the golden chersonese and the way thither-第59节

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fifty…three　trailers；　seventeen　epiphytes；　and　twenty…eight　ferns。　I
saw　more　of　the　shrubs　and　epiphytes　than　I　have　yet　done　from　the
altitude　of　an　elephant's　back。　There　was　one　Asplenium　nidus　＇bird's
nest　fern＇　which　had　thirty…seven　perfect　fronds　radiating　from　a
centre；　each　frond　from　three　and　a　quarter　to　five　and　a　half　feet
long；　and　varying　from　myrtle　to　the　freshest　tint　of　pea…green！

There　was　an　orchid　with　hardly　visible　leaves；　which　bore　six　crowded
clusters　of　flowers　close　to　the　branch　of　the　tree　on　which　it　grew；
each　cluster　composed　of　a　number　of　spikes　of　red　coral　tipped　with
pale　green。　In　the　openings　there　were　small　trees　with　gorgeous
erythrina…like　flowers；　glowing　begonias；　red　lilies；　a　trailer　with
trumpet…shaped　blossoms　of　canary　yellow；　and　a　smaller　trailer；　which
climbs　over　everything　that　is　not　high；　entwining　itself　with　the　blue
Thunbergia；　and　bearing　on　single　stalks　single　blossoms；
primrose…shaped；　of　a　salmon　orange　color　with　a　velvety　black　centre。
In　some　places　one　came　upon　three　varieties　of　nepenthes　or　〃monkey
cups；〃　some　of　their　pitchers　holding　（I　should　think）　a　pint　of　fluid；
and　most　of　them　packed　with　the　skeletons　of　betrayed　guests；　then　in
moist　places　upon　steel　blue　aspleniums　and　luxuriant　selaginellas；　and
then　came　caelogynes　with　white　blossoms；　white　flowered　dendrobiums
（crumentatum？）；　all　growing　on　or　clinging　to　trees；　with
scarlet…veined　bauhinias；　caladiums；　ginger　worts；　and　aroids；
inclining　one　to　make　incessant　exclamations　of　wonder　and　delight。　You
cannot　imagine　how　crowded　together　this　tropical　vegetation　is。　There
is　not　room　for　half　of　it　on　the　ground；　so　it　seeks　and　finds　its
home　high　up　on　the　strong；　majestic　trees　which　bear　it　up　into　the
sunshine；　where；　indeed　one　has　to　look　for　most　of　the　flowers。

It　is　glorious　to　see　the　vegetation　of　eternal　summer　and　the　lavish
prodigality　of　nature；　and　one　revels　among　hothouse　plants　〃at　home；〃
and　all　the　splendor　of　gigantic　leaves；　and　the　beauty　and　grace　of
palms；　bamboos；　and　tree…ferns；　the　great；　gaudy　flowers　are　as
marvelous　as　the　gaudy　plumaged　birds；　and　I　feel　that　no　words　can
convey　an　idea　of　the　beauty　and　magnificence　of　an　equatorial　jungle；
but　the　very　permanence　of　the　beauty　is　almost　a　fault。　I　should　soon
come　to　long　for　the　burst　of　spring　with　its　general　tenderness　of
green；　and　its　great　broad　splashes　of　sociable　flowers；　its　masses　of
buttercups；　or　ox…eye　daisies；　or　dandelions；　and　for　the　glories　of
autumn　with　its　red　and　gold；　and　leagues　of　purple　heather。　　These
splendid　orchids　and　other　epiphytes　grow　singly。　One　sees　one　and　not
another；　there　are　no　broad　masses　of　color　to　blaze　in　the　distance；
the　scents　are　heavy　and　overpowering；　the　wealth　is　embarrassing。　I
revel　in　it　all　and　rejoice　in　it　all；　it　is　intoxicating；　yet　I　am
haunted　with　visions　of　mossy　banks　starred　with　primroses　and
anemones；　of　stream　sides　blue　with　gentian；　of　meadows　golden　with
buttercups；　and　fields　scarlet　with　poppies；　and　in　spite　of　my
enjoyment　and　tropical　enthusiasm；　I　agree　with　Mr。　Wallace　and　others
that　the　flowers　of　a　temperate　climate　would　give　one　more　lasting
pleasure。

On　either　side　of　the　road　the　ground　is　densely　carpeted　with　the
sensitive　plant；　whose　lovely　tripartite　leaves　are　green　above　and
brown　below。　It　is　a　fascinating　plant；　and　at　first　one　feels　guilty
of　cruelty　if　one　does　more　than　look　at　it；　but　I　have　already
learned；　as　all　people　do　here；　to　take　delight　in　wounding　its
sensibilities。　　Touch　any　part　of　a　leaf　ever　so　lightly；　and　as　quick
as　thought　it　folds　up。　Touch　the　centre　of　the　three　ever　so　lightly；
and　leaf　and　stalk　fall　smitten。　Touch　a　branch　and　every　leaf　closes；
and　every　stalk　falls　as　if　weighted　with　lead。　Walk　over　it；　and　you
seem　to　have　blasted　the　earth　with　a　fiery　tread；　leaving　desolation
behind。　Every　trailing　plant　falls；　the　leaves　closing；　show　only　their
red…brown　backs；　and　all　the　beauty　has　vanished；　but　the　burned　and
withered…looking　earth　is　as　fair　as　ever　the　next　morning。

After　walking　for　four　miles　we　came　upon　a　glorious　sight　at　a　turn　of
the　road；　a　small　lake　behind　which　the　mountains　rise　forest…covered；
with　a　slope　at　their　feet　on　which　stand　the　cocoa…nut　groves；　and　the
beautiful　Malay　house　of　the　exiled　Mentri　of　Larut。　I　have　written　of
a　lake；　but　no　water　was　visible；　for　it　was　concealed　by　thousands　and
thousands　of　the　peltate　leaves　of　the　lotus；　nearly　round；　attaining　a
diameter　of　eighteen　inches；　cool　and　dewy…looking　under　the　torrid
sun；　with　a　blue　bloom　upon　their　intense　green。　Above　them　rose
thousands　of　lotus　flowers；　buds；　and　seed…vessels；　each　one　a　thing　of
perfect　beauty；　and　not　a　withered　blossom　was　to　be　seen。　The　immense
corollas　varied　in　color　from　a　deep　rose　crimson　to　a　pink　as　pale　as
that　of　a　blush　rose。　Some　were　just　opening；　others　were　half　open；
and　others　wide　open；　showing　the　crowded　golden　stamens　and　the　golden
disk　in　the　centre。　From　far　off　the　deep　rose　pink　of　the　glorious
blossoms　is　to　be　seen；　and　their　beauty　carried　me　back　to　the　castle
moats　of　Yedo；　and　to　many　a　gilded　shrine　in　Japan；　on　which　the　lotus
blooms　as　an　emblem　of　purity；　righteousness；　and　immortality。　Even
here；　where　no　such　symbolism　attaches　to　it；　it　looks　a　sacred　thing。
It　was　delightful　to　see　such　a　sociable　flower　rejoicing　in　a　crowd。

Beyond　is　the　picturesque　kampong　of　Matang；　with　many　good　houses　and
a　mosque。　Passing　through　a　gateway　with　brick　posts；　we　entered　a
large　walled　inclosure　containing　a　cocoa…grove；　some　fine　trees；　and
the　beautiful　dwellings　of　the　Malay　whom　we　have　deported　to　the
Seychelles。　This　is　one　of　the　largest　Malay　houses　on　the　peninsula。
It　is　built　of　wood　painted　green　and　white；　with　bold　floral　designs
on　a　white　ground　round　some　of　the　circular　windows；　and　a　very　large
porch　for　followers　to　wait　in；　up　a　ladder　of　course。　In　a　shed　there
were　three　gharries；　and　behind　the　house　several　small　houses　for
slaves　and　others。　A　number　of　girls　and　children；　probably　mostly
slaves；　mirthfully　peeped　at　us　from　under　the　tasteful　mat　blinds。

Really　the　upper　class　of　Malay　houses　show　some　very　good　work。　The
thatch　of　the　steep　roof　is　beautifully　put　on；　and　between　the　sides
of　finely　woven　checked　matting　interspersed　with　lattice　work　and
bamboo　work；　the　shady　inner　rooms　with　their　carved　doorways　and
portieres　of　red　silk；　the　pillows　and　cushions　of　gold　embroidery　laid
over　the　exquisitely　fine　matting　on　the　floors；　the　light　from　the
half…shaded　windows　glancing　here　and　there　as　the　breeze　sways　the
screens；　there　is　an　indescribable　appropriateness　to　the　region。

I　waited　for　the　elephant　in　a　rambling　empty　house；　and　Malays　brought
pierced　cocoa…nuts；　buffalo　milk；　and　a　great　bouquet　of　lotus　blossoms
and　seed…vessels；　out　of　which　they　took　the　seeds；　and　presented　them
on　the　grand　lotus　leaf　itself。　Each　seed　is　in　appearance　and　taste
like　a　hazel…nut；　but　in　the　centre；　in　an　oval　slit；　the　future　lotus
plant　is　folded　up；　the　one　vivid　green　seed　leaf　being　folded　over　a
shoot；　and　this　is　intensely　bitter。

The　elephant　at　last　came　up　and　was　brought　below　the　porch。　They　are
truly　hideous　beasts；　with　their　gray；　wrinkled；　hairless　hides；　the
huge　ragged　〃flappers〃　which　cover　their　ears；　and　with　which　they　fan
themselves　ceaselessly；　the　small；　mean　eyes；　the　hideous　proboscis
which　coils　itself　snakishly　round　everything；　the　formless　legs；　so
like　trunks　of　trees；　the　piggish　back；　with　the　steep　slope　down　to
the　mean；　bare　tail；　and　the　general　unlikeness　to　all　familiar　and
friendly　beasts。　I　can　hardly　write；　for　a　little　wah…wah；　the　most
delightful　of　apes；　is　hanging　with　one　long；　lean　arm　round　my　throat；
while　with　its　disengaged　hand　it　keeps　taking　my　pen；　dipping　it　in
the　ink；　and　scrawling　over　my　letter。　It　is　the　most　winsome　of
creatures；　but　if　I　were　to　oppose　it　there　is　no　knowing　what　it　might
do；　so　I　will　take　another　pen。　The　same　is　true　of　an　elephant。　I　am
without　knowledge　of　what　it　may　be　capable　of！

Before　I　came　I　dreamt　of　howdahs　and　cloth　of　gold　trappings；　but　my
elephant　had　neither。　In　fact　there　was　nothing　grand　about　him　but　his
ugliness。　His　back　was　covered　with　a　piece　of　raw　hide；　over　which
were　several　mats；　and　on　either　side　of　the　ridgy　backbone　a　shallow
basket；　filled　with　fresh　leaves　and　twigs；　and　held　in　place　by　ropes
of　rattan。　I　dropped　into　one　of　these　baskets　from　the　porch；　a　young
Malay　lad　into　the　other；　and　my　bag　was　tied　on　behind　with　rattan。　A
noose　of　the　same　with　a　stirrup　served　for　the　driver　to　mount。　He　was
a　Malay；　wearing　only　a　handkerchief　and　sarong；　a　gossiping；　careless
fellow；　who　jumped　off　whenever　he　had　a　chance　of　a　talk；　and　left　us
to　ourselves。　He　drove　with　a　stick　with　a　curved　spike　at　the　end　of
it；　which；　when　the　elephant　was　bad；　was　hooked　into　the　membranous
〃flapper；〃　always　evoking　the　uprearing　and　brandishing　of　the
proboscis；　and　a　sound　of　ungentle　expostulation；　which　could　be　heard
a　mile　off。　He　sat　on