the golden chersonese and the way thither-第52节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！




Georgetown；　February　11th。I　have　not　seen　very　much　in　my　two　days；
indeed；　I　doubt　whether　there　is　much　to　see；　in　my　line　at　least；　nor
has　the　island　any　interesting　associations　as　Malacca　has；　or　any
mystery　of　unexplored　jungle　as　in　Sungei　Ujong　and　Selangor。　Pinang
came　into　our　possession　in　1786；　through　the　enterprise　of　Mr。　　Light；
a　merchant　captain；　who　had　acquired　much　useful　local　knowledge　by
trading　to　Kedah　and　other　Malay　States。　　The　Indian　Government　desired
a　commercial　〃emporium〃　and　a　naval　station　in　the　far　east；　and　Mr。
Light　recommended　this　island；　then　completely　covered　with　forest；　and
only　inhabited　by　two　migratory　families　of　Malay　fishermen；　whose　huts
were　on　the　beach　where　this　town　now　stands。　In　spite　of　romantic
stories　of　another　kind；　to　which　even　a　recent　encyclopedia　gives
currency；　it　seems　that　the　Rajah　of　Kedah；　to　whom　the　island
belonged；　did　not　bestow　it　on　Mr。　Light；　but　sold　it　to　the　British
Government　for　a　stipulated　payment　of　2；000　pounds　a　year；　which　his
successor　receives　at　this　day。

It　is　little　over　thirteen　miles　long；　and　from　five　to　ten　broad。　It
is　a　little　smaller　than　the　Isle　of　Wight；　its　area　being　one　hundred
and　seven　square　miles。

The　roads　are　excellent。　After　one　has　got　inside　of　the　broad　belt　of
cocoa　and　areca　palms　which　runs　along　the　coast；　one　comes　upon
beautiful　and　fertile　country；　partly　level；　and　partly　rolling；　with
rocks　of　granite　and　mica…schist；　and　soil　of　a　shallow　but　rich
vegetable　mould；　with　abundance　of　streams　and　little　cascades；　dotted
all　over　with　villas　（very　many　of　them　Chinese）　and　gardens；　and
planted　with　rice；　pepper　and　fruits；　while　cloves　and　nutmegs；　which
last　have　been　long　a　failure；　grow　on　the　higher　lands。　The　centre　of
Pinang　is　wooded　and　not　much　cultivated；　but　on　the　south　and
south…west　coasts　there　are　fine　sugar；　coffee　and　pepper　plantations。
The　coffee　looks　very　healthy。　From　the　ridges　in　the　centre　of　the
island　the　ground　rises　toward　the　north；　till；　at　the　Peak；　it　reaches
the　height　of　two　thousand　nine　hundred　and　twenty…two　feet。　There　is　a
sanitarium　there　with　a　glorious　view；　and　a　delicious　temperature
ranging　from　60　degrees　to　75　degrees；　while　in　the　town　and　on　the　low
lands　it　ranges　from　80　degrees　to　90　degrees。　A　sea　breeze　blows　every
day；　and　rain　falls　throughout　the　year；　except　in　January　and
February。　The　vegetation　is　profuse；　but　less　beautiful　and　tropical
than　on　the　mainland；　and　I　have　seen　very　few　flowers　except　in
gardens。

The　products　are　manifoldguavas；　mangoes；　lemons；　oranges；　bananas；
plantains；　shaddocks；　bread…fruit；　etc。；　and　sugar；　rice；　sweet
potatoes；　ginger；　areca；　and　cocoa…nuts；　coffee；　cloves；　some　nutmegs；
and　black　and　white　pepper。　My　gharrie　driver　took　me　to　see　a　Chinese
pepper　plantationto　me　the　most　interesting　thing　that　I　saw　on　a
very　long　and　hot　drive。　Pepper　is　a　very　profitable　crop。　The　vine
begins　to　bear　in　three　or　four　years　after　the　cuttings　have　been
planted；　and　yields　two　crops　annually　for　about　thirteen　years。　It　is
an　East　Indian　plant；　rather　pretty；　but　of　rambling　and　untidy　growth；
a　climber；　with　smooth；　soft　stems；　ten　or　twelve　feet　long；　and　tough；
broadly　ovate　leaves。　It　is　supported　much　as　hops　are。　When　the
berries　on　a　spike　begin　to　turn　red　they　are　gathered；　as　they　lose
pungency　if　they　are　allowed　to　ripen。　They　are　placed　on　mats；　and　are
either　trodden　with　the　feet　or　rubbed　by　the　hands　to　separate　them
from　the　spike；　after　which　they　are　cleaned　by　winnowing。　Black　pepper
consists　of　such　berries　wrinkled　and　blackened　in　the　process　of
drying；　and　white　pepper　of　similar　berries　freed　from　the　skin　and　the
fleshy　part　of　the　fruit　by　being　soaked　in　water　and　then　rubbed。　Some
planters　bleach　with　chlorine　to　improve　the　appearance；　but　this
process；　as　may　be　supposed；　does　not　improve　the　flavor。

In　these　climates　the　natives　use　enormous　quantities　of　pepper；　as
they　do　of　all　hot　condiments；　and　the　Europeans　imitate　them。

Although　there　are　so　many　plantations；　a　great　part　of　Pinang　is
uncleared；　and　from　the　peak　most　of　it　looks　like　a　forest。　It
contains　ninety　thousand　inhabitants；　the　Chinese　more　than　equaling
all　the　other　nationalities　put　together。　Its　trade；　which　in　1860　was
valued　at　3；500；000　pounds；　is　now　（1880）　close　upon　8；000；000　pounds；
Pinang　being；　like　Singapore；　a　great　entrepot　and　〃distributing
point。〃

Now　for　the　wilds　once　more！

I。　L。　B。



A　CHAPTER　ON　PERAK

The　Boundaries　and　Rivers　of　PerakTin　MiningFruits　and
VegetablesThe　Gomuti　PalmThe　Trade　of　PerakA　Future　of　CoffeeA
Hopeful　LookoutChinese　DifficultiesChinese　Disturbances　in
LarutThe　〃Pangkor　Treaty〃A　〃Little　War〃The　Settlement　of
PerakThe　Resident　and　Assistant…Resident


The　〃protected〃　State　of　Perak　（pronounced　Payrah）　is　the　richest　and
most　important　of　the　States　of　the　Peninsula；　as　well　as　one　of　the
largest。　Its　coast…line；　broken　into；　however；　by　a　bit　of　British
territory；　is　about　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　miles　in　length。　Its
sole　southern　boundary　is　the　State　of　Selangor。　On　the　north　it　has
the　British　colony　of　Province　Wellesley；　and　the　native　States　of
Kedah　and　Patani；　tributary　to　Siam。　Its　eastern　boundary　is　only　an
approximate　one；　Kelantan　joining　it　in　the　midst　of　a　vast　tract　of
unexplored　country　inhabited　solely　by　the　Sakei　and　Semang　aborigines。
The　State　is　about　eighty　miles　wide　at　its　widest　part；　and　thirty　at
its　narrowest；　and　is　estimated　to　contain　between　four　and　five
thousand　square　miles。　The　great　artery　of　the　country　is　the　Perak
river；　a　most　serpentine　stream。　Ships　drawing　thirteen　feet　of　water
can　ascend　it　as　far　as　Durian　Sabatang；　fifty　miles　from　its　mouth；
and　boats　can　navigate　it　for　one　hundred　and　thirty　miles　farther。
This　river；　even　one　hundred　and　fifty　miles　from　its　mouth　at　Kwala
Kangsa；　is　two　hundred　yards　wide；　and　might　easily　be　ascended　by
〃stern…wheel〃　boats　drawing　a　foot　of　water；　such　as　those　which　ply　on
the　upper　Mississippi。　Next　in　size　to　the　Perak　is　the　Kinta；　which
falls　into　the　Perak；　besides　which　there　are　the　Bernam　and　Batang
Padang　rivers；　both　navigable　for　vessels　of　light　draught。　Along　the
shores　of　these　streams　most　of　the　Malay　kampongs　are　built。

The　interior　of　Perak　is　almost　altogether　covered　with　magnificent
forests；　out　of　which　rise　isolated　limestone　hills；　and　mountain
ranges　from　five　thousand　to　eight　thousand　feet　in　height。　The　scenery
is　beautiful。　The　neighborhood　of　the　mangrove　swamps　of　the　coast　is
low　and　swampy；　but　as　the　ground　rises；　the　earth　which　has　been
washed　down　from　the　hills　becomes　fertile；　and　farther　inland　the
plains　are　so　broken　up　by　natural　sand　ridges　which　lighten　the　soil；
that　it　is　very　suitable　for　rice　culture。

Tin　is　the　most　abundant　of　the　mineral　products　of　Perak；　and；　as　in
the　other　States；　the　supply　is　apparently　inexhaustible。　So　far　it　is
obtained　in　〃stream　works〃　only。　The　export　of　this　metal　has　risen
from　144；000　pounds　in　1876　to　436；000　pounds　in　1881。　Tin…mining
continues　to　attract　a　steady　stream　of　Chinese　immigration；　and　the
Resident　believes　that　the　number　of　Chinamen　has　increased　from　twenty
thousand　in　1879　to　forty　thousand　in　1881。　Wealth　is　reckoned　in　slabs
of　tin；　and　lately　for　an　act　of　piracy　a　Rajah　was　fined　so　many　slabs
of　tin；　instead　of　so　many　hogsheads　of　oil；　as　he　would　have　been　on
the　West　African　coast。

Gold　is　found　in　tolerable　quantities；　even　by　the　Malay　easy…going
manner　of　searching　for　it；　and　diamonds　and　garnets　are　tolerably
abundant。　Gold　can　be　washed　with　little　difficulty　from　most　of　the
river　beds；　and　from　various　alluvial　deposits。　The　metal　thus　found　is
pure；　but　〃rough　and　shotty。〃　The　nearer　the　mountains　the　larger　the
find。　It　is　of　a　rich；　red　color。　Iron　ore　is　abundant；　but　though　coal
has　been　found；　it　is　not　of　any　commercial　value。　The　methods　of
mining　both　for　tin　and　gold　are　of　the　most　elementary　kind；　and　it　is
probable　that　Perak　has　still　vast　metallic　treasures　to　yield　up　to
scientific　exploration　and　Anglo…Saxon　energy。

Rice　is　the　staple　food　of　the　inhabitants。　Dry　rice　on　the　hillsides
was　the　kind　which　was　formerly　exclusively　cultivated；　but　from　some
Indians　who　came　from　Sumatra　to　Perak　the　Malays　have　learned　the　mode
of　growing　the　wet　variety；　and　it　is　now　largely　practiced。　Partly　in
consequence　of　a　great　lack　of　agricultural　energy；　and　partly　from　the
immense　quantity　of　rice　required　by　the　non…producing　Chinese　miners；
Perak　imported　in　1881　rice　to　the　value　of　70；000　pounds。

There　is　scarcely　a　tropical　product　which　this　magnificent　region　does
not　or　may　not　produce；　gutta…percha；　india…rubber；　sago；　tapioca；
palm…oil　and　fibre；　yams；　sweet　potatoes；　cloves；　nutmegs；　coffee；
tobacco；　pepper；　gambier；　with　splendid　fruits　in　perfectionthe
banana；　bread…fruit；　anona；　cocoa…nut；　mangosteen；　durion；　jak…fruit；
cashew…nut；　guava；　bullock's　heart；　pomegranate；　shaddock；
custard…apple；　papaya；　pine…apple；　with　countless　others。　The
indigenous　fruits　alone　are　so　innumera