the golden chersonese and the way thither-第53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！
custard…apple； papaya； pine…apple； with countless others。 The
indigenous fruits alone are so innumerable； that a description of the
most valuable of them would fill a chapter。
Our homely vegetables do not flourish； but watermelons； cucumbers；
gourds； capsicums； chilies； cocoa…nut cabbage； edible arums； and； where
the Chinese have settled； coarse lettuces； radishes； and pulse； grow
abundantly； with various other not altogether to be despised vegetables
with Malay names。
The timber is magnificent； and under the unworthy name of 〃jungle
produce〃 a large trade is done in it。 Perak is the land of palms； and
produces the invaluable cocoa…palm； most parts of which have their
commercial value； the areca palm which produces the betel…nut； the
gomuti palm from whose strong black fibres they make ropes； cordage；
and strands for capturing the alligator； the jaggary…palm； from which
sugar is made； as well as a fermented beverage； the nibong palm； which
grows round the Malay kampong； and is used for their gridiron floors
and for the posts of their houses； the dwarf…palms which serve no other
purpose than to gladden the eyes by their beauty； and the nipah palm
which fringes the rivers； and； under the name of attap； forms the
thatch of both native and foreign houses。
Road…making has not made great strides in Perak； but railroads are
being planned； and a good road extends from the port of Larut to the
great Chinese mining town of Taipeng； and thence to the British
residency at Kwala Kangsa； a distance of over thirty…three miles； the
electric telegraph accompanying the road。 Others are in course of
construction； and there are numerous elephant and jungle tracks through
the western parts of the State。
Still； the rivers form the natural highways。 Perak has two portsTeluk
Anson on the Perak river； thirty…four miles from its mouth； and Teluk
Kertang； a few miles up the Larut river； and eight miles from the great
tin mines of Taipeng。 The import and export trade is carried on mainly
with Pinang； and at this time one of several small steamers leaves
Larut for that port daily。 A steamer calls at Teluk Anson once a
fortnight on her voyage from and to Singapore and Pinang； and another
calls at the same port every fourth day； as well as at the Dindings and
the Bernam river。
Trade is rapidly advancing。 The exports of the State； which were valued
at 147；993 pounds in 1876； amounted to 513；317 pounds in 1881； and the
imports which amounted to 166；275 pounds in 1876； had reached 488；706
pounds in 1881； the whole import and export trade of that year
amounting to 1；002；023 pounds。 The free population of Perak is now
estimated at
Malays 56；000
Chinese 40；000
Other Asiatics 850
Europeans 90
Aborigines 1；000
97；940
To which may be added a slave and bond debtor population of nearly four
thousand souls。
The revenue of Perak has risen from 42；683 pounds in 1876 to 138；572
pounds in 1881； and the expenditure； keeping pace with it； has risen
from 45；277 pounds in 1876 to 130；587 pounds in 1881。 The chief sources
of the Perak revenue are customs duties； opium and other farms and
licenses； and land revenue； and the chief items of expenditure are for
civil and police establishments； roads and bridges； and allowances and
pensions to chiefs。 It is worthy of remark that the military
establishmentfor so the magnificent Sikh armed police force may be
calledcosts more than the civil establishment。 It may also be
remarked that the revenue of Perak； thanks to the financial sagacity
and wise discrimination of the Resident； is collected with little
difficulty； and without inflicting any real vexations or hardships on
the taxpayers。
Public works； such as the construction of good cart roads and bridges；
the making of canals； the clearing rivers from impediments to
navigation； the enlargement of experimental gardens； the introduction
and breeding of sheep； cattle； and improved breeds of poultry；
surveying wild land； and rebuilding and draining mining towns； are
being carried on energetically。 It has been found； after long and
carefully…conducted experiments； that the lower mountains of Perak are
admirably suited for the growth of tea； cinchona； and Arabian coffee；
while Liberian coffee grows equally well on the lower lands。 Coffee
appears to be so nearly 〃played out〃 in Ceylon； that many
coffee…planters have been 〃prospecting〃 in Perak； and now that the
Government of India has consented to the importation of Indian coolie
labor into the State； under certain restrictions； as an experimental
measure； a future of coffee may be predicted with tolerable certainty。
One of the causes for satisfaction in connection with this State is
that the Malays themselves are undoubtedly contented with British rule；
and are prospering under it。 Crime of any kind in the Malay districts
is very rare。 The 〃village system〃 works well； and the courts of law
conduct their business with an efficiency and economy which compare
favorably with the transactions of our colonial courts； English law is
being gradually introduced and gives general satisfaction； and the
native Rajahs are being trained to administer even…handed justice
according to its provisions； and at the same time without trenching
upon Malay religion and custom。 Slavery and debt bondage； which； as
hitherto practiced in Perak； have involved evils and cruelties which
are unknown to any but those who have actually lived in the State；
will； it is hoped； be abolished by equitable arrangement in 1883。
Various difficulties remain to be settled； the large Chinese element；
with its criminal tendencies； requires great firmness of dealing； and
the introduction of foreign capital and an additional form of alien
labor may lead to new perplexities； but on the whole the outlook for
Perak and its people is a favorable one； especially if the present
Resident； Mr。 Hugh Low； is able to remain to continue his task of
developing the resources； settling the difficulties； and consolidating
the well…being of the State。
Nothing is known of the early settlement of Perak。 It was formerly
tributary to the Malay sovereigns of Malacca； and afterward to those of
Acheen； to whom the Perak Sultans sent gold and silver flowers as
tribute。 Siam has also at different times asserted sovereign rights and
demanded tribute； but the Siamese were expelled in 1822 with the help
of Rajah Ibrahim； the warlike chief of the neighboring State of
Selangor。 The Government was a despotism； administered during the last
three centuries by Sultans who were connected with the ruling dynasties
of Johore and Acheen。
Our connection with Perak began in 1818 by a commercial treaty between
the East India Company and the Sultan； the chief object of which was to
circumvent the Dutch on the subject of tin。 By another treaty； in 1826；
it was agreed that the Sultan should govern his country according to
his own will； that no force should be sent either by Siam to 〃molest；
attack； or disturb〃 Perak； and while it was stipulated that the Siamese
should not attack or disturb Selangor； the English engaged not to allow
Selangor to attack or disturb Perak。
So things jogged along till 1871； when the Sultan died； and the Rajahs；
passing over two men who by blood were nearest to the throne； elected
Ismail； an old and somewhat inoffensive man。 Three years of intrigue
followed； and many singular complications； which would be quite
uninteresting to the general reader； and they furnished no excuse for
English interference。
It is singular that the fall of Perak as an independent State was
brought about by what may be called a civil war among the Chinese； who
in 1871 were estimated at thirty thousand； and were principally engaged
in tin…mining in Larut。 These Chinamen were divided into two
sectionsthe Go Kwans and the Si Kwans； and a few months after Sultan
Ismail was elected； a dispute arose between the factions。 Both parties
flew to arms； and were aided with guns； ammunition； military stores；
and food from Pinang； Pinang Chinese having previously supplied the
capital needed for working the mines。 The settlement was kept in
perpetual hot water； its trade languished； and in return for military
equipments the Chinese of Larut sent over two thousand wounded and
starving men。 The Mentri； the Malay 〃Governor〃 of Larut； although aided
by Captain Speedy and a force of well…drilled troops recruited by him
in India； and possessing four Krupp guns； was powerless to restore
order； and Larut was destroyed； being absolutely turned into a
wilderness； in which all but three houses had been burned； and； while
the Malays had fled； the surviving Si Kwans were living behind
stockades； while those of the faction opposed to that with which the
Mentri and his Commander…in…Chief； Captain Speedy； had allied
themselves； were living on the products of orchards from which their
owners had been driven； and on booty； won by a wholesale system of
piracy and murder； practiced not only on the Perak waters but on the
high seas。
The war waged between the two parties threatened to become a war of
