the golden chersonese and the way thither-第62节

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＇*The　sheet　of　my　letter　in　which　I　afterward　described　the　physique　of
these　apes　has　unfortunately　been　lost；　and　I　dare　not　trust　to　my
memory　in　a　matter　in　which　accuracy　is　essential。　The　description　of
an　ape　（in　Letter　XIV）　approaches　near　to　my　recollection　of　them。＇

I　carried　him　to　the　easy…chair　at　the　other　end　of　the　veranda；　and　he
lay　down　confidingly　on　my　arm；　looking　up　with　a　bewitching；　pathetic
face；　and　murmuring　sweetly　〃Ouf！　Ouf！〃　He　has　scarcely　left　me　since；
except　to　go　out　to　sleep　on　the　attap　roof。　He　is　the　most　lovable；
infatuating；　little　semi…human　creature；　so　altogether　fascinating　that
I　could　waste　the　whole　day　in　watching　him。　As　I　write；　he　sometimes
sits　on　the　table　by　me　watching　me　attentively；　or　takes　a　pen；　dips
it　in　the　ink；　and　scribbles　on　a　sheet　of　paper。　Occasionally　he　turns
over　the　leaves　of　a　book；　once　he　took　Mr。　Low's　official
correspondence；　envelope　by　envelope；　out　of　the　rack；　opened　each；
took　out　the　letters　and　held　them　as　if　reading；　but　always　replaced
them。　Then　he　becomes　companionable；　and　gently　taking　my　pen　from　my
hand；　puts　it　aside　and　lays　his　dainty　hand　in　mine；　and　sometimes　he
lies　on　my　lap　as　I　write；　with　one　long　arm　round　my　throat；　and　the
small；　antique；　pathetic　face　is　occasionally　laid　softly　against　mine；
uttering　the　monosyllable　〃Ouf！　ouf！〃　which　is　capable　of　a　variation
of　tone　and　meaning　truly　extraordinary。　Mahmoud　is　sufficiently
polite；　but　shows　no　sign　of　friendliness；　I　am　glad　to　say。　As　I　bore
Eblis　out　of　reach　of　his　clutches　he　threw　the　cane　either　at　him　or
me；　and　then　began　to　dance。

That　first　night　tigers　came　very　near　the　house；　roaring
discontentedly。　At　4　A。M。　I　was　awoke　by　a　loud　noise；　and　looking　out；
saw　a　wonderful　scene。　The　superb　plumes　of　the　cocoa…nut　trees　were
motionless　against　a　sky　blazing　with　stars。　Four　large　elephants；　part
of　the　regalia　of　a　deposed　Sultan；　one　of　them；　the　Royal　Elephant；　a
beast　of　prodigious　size；　were　standing　at　the　door；　looking　majestic；
mahouts　were　flitting　about　with　torches；　Sikhs；　whose　great　stature
was　exaggerated　by　the　fitful　lightsome　in　their　undress　white
robes；　and　others　in　scarlet　uniforms　and　blue　turbanswere　grouped　as
onlookers；　the　torchlight　glinted　on　peripatetic　bayonets；　and　the
greenish；　undulating　lamps　of　countless　fireflies　moved　gently　in　the
shadow。

I　have　now　been　for　three　nights　the　sole　inhabitant　of　this　bungalow！
I　have　taken　five　meals　in　the　society　of　apes　only；　who　make　me　laugh
with　genuine　laughter。　The　sentries　are　absolutely　silent；　and　I　hardly
hear　a　human　voice。　It　is　so　good　to　be　away　for　a　time　from　the
〃wearing　world；〃　from　all　clatter；　chatter；　and　〃strife　of　tongues；〃　in
the　unsophisticated　society　of　apes　and　elephants。　Dullness　is　out　of
the　question。　The　apes　are　always　doing　something　new；　and　are　far　more
initiative　than　imitative。　Eblis　has　just　now　taken　a　letter　of　yours
from　an　elastic　band；　and　is　holding　it　wide　open　as　if　he　were　reading
it；　an　untamed　siamang；　which　lives　on　the　roof；　but　has　mustered　up
courage　to…day　to　come　down　into　the　veranda；　has　jumped　like　a　demon
on　the　retriever's　back；　and　riding　astride；　is　beating　him　with　a
ruler；　and　jolly；　wicked　Mahmoud；　having　taken　the　cushions　out　of　the
chairs；　has　laid　them　in　a　row；　has　pulled　a　table　cover　off　the　table；
and　having　rolled　it　up　for　a　pillow；　is　now　lying　down　in　an　easy；
careless　attitude；　occasionally　helping　himself　to　a　piece　of
pine…apple。　When　they　are　angry　they　make　a　fearful　noise；　and　if　you
hinder　them　from　putting　their　hands　into　your　plate　they　shriek　with
rage　like　children；　and　utter　much　the　same　sound　as　the　Ainos　do　when
displeased。　They　seem　frightfully　jealous　of　the　sweet　little　wah…wah
Eblis。　Mahmoud　beats　it　and　teases　it　whenever　it　is　not　with　me；　he
takes　its　food；　and　when　it　screams　with　rage　he　laughs　and　shows　his
white　teeth。　　He　upset　all　the　chairs　in　the　veranda　this　morning；　and
when　I　attempted　to　scold　him　he　took　a　banana　which　he　was　peeling　and
threw　it　at　me。　I　am　sure　that　he　would　have　a　great　deal　of　rough　wit
if　he　could　speak　our　tongue。

The　night　I　came；　Mr。　Low's　clerk；　a　Singhalese；　came　to　arrange　an
expedition；　and　early　the　next　morning；　after　I　had　breakfasted　with
the　apes；　he　arrived；　bringing　the　Royal　Elephant；　as　well…broken　and
stately　an　animal　as　I　should　wish　to　ride。　He　is　such　a　height　（they
say　ten　feet！）　that；　though　he　lay　down　to　be　mounted；　a　good…sized
ladder　was　needed　for　the　climb　upon　his　back。　Assam　put　pillows　and　a
good　lunch　into　the　baskets；　and　as　the　day　was　glorious　from　sunrise
to　sunset　I　had　an　altogether　delightful　expedition。

We　turned　at　once　into　the　jungle；　and　rode　through　it　for　seven　hours
on　the　left　bank　of　the　Perak　river。　The　loveliness　was　intoxicating。
The　trees　were　lofty　and　magnificent；　there　were　very　many　such　as　I
have　not　seen　before。　Many　run　up　a　hundred　feet　or　more　before　they
branch。　The　twilight　was　green　and　dim；　and　ofttimes　amidst　the　wealth
of　vegetation　not　a　flower　was　to　be　seen。　But　as　often；　through　rifts
in　the　leafage　far　aloft；　there　were　glimpses　of　the　sunny；　heavenly
blue　sky；　and　now　and　then　there　were　openings　where　trees　had　fallen；
and　the　glorious　tropical　sunshine　streamed　in　on　gaudy　blossoms　of
huge　trees；　and　on　pure　white　orchids；　and　canary…colored　clusters
borne　by　lianas；　on　sun…birds；　iridescent　and　gorgeous　in　the　sunlight；
and　on　butterflies；　some　all　golden；　others　amber　and　black；　and　amber
and　blue；　some　with　velvety　bands　of　violet　and　green；　others
altogether　velvety　black　with　spots　of　vermilion　or　emerald…green；　the
under　side　of　the　wings　corresponding　to　the　spot；　while　sometimes　a
shoal　of　turquoise…blue　or　wholly　canary…colored　sprites　fluttered　in
the　sunbeams；　the　flash　of　sun…birds　and　the　flutter　of　butterflies
giving　one　an　idea　of　the　joy　which　possibly　was　intended　to　be　the
heritage　of　all　animated　existence。　In　these　openings　I　was　glad　for
the　moment　to　be　neither　an　ornithologist　nor　an　entomologist；　so　that
I　might　leave　everyone　of　these　daintily　colored　creatures　to　the
enjoyment　of　its　life　and　beauty。

It　was　not　the　trees　and　lianas　only　that　were　beautiful　in　these　sunny
openings；　but　the　ferns；　mosses；　orchids；　and　selaginellas；　with　the
crimson…tipped　dracaena；　and　the　crimson…veined　caladium；　and　the　great
red　nepenthe　with　purple　blotches　on　its　nearly　diaphanous　pitchers；
and　another　pitcher…plant　of　an　epiphytal　habit；　with　pea…green
pitchers　scrambling　to　a　great　height　over　the　branches　of　the　smaller
trees。　The　beautiful　tree…ferns　themselves　were　loaded　with　other
ferns；　orchids；　and　mosses；　every　fallen　tree　was　draped　with　fresh
green　forms；　every　swampy　bit　was　the　home　of　mottled　aroids；　film
ferns；　and　foliage　plants；　mostly　green　and　gold；　while　in　some　places
there　were　ginger…worts　with　noble　shining　leaves　fully　six　feet　long。

In　the　green　twilight　of　the　depths　of　the　forest　the　dew　gemmed　the
leaves　till　nearly　10　A。M。；　but　in　the　openings　the　sun　blazed　with　the
heat　of　a　furnace。　The　silence　and　colorlessness　of　the　heart　of　the
forest；　and　the　color；　vivacity；　light；　and　movement　in　the　openings；
and　among　the　tree…tops；　contrast　most　curiously。　Legions　of　monkeys
inhabit　the　tree…tops；　and　seem　to　lead　a　completely　aerial　life。　It　is
said　that　they　never　come　down　to　earth；　but　that　they　cross　the
forests　swinging　themselves　from　tree　to　tree。

The　Malays；　if　they　can；　build　their　kampongs　near　rivers；　and　during
the　day　we　passed　several　of　these。　Several　had　mosques　more　or　less
rude。　Every　village　consists　of　such　houses　as　I　have　described　before；
grouped；　but　not　by　any　means　closely；　under　the　shade　of　cocoa…palms；
jak；　durion；　bread…fruit；　mango；　nutmeg；　and　other　fruit…trees。
Plantations　of　bananas　are　never　far　off。　Many　of　these　people　have
〃dug…outs〃　or　other　boats　on　the　adjacent　river；　some　have
bathing…sheds；　and　others　padi　plantations。　These　kampongs　have　much　of
the　poetry　as　well　as　inanity　of　tropical　life　about　them。　They　are
beautiful　and　appropriate；　and　food　is　above　them　and　around　them。
〃The　primal　curse〃　can　hardly　be　known。　A　very　little　labor　provides
all　that　the　Malay　desires；　and　if　the　tenure　of　the　land　be　secure
（and　the　lack　of　security　is　one　of　the　great　evils）；　and　he　be　not
over…taxed；　his　life　must　be　calm　and　easy；　if　not　happy。　The　people
were　always　courteous；　and　my　Singhalese　escort　held　long　conversations
in　every　kampong。　These　jungle　dwellers　raise　their　houses　on　very　high
posts；　partly　because　tigers　abound。　The　jak　trees　（artocarpus　incisa）；
near　of　kin　to　the　bread…fruit；　and　the　durion；　flourish　round　all　the
dwellings。　The　jak　fruit；　which　may　be　called　food　rather　than　fruit；
grows　without　a　visible　stem　from　the　trunk　and　branches　of　the　very
handsome　tree　which　bears　it；　and　weighs　from　sixty　to　seventy　pounds。
The　durion　grows　to　the　size　of　a　man's　head；　and　is　covered　closely
with　hard；　sharp　spines。　The　fall　of　either　on　one's　head　or　shoulder
is　much　to　be　deprecated；　and　the　Malays　stretch　strong　nets　above
their　houses　to　secure