the golden chersonese and the way thither-第64节

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blazing　down　upon　it；　with　everything　that　could　rejoice　the　eye　upon
its　shores；　with　little　beaches　of　golden　sands；　and　above　the　forest
the　mountains　with　varying　shades　of　indigo　coloring。

There　would　have　been　nothing　left　to　wish　for　if　you　had　been　there　to
see；　though　you　would　have　tried　to　look　as　if　you　saw　an　elephant
moving　submerged　along　a　tropical　river　every　day　with　people　of　three
races　on　his　back！！

The　Singhalese　said；　〃I'm　going　to　take　you　to　Koto…lamah；　no　European
has　been　there　since　the　war。　I've　never　been　there；　nor　the　Resident
either。〃　I　have　pored　over　blue　books　long　enough　to　know　that　this　is
a　place　which　earned　a　most　unenviable　notoriety　during　the　recent
troubles；　and　is　described　as　〃a　stronghold　of　piracy；　lawlessness；　and
disaffection。〃　As　we　were　making　a　diagonal　crossing　of　the　Perak；　the
Singhalese　said；　〃A　few　months　ago　they　would　have　been　firing　at　us
from　both　sides　of　the　river。〃　It　was　a　beautiful　view　at　that　point；
with　the　lovely　river　in　its　windings；　and　on　the　top　of　the　steep　bank
a　kampong　of　largish　houses　under　palms　and　durions。　A　good　many　people
assembled　on　the　cliff；　some　with　muskets　and　some　with　spears；　and　the
Singhalese　said；　〃I　wish　we　had　not　come；〃　but　as　the　elephant
scrambled　up　the　bank　the　people　seemed　quite　friendly；　and　I
dismounted　and　climbed　up　to　a　large　house　with　a　very　open　floor；　on
which　fine　mats　were　laid　in　several　places。　There　were　many　women　and
children　in　the　room　when　I　went　in；　and　one　of　the　former　put　a　fine
mat　over　a　rice　sack　for　me。　Presently　the　room　filled　up　with　people；
till　there　were　fifty…nine　seated　in　circles　on　the　floor；　but　some　of
the　men　remained　standing；　one　a　thorough　villain　in　looks；　a　Hadji；
with　a　dirty　green　turban　and　a　red　sarong。　The　rest　of　the　men　wore
handkerchiefs　and　sarongs　only。

These　people　really　did　look　much　like　savages。　They　all　carried
parangs；　or　the　short　kris　called　a　golo；　and　haying　been　told　that　the
Malays　were　disarmed；　I　was　surprised　to　see　several　muskets；　a　rifle；
and　about　thirty　spears　on　the　wall。　So　I　found　myself　in　the　heart　of
what　has　been　officially　described　as　〃a　nest　of　robbers　and
murderers；〃　　〃the　centre　of　disturbance　and　disaffection；〃　etc。　To　make
it　yet　more　interesting；　on　inquiring　whose　house　it　was；　the　name　of　a
notorious　〃rebel〃　leader　was　mentioned；　and　one　of　the　women；　I　was
told；　is　the　principal　wife　or　rather　widow　of　the　Maharajah　Lela；　who
was　executed　for　complicity　in　the　assassination　of　Mr。　　Birch。
However；　though　as　a　Briton　I　could　not　have　been　a　welcome　visitor；
they　sent　a　monkey　for　two　cocoa…nuts；　and　gave　me　their　delicious
milk；　and　when　I　came　away　they　took　the　entrance　ladder　from　one　of
the　houses　to　help　me　to　mount　the　elephant。

Mr。　Low　was　at　first　displeased　that　I　had　been　to　Koto…lamah；　and
said　that　my　escort　was　〃ignorant　and　foolish〃　for　taking　me；　but　now
he　says　that　though　he　would　not　have　taken　the　responsibility　of
sending　me；　he　is　glad　that　the　thing　was　done；　as　it　affords　a　proof
such　as　he　has　not　yet　had　of　the　complete　pacification　of　the
district；　but；　he　added；　it　would　appear　somewhat　odd　that　the　first
European　to　test　the　disposition　of　the　Koto…lamah　people　should　be　a
lady。

Leaving　this　large　kampong　we　traveled　by　a　much…grown…up　elephant
track；　needing　the　constant　use　of　the　parang　and　the　strength　and
wisdom　of　the　elephant　to　make　it　passable；　saw　several　lairs　and　some
recent　tiger　tracks；　crossed　a　very　steep　hill；　and；　after　some　hours
of　hard　riding；　came　down　upon　the　lovely　Perak；　which　we　crossed　in　a
〃dugout〃　so　nearly　level　with　the　water　that　at　every　stroke　of　the
paddle　of　the　native　who　crouched　in　the　bow　the　water　ran　in　over　the
edge。　We　landed　at　the　village　of　Kwala　Kangsa

　　　　　〃In　the　glory　of　the　sunset；
　　　　　In　the　purple　mists　of　evening；〃

in　which　the　magnified　purple　mountains　were　piled　like　Alps　against
the　flaming　clouds。　By　the　river　bank　lay　the　Dragon　boat　and　the
square　bamboo　floating　bath；　through　the　side　of　which　Mr。　Birch　was
mortally　wounded。

On　landing　we　met　a　very　bright　intelligent…looking　young　Malay　with　a
train　of　followers；　a　dandy　almost；　in　white　trousers；　short　red
sarong；　black　baju　with　gold　buttons；　gold　watchguard；　and　red　head
dress。　The　expression　of　his　face　was　keen　and　slightly　scornful。　This
is　Rajah　Dris；　a　judge；　and　the　probable　successor　to　the　Perak　throne。
The　present　Resident　thinks　highly　both　of　his　character　and　his
abilities；　and　he　is　very　popular　among　his　countrymen。　　He　walked　with
us　as　far　as　the　mosque；　and　I　heard　him　ask　questions　about　me。　The
Mussulmen　of　the　village；　several　of　them　being　Hadjis；　were　assembling
for　worship；　lounging　outside　the　mosque　till　the　call　to　prayer　came。
Ablutions　before　worshiping　are　performed　in　floating　baths　in　the
river。　The　trade　of　Kwala　Kangsa　seems　in　the　hands　of　the　Chinese；
with　a　few　Klings　among　them；　and　they　have　a　row　of　shops。



LETTER　XX　（Continued）

A　Joyous　WelcomeA　Severe　MortificationThe　British　ResidentDaily
VisitorsRajah　DrisA　Tipsy　ApeMarriage　CeremoniesMarriage
FestivitiesMalay　ChildrenThe　Rajah　Muda　YusufA　Dreary
FuneralFascinating　CompanionshipA　Cocoa…Nut　GathererThe　Argus
PheasantAn　Opium　WreckRhinoceros
HornsElephant…TamingPetrifying　Influences　of　IslamismA　Dwindling
Race


February　17。I　was　very　glad　that　yesterday　was　Sunday；　so　that　I　had
a　quiet　day；　for　nearly　twelve　hours　of　jungle　riding　on　an　elephant
makes　one　very　stiff　and　sleepy。　　Three　days　of　solitude；　meals　in　the
company　of　apes；　elephant　excursions；　wandering　about　alone；　and　free；
open　air；　tropical　life　in　the　midst　of　all　luxuries　and　comforts；　have
been　very　enchanting。　At　night；　when　the　servants　had　retired　to　their
quarters　and　the　apes　to　the　roof；　and　I　was　absolutely　alone　in　the
bungalow；　the　silent　Oriental　sentries　motionless　below　the　veranda
counting　for　nothing；　and　without　a　single　door　or　window　to　give　one
the　feeling　of　restraint；　I　had　some　of　the　〃I'm　monarch　of　all　I
survey〃　feeling；　and　when　drum　beat　and　bugle　blast；　and　the　turning
out　of　the　Sikh　guard；　indicated　that　the　Resident　was　in　sight；　I　felt
a　little　reluctant　to　relinquish　the　society　of　animals；　and　my
〃solitary　reign；〃　which　seemed　almost　〃ancient〃　also。

When　Mr。　Low；　unattended　as　he　always　is；　reached　the　foot　of　the
stairs　the　retriever　leapt　down　with　one　bound；　and　through　the　air
over　his　head　fled　Mahmoud　and　Eblis；　uttering　piercing　cries；　the
siamang；　though　keeping　at　a　distance；　adding　to　the　jubilations；　and
for　several　minutes　I　saw　nothing　of　my　host；　for　these　creatures；
making　every　intelligent　demonstration　of　delight；　were　hanging　round
him　with　their　long　arms；　the　retriever　nearly　wild　with　joy；　but
frantically　jealous；　all　the　creatures　welcoming　him　more　warmly　than
most　people　would　welcome　their　relations　after　a　long　absence。　Can　it
be　wondered　at　that　people　like　the　society　of　these　simple；　loving；
unsophisticated　beings？

Mr。　Low's　arrival　has　inflicted　a　severe　mortification　on　me；　for
Eblis；　who　has　been　absolutely　devoted　to　me　since　I　rescued　him　from
Mahmoud；　has　entirely　deserted　me；　takes　no　notice　of　me；　and　seems
anxious　to　disclaim　our　previous　acquaintance！　I　have　seen　children　do
just　the　same　thing；　so　it　makes　the　kinship　appear　even　closer。　He
shows　the　most　exquisite　devotion　to　his　master；　caresses　him　with　his
pretty　baby　hands；　murmurs　ouf　in　the　tenderest　of　human　tones；　and
sits　on　his　shoulder　or　on　his　knee　as　he　writes；　looking　up　with　a
strange　wistfulness　in　his　eyes；　as　if　he　would　like　to　express　himself
in　something　better　than　a　monosyllable。

This　is　a　curious　life。　Mr。　Low　sits　at　one　end　of　the　veranda　at　his
business　table　with　Eblis　looking　like　his　familiar　spirit；　beside　him。
I　sit　at　a　table　at　the　other　end；　and　during　the　long　working　hours　we
never　exchange　one　word。　Mahmoud　sometimes　executes　wonderful　capers；
the　strange；　wild；　half…human　face　of　the　siamang　peers　down　from　the
roof　with　a　half…trustful；　half…suspicious　expression；　the　retriever
lies　on　the　floor　with　his　head　on　his　paws；　sleeping　with　one　eye
open；　always　on　the　watch　for　a　coveted　word　of　recognition　from　his
master；　or　a　yet　more　coveted　opportunity　of　going　out　with　him；　tiffin
and　dinner　are　silently　served　in　the　veranda　recess　at　long　intervals；
the　sentries　at　the　door　are　so　silently　changed　that　one　fancies　that
the　motionless　blue　turbans　and　scarlet　coats　contain　always　the　same
men；　in　the　foreground　the　river　flows　silently；　and　the　soft　airs
which　alternate　are　too　feeble　to　stir　the　over…shadowing　palm…fronds
or　rustle　the　attap　of　the　roof。　It　is　hot；　silent；　tropical。　The　sound
of　Mr。　Low's　busy　pen　alone　breaks　the　stillness　during　much　of　the
day；　so　silent　is　it　that　the　first　heavy　drops　of　the　daily　tropical
shower　on　the　roof　have　a　startling　effect。

Mr。　Low　is　greatly　esteemed；　and　is　regarded　in　the　official　circles　of
the　Settlements　as　a　model　administrator。　He　has　had　thirty　years'
experience　in　the　East；　mainly　among　Malays；　and　has　brought　not　only　a
thoroughly　idiomatic