the golden chersonese and the way thither-第2章

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powerful　and　wealthy　State。

The　Portuguese；　by　their　persevering　and　relentless　religious　crusade
against　the　Mohammedans；　converted　all　the　States　which　were　adjacent
to　their　conquests　into　enemies；　and　by　1641　their　empire　in　the
Straits　was　seized　upon　by　the　Dutch；　who；　not　being　troubled　by　much
religious　earnestness；　got　on　very　well　with　the　Malay　Princes；　and
succeeded　in　making　advantageous　commercial　treaties　with　them。

A　curious　but　fairly　accurate　map　of　the　coasts　of　the　Peninsula　was
prepared　in　Paris　in　1668　to　accompany　the　narrative　of　the　French
envoy　to　the　Court　of　Siam；　but　neither　the　mainland　nor　the　adjacent
islands　attracted　any　interest　in　this　country　till　the　East　India
Company　acquired　Pinang　in　1775；　Province　Wellesley　in　1798；　Singapore
in　1823；　and　Malacca　in　1824。　These　small　but　important　colonies　were
consolidated　in　1867　into　one　Government　under　the　Crown；　and　are　now
known　as　the　Straits　Settlements；　and　prized　as　among　the　most　valuable
of　our　possessions　in　the　Far　East。　Though　these　settlements　are　merely
small　islands　or　narrow　strips　of　territory　on　the　coast；　their
population；　by　the　census　of　1881；　exceeded　four　hundred　and　twenty…two
thousand　souls；　and　in　1880　their　exports　and　imports　amounted　to
32；353；000　pounds！

Besides　these　little　bits　of　British　territory　scattered　along　a
coast…line　nearly　four　hundred　miles　in　length；　there　are；　on　the　west
side　of　the　Peninsula；　the　native　States　of　Kedah；　Perak；　Selangor；　and
Sungei　Ujong；　the　last　three　of　which　are　under　British　〃protection；〃
and　on　the　east　are　Patani；　Kelantan；　Tringganu；　and　Pahang；　the
southern　extremity　being　occupied　by　the　State　of　Johore。　　The
interior；　which　is　scarcely　at　all　known；　contains　toward　its　centre
the　Negri　Sembilan；　a　confederation　of　eight　（formerly　nine）　small
States。　The　population　of　the　native　States　of　the　Peninsula　is　not
accurately　known；　but；　inclusive　of　a　few　wild　tribes　and　the　Chinese
immigrants；　it　is　estimated　at　three　hundred　and　ten　thousand；　which
gives　under　nine　inhabitants　to　the　square　mile；　the　population　of　the
British　settlements　being　about　four　hundred　and　twenty　to　the　square
mile。

The　total　length　of　the　Peninsula　is　eight　hundred　miles；　and　its
breadth　varies　from　sixty　to　one　hundred　and　fifty　miles。　It　runs　down
from　lat。　13　degrees　50'　N。　to　1　degree　41'　N。　The　northern　part；
forming　the　Isthmus　of　Kraw；　which　it　is　proposed　to　pierce　for　a　ship
canal；　runs　nearly　due　north　and　south　for　one　hundred　and　forty　miles；
and　is　inhabited　by　a　mixed　race；　mainly　Siamese；　called　by　the　Malays
Sansam。　This　Isthmus　is　under　the　rule　of　Siam；　which　is　its　northern
boundary；　and　the　northern　and　eastern　States　of　Kedah；　Patani；
Kelantan；　Pahang；　and　Tringganu；　are　more　or　less　tributary　to　this
ambitious　empire；　which　at　intervals　has　exacted　a　golden　rose；　the
token　of　vassalage；　from　every　State　in　the　Peninsula。　　Except　at　the
point　where　the　Isthmus　of　Kraw　joins　Siam；　the　Peninsula　is　surrounded
by　the　sea　to　the　east　by　the　China　Sea　and　the　Gulf　of　Siam；　and　to
the　south　and　west　by　the　Straits　of　Malacca　and　the　Bay　of　Bengal。　The
area　of　the　mainland　is　conjectured　to　be　the　same　as　that　of　Britain；
but　the　region　occupied　by　the　Malays　does　not　exceed　sixty…one
thousand　one　hundred　and　fifty　square　miles；　and　is　about　half　the　size
of　Java。

Its　configuration　is　not　very　well　known；　but　a　granitic　mountain
chain；　rising　in　Perak　to　ascertained　heights　of　eight　thousand　feet；
runs　down　its　whole　length　near　the　centre；　with　extensive　outlying
spurs；　and　alluvial　plains　on　both　sides　densely　covered　with　jungle；
as　are　also　the　mountains。　There　are　no　traces　of　volcanic　formation；
though　thermal　springs　exist　in　Malacca。　The　rivers　are　numerous；　but
with　one　exception　small；　and　are　seldom　navigable　beyond　the　reach　of
the　tides；　except　by　flat…bottomed　boats。　It　is　believed　that　there　are
scarcely　any　lakes。

The　general　formation　is　granitic；　overlaid　by　sandstone；　laterite　or
clay　ironstone；　and　to　the　north　by　limestone。　　Iron　ores　are　found
everywhere；　and　are　so　little　regarded　for　their　metallic　contents
that；　though　containing；　according　to　Mr。　Logan；　a　skillful　geologist；
sixty　percent　of　pure　metal；　they　are　used　in　Singapore　for
macadamizing　the　roads！　Gold　has　been　obtained　in　all　ages；　and
formerly　in　considerable　quantities；　but　the　annual　yield　does　not　now
exceed　nineteen　thousand　ounces。　The　vastest　tin　fields　in　the　world
are　found　in　the　western　Malay　States；　and　hitherto　the　produce　has
been　〃stream　tin〃　only；　the　metal　not　having　been　traced　to　its　veins
in　the　rock。

The　map；　the　result　of　recent　surveys　by　Mr。　Daly；　and　published　in
1882　by　the　Royal　Geographical　Society；　shows　that　there　is　a　vast
extent；　more　than　half　of　the　Malay　Peninsula；　unexplored。　Its　most
laborious　explorer　confesses　that　〃of　the　internal　government；
geography；　mineral　products；　and　geology　of　these　regions；　we　do　not
know　anything；〃　and；　he　adds；　that　〃even　in　this　nineteenth　century；　a
country　rich　in　its　resources；　and　important　through　its　contiguity　to
our　British　possessions；　is　still　a　closed　volume。〃　〃If　we　let　the
needle　in；　the　thread　is　sure　to　follow〃　（meaning　that　if　they　let　an
Englishman　pass　through　their　territories；　British　annexation　would　be
the　natural　sequence）；　was　the　reason　given　to　Mr。　Daly　for　turning　him
back　from　the　States　of　the　Negri　Sembilan。

The　climate　is　singularly　healthy　for　Europeans　as　well　as　natives；
although　both　hot　and　moist；　as　may　be　expected　from　being　so　close　to
the　equator。　Besides；　the　Peninsula　is　very　nearly　an　insular　region；
it　is　densely　covered　with　evergreen　forests；　and　few　parts　of　it　are
more　than　fifty　miles　from　the　sea。　There　are　no　diseases　of　climate
except　marsh　fevers；　which　assail　Europeans　if　they　camp　out　at　night
on　low；　swampy　grounds。

In　5　degrees　15'　N。；　about　the　latitude　of　the　northern　boundary　of
Perak；　at　the　sea…level　the　mean　annual　temperature　is　nearly　80
degrees；　with　a　range　of　20　degrees；　at　Malacca　in　2　degrees　14'　N。　it
is　80　degrees；　with　a　range　of　15　degrees；　and　at　Singapore；　in　lat。　1
degree　17'；　it　is　82　degrees；　with　a　range　of　24　degrees。　　Though　the
climate　is　undeniably　a　〃hot〃　one；　the　heat；　tempered　by　alternating
land　and　sea　breezes；　is　seldom　oppressive　except　just　before　rain；　and
the　thermometer　never　attains　anything　approaching　those　torrid
temperatures　which　are　registered　in　India；　Japan；　the　United　States；
and　other　parts　of　the　temperate　zones。

The　rainfall　is　not　excessive；　averaging　about　one　hundred　and　ten
inches　annually；　and　there　is　no　regular　rainy　season。　In　fact　it　rains
in　moderation　all　the　year　round。　　Three　days　seldom　pass　without
refreshing　showers；　and　if　there　are　ten　rainless　days　together；　a　rare
phenomenon；　people　begin　to　talk　of　〃the　drought。〃　Practically　the　year
is　divided　into　two　parts　by　the　〃monsoons。〃*　The　monsoon　is　not　a
storm；　as　many　people　suppose；　from　a　vague　association　of　the　word
〃typhoon；〃　but　a　steady　wind　blowing；　in　the　case　of　the　Malay
Peninsula；　for　six　months　from　the　north…east；　bringing　down　the
Chinamen　in　their　junks；　and　for　six　months　from　the　southwest；
bringing　traders　from　Arabia　and　India。　The　climate　is　the　pleasantest
during　the　north…east　monsoon；　which　lasts　from　October　to　April。　It　is
during　the　south…west　monsoon　that　the　heavier　rains；　accompanied　by
electrical　disturbances；　occur。　The　central　mountain　range　protects　the
Peninsula　alternately　from　both　monsoons；　the　high　Sumatran　mountains
protecting　its　west　side　from　the　south…west　winds。　The　east　side　is
exposed　for　six　months　to　a　modified　north…east　monsoon。　Everywhere
else　throughout　the　almost　changeless　year；　steadily　alternating　land
and　sea　breezes　with　gentle　variable　winds　and　calms　prevail；
interrupted　occasionally　on　the　west　coast　during　the　〃summer〃　by
squalls　from　the　south…west；　which　last　for　one　or　two　hours；　and　are
known　as　〃Sumatrans。〃　Hurricanes　and　earthquakes　are　unknown。　Drenching
dews　fall　on　clear　nights。　　
＇*This　word　is　recognized　as　a　corruption　by　Portuguese　and　British
tongue