughly　well　disposed　to　the　Chinese　and　Malays；　but　very　impatient
of　their　courtesies；　thoroughly　well　meaning；　thoroughly　a　gentleman；
but　about　the　last　person　that　I　should　have　expected　to　see　in　a
position　which　is　said　to　require　much　tact　if　not　finesse。　　His
success　leads　me　to　think；　as　I　have　often　thought　before；　that　if　we
attempt　to　deal　with　Orientals　by　their　own　methods；　we　are　apt　to　find
them　more　than　a　match　for　us；　and　that　thorough　honesty　is　the　best
policy。

He　lives　alone；　unguarded；　trusts　himself　by　night　and　day　without　any
escort　among　the　people；　keeps　up　no　ceremony　at　all；　and　is
approachable　at　all　hours。　Like　most　travelers；　he　has　some　practical
knowledge　of　medicine；　and　he　gives　advice　and　medicines　most
generously；　allowing　himself　to　be　interrupted　by　patients　at　all
hours。　There　is　no　doctor　nearer　than　Malacca。　He　has　been　so
successful　that　people　come　from　the　neighboring　States　for　his　advice。
There　is　very　little　serious　disease；　but　children　are　subject　to　a
loathsome　malady　called　puru。　Two　were　brought　with　it　to…day。　　The
body　and　head　are　covered　with　pustules　containing　matter；　looking　very
much　like　small…pox；　and　the　natives　believe　that　it　must　run　its
course　for　a　year。　Captain　Murray　cures　it　in　a　few　days　with　iodide　of
potassium　and　iodine；　and　he　says　that　it　is　fast　disappearing。

Captain　Murray　is　judge；　〃sitting　in　Equity；〃　Superintendent　of　Police；
Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer；　and　Surveyor　of　Taxes；　besides　being　Board
of　Trade；　Board　of　Works；　and　I　know　not　what　besides。　In　fact；　_he　is
the　Government_；　although