the golden chersonese and the way thither-第55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！


coast；　with　the　trees　in　straight　lines　forming　long；　broad　avenues；
which　have　a　certain　gloomy　grandeur　about　them。　Then　come　sugarcane
and　padi；　and　then　palm　plantations　again。

The　cocoa…nut　palm　grows　best　near　salt　water；　no　matter　how　loose　and
sandy　the　soil　is；　and　in　these　congenial　circumstances　needs　neither
manure　nor　care　of　any　kind。　It　bends　lovingly　toward　the　sea；　and
drops　its　ripe　fruit　into　it。　But　if　it　is　planted　more　than　two
hundred　yards　from　the　beach；　it　needs　either　rich　or　well…manured
soil；　or　the　proximity　of　human　habitations。　It　begins　to　bear　fruit
between　its　fourth　and　tenth　years；　according　to　soil；　and　a
well…placed；　generous　tree　bears　from　one　hundred　and　forty　to　one
hundred　and　fifty　nuts　a　year。　　They　are　of　wonderfully　slow　growth。　It
is　three　months　from　the　time　the　blossom　appears　before　the　fruit
sets；　then　it　takes　six　months　to　grow；　and　three　months　more　to　ripen；
and　after　that　will　hang　two　months　on　the　tree　before　it
fallsfourteen　months　from　the　first　appearance　of　the　flower！

It　is　certainly　not　beautiful　as　grown　in　Province　Wellesley；　and　I　am
becoming　faithless　to　my　allegiance　to　it　in　this　region　of　areca　and
other　more　graceful　palms。

In　returning　we　saw　many　Malay　kampongs　under　the　palms；　each　with　a
fire　lighted　underneath　it；　and　there　were　many　other　fires　for　the
water…buffaloes；　with　groups　of　these　uncouth　brutes　gathered
invariably　on　the　leeward　side；　glad　to　be　smoked　rather　than　bitten　by
the　mosquitoes。　　These　huge；　thin…skinned　animals　have　a　strange
antipathy　to　white　people。　They　are　petted　and　caressed　by　the　Malays；
and　even　small　boys　can　do　anything　with　them；　and　can　ride　upon　their
backs；　but　constantly　when　they　see　white　people　they　raise　their
muzzles；　and　if　there　be　room　charge　them　madly。　A　buffalo　is
enormously　strong；　but　he　objects　to　the　sun；　and　likes　to　bathe　in
rivers；　and　plaster　himself　with　mud；　and　his　tastes　are　much　humored
by　his　owners。　A　buffalo　has　often　been　known　to　vanquish　a　tiger　when
both　have　had　fair　play。　Most　of　the　drive　back　was　accomplished　by
nearly　incessant　flashes　of　sheet　lightning。

We　had　a　most　pleasant　evening。　Mrs。　Isemonger；　who　is　a　sister　of　Mr。
Maxwell；　my　present　host；　is　gentle；　thoughtful；　well…informed；　and
studious；　and　instead　of　creating　and　living　in　an　artificial　English
atmosphere　which　is　apt　to　make　a　residence　in　a　foreign　country　a　very
unproductive　period；　she　has　interested　herself　in　the　Malays；　and　has
not　only　acquired　an　excellent　knowledge　of　Malayan；　but　is　translating
a　Malayan　book。

I　felt　much　humiliated　by　my　ignorance　of　Province　Wellesley；　of　which
in　truth　I　had　never　heard　until　I　reached　Malacca。　It　is　a　mere　strip；
however；　only　thirty…five　miles　long　by　about　ten　broad；　but　it　is
highly　cultivated；　fertile；　rich；　prosperous；　and　populous。　From　Pinang
one　sees　its　broad　stretches　of　bright　green　sugar…cane　and　the
chimneys　of　its　sugar　factories；　and　it　grows　rice　and　cocoa…nuts；　and
is　actually　more　populous　than　Pinang　or　Malacca；　and　contains　as　many
Malays　as　Sungei　Ujong；　Selangor　and　Pinang　togetherfifty…eight
thousand！　　Mr。　Maxwell　had　promised　to　bring　the　Kinta；　a　steam…
launch；　across　from　Georgetown　by　8　P。M。；　and　it　shows　how　very
pleasant　the　evening　was；　that　though　I　was　very　tired；　eight；　nine；
ten；　and　eleven　came；　and　the　conversation　never　flagged。

Soon　after　eleven　the　Kinta　appeared；　a　black　shadow　on　a　silver　sea；
roaring　for　a　boat；　but　the　surf　was　so　heavy　that　it　was　some　time
before　the　police　boat　was　got　off；　and　then　Mr。　Maxwell；　whose　cheery；
energetic　voice　precedes　him；　and　Mr。　Walker　landed；　bullying
everybody；　as　people　often　do　when　they　know　that　they　are　the
delinquents！　It　was　lovely　in　the　white　moonlight　with　the　curving
shadows　of　palms　on　the　dewy　grass；　the　grace　of　the　drooping
casuarinas；　the　shining　water；　and　the　long　drift　of　surf。　It　was　hard
to　get　off；　and　the　surf　broke　into　the　boat；　but　when　we　were　once
through　it；　the　sea　was　like　oil；　the　oars　dripped　flame；　and；　seen
from　the　water；　the　long　line　of　surf　broke　on　the　shore　not　in　snow；
but　in　a　long　drift　of　greenish　fire。

The　Kinta　is　a　steam…launch　of　the　Perak　Government。　Her　boilers；　to
use　an　expressive　Japanese　phrase；　are　〃very　sick；〃　and　she　is　not
nearly　so　fine　as　the　Abdulsamat；　but　a　quiet；　peaceful　boat；　without
any　pretensions；　and　really　any　〃old　tub〃　is　safe　on　the　Straits　of
Malacca　except　in　a　〃Sumatran。〃　I　stayed　on　deck　for　some　time　enjoying
the　exquisite　loveliness　of　the　night；　and　the　vivacity　of　two　of　my
companions；　Mr。　Maxwell；　the　Assistant　Resident　here；　a　really　able　and
most　energetic　man；　very　argumentative；　bright；　and　pleasant；　and
Captain　Walker；　A。D。C。　to　Sir　W。　　Robinson；　on　his　way　from　the
ceaseless　gayeties　of　Government　House　at　Singapore　to　take　command　of
the　Sikh　military　police　in　the　solitary　jungles　of　Perak。　The　third；
Mr。　Innes；　Superintendent　of　Lower　Perak；　whose　wife　so　nearly　lost　her
life　in　the　horrible　affair　at　Pulo　Pangkor；　was　in　dejected　spirits；
as　if　the　swamps　of　Durion　Sabatang　had　been　too　much　for　him。

The　little　cabin　below　was　frightfully　hot；　and　I　shared　it　not　only
with　two　nice　Malay　boys；　sons　of　the　exiled　Abdullah；　the　late　Sultan；
who　are　being　educated　at　Malacca；　but　with　a　number　of　large　and
rampant　rats。　　Finding　the　heat　and　rats　unbearable；　I　went　on　deck　in
the　rosy　dawn；　just　as　we　were　entering　the　Larut　river；　a　muddy
stream；　flowing　swiftly　between　dense　jungles　and　mangrove　swamps；　and
shores　of　shining　slime；　on　which　at　low　water　the　alligators　bask　in
the　sunone　of　the　many　rivers　of　the　Peninsula　which　do　not　widen　at
their　mouths。

The　tide　was　high　and　the　river　brimming　full；　looking　as　if　it　must
drown　all　the　forest；　and　the　trestle…work　roots　on　which　the　mangroves
are　hoisted　were　all　submerged。　It　is　a　silent；　lonely　land；　all
densely　green。　Many　an　uprooted　palm　with　its　golden　plumes　and　wealth
of　golden　husked　nuts　came　floating　down　on　the　swirling　waters；　and
many　a　narrow　creek　well　suited　for　murder；　overarched　with　trees；　and
up　which　one　might　travel　far　and　still　be　among　mangrove　swamps　and
alligators；　came　down　into　the　Larut　river；　and　once　we　passed　a　small
clearing；　where　some　industrious　Chinamen　are　living　in　huts　on　some
festering　slime　between　the　river　and　the　jungle；　and　once　a　police
station　on　stilts；　where　six　policemen　stood　in　a　row　and　saluted　as　we
passed；　and　at　seven　we　reached　Teluk　Kartang；　with　a　pier；　a　long
shed；　two　or　three　huts；　and　some　officialism；　white　and　partly　white；
all　in　a　〃dismal　swamp。〃　A　small　but　very　useful　Chinese　trading
steamer；　the　Sri　Sarawak；　was　lying　against　the　pier；　and　we　landed
over　her　filthy　deck；　on　which　filthy　Chinese　swine；　among　half…naked
men　almost　as　filthy；　were　wrangling　for　decomposing　offal。　Dismal　as
this　place　looks；　an　immense　trade　in　imports　and　exports　is　done
there；　and　all　the　tin　from　the　rich　mines　of　the　district　is　sent
thence　to　Pinang　for　transhipment。

While　my　friends　transacted　business；　I　waited　for　an　age　in　an　empty
office　where　was　one　chair；　a　table　dark　with　years　of　ink　splotches；　a
mouldy　inkstand；　a　piece　of　an　old　almanac；　and　an　empty　gin　bottle。
Outside；　cockle…shells　were　piled　against　the　wall；　then　there　were
ditches　or　streamlets　cutting　through　profuse　and　almost　loathsome
vegetation；　and　shining　slime　fat　and　iridescent；　swarming　with
loathsome　forms　of　insect　and　reptile　life　all　rioting　under　the　fierce
sun；　and　among　them；　almost　odious　by　proximity　to　such　vileness；　were
small　crabs　with　shells　of　a　heavenly　blue。　The　strong　vegetable　stench
was　nearly　overpowering；　but　I　wrote　to　you　and　worked　at　your
embroidery　a　little；　and　so　got　through　this　detention　pleasantly；　as
through　many　a　longer；　though　never　a　hotter　one。

After　a　time　three　gharries　arrived；　and　Mr。　Innes　and　I　went　in　one；
the　two　other　gentlemen　in　another；　and　Sultan　Abdullah's　boys　in　the
third。　No　amount　of　world…wide　practice　in　the　getting　in　and　out　of
strange　vehicles　is　any　help　to　the　tortuous　process　necessary　for
mounting　and　dismounting　from　a　Larut　gharrie。　A　gharrie　is　a　two…
wheeled　cart　with　a　seat　across　it　for　two　people　and　a　board　in　front
on　which　the　driver　sits　when　he　is　not　running　by　his　horse。　This
board　and　the　low　roof　which　covers　the　whole　produce　the　complication
in　getting　in　and　out。　The　bottom　of　the　cart　is　filled　up　with　grass
and　leaves；　and　you　put　your　feet　on　the　board　in　front；　and　the　little
rats　of　fiery　Sumatra　ponies；　which　will　run　till　they　drop；　jolt　you
along　at　great　speed。　Klings；　untroubled　by　much　clothing；　own　and
drive　these　vehicles；　which　are　increasing　rapidly。　The　traffic　on　the
road　of　heavy　buffalo　carts；　loaded　with　tin；　cuts　it　up　so　badly　that
without　care　one　might　often　be　thrown　upon　the　pony's　back　at　the
river　end　of　it。

Near　the　port　we　met　three　elephants；　the　centre　one　of　great　size；
rolling　along；　one　of　them　with　a　mahout　seated　behind　his　great
flapping　ears。　These　are　part　of　the　regalia　of　the　deposed　Sultan；　and
were　sent　down　from　the　interior　for