the golden chersonese and the way thither-第22章

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the　gridirons　smoking；　women　were　preparing　what　might　be　the
breakfast；　and　babies　were　crawling　over　the　open　floors；　born　with　the
instinct　not　to　tumble　over　the　edge　into　the　river　below。　　These
natives　were　small　and　dark；　although　of　the　Mongolian　type；　with　wide
mouths　and　high　cheek　bonesan　ugly　race；　and　their　attitudes；　their
tumble…to…pieces　houses；　and　their　general　forlornness；　gave　me　the
impression　that　they　are　an　indolent　race　as　well；　to　be　ousted　in　time
possibly　by　the　vigorous　and　industrious　Chinaman。

After　proceeding　for　about　forty　miles　up　this　mighty　Me…kong　or
Cambodia　river；　wearying　somewhat　of　its　nipah…fringed　alluvial　flats；
and　of　the　monotonous　domestic　economy　of　which　we　had　so　good　a　view；
we　reached　Saigon；　which　has　the　wild　ambition　to　propose　to　itself　to
be　a　second　Singapore！　All　my　attempts　to　learn　anything　about　Saigon
on　board　have　utterly　failed。　People　think　that　they　told　me　something
altogether　new　and　sufficient　when　they　said　that　it　is　a　port　of　call
for　the　French　mail　steamers；　and　one　of　the　hottest　places　in　the
world！　This　much　I　knew　before　I　asked　them！　If　they　know　anything　more
now；　no　dexterity　of　mine　can　elicit　it。　There　was　a　general　stampede
ashore　as　soon　as　we　moored；　and　gharriescovered　spring　cartsdrawn
by　active　little　Sumatra　ponies；　and　driven　by　natives　of　Southern
India；　known　as　Klings；　were　immediately　requisitioned；　but　nothing
came　of　it　apparently；　and　when　I　came　back　at　sunset　I　found　that；
after　an　hour　or　two　of　apparently　purposeless　wanderings；　all　my
fellow…passengers　had　returned　to　the　ship；　pale　and　depressed。　True；
the　mercury　was　above　90　degrees！

Arriving　in　this　condition　of　most　unblissful　ignorance；　I　was
astonished　when　a　turn　in　the　river　brought　us　close　upon　a
considerable　town；　straggling　over　a　great　extent　of　ground；
interspersed　with　abundant　tropical　greenery；　its　river　front
consisting　of　a　long；　low　line　of　much…shaded　cafes；　mercantile
offices；　some　of　them　flying　consular　flags　and　Government　offices；
behind　which　lies　the　city　with　its　streets；　shops；　and　great　covered
markets　or　bazaars；　and　its　barracks；　churches；　and　convents。

The　Me…kong；　though　tortuous　and　ofttimes　narrow；　is　navigable　as　the
Donnai　or　Saigon　branch　up　to　and　above　Saigon　for　vessels　of　the
largest　tonnage；　and　the　great　Sindh　steamed　up　to　a　wharf　and　moored
alongside　it；　almost　under　the　shade　of　great　trees。　A　French
three…decker　of　the　old　type；　moored　higher　up；　serves　as　an　hospital。
There　were　two　French　ironclads；　a　few　steamers；　and　some　big　sailing
ships　at　anchor；　but　nothing　looked　busy；　and　the　people　on　the　wharf
were　all　loafers。

After　all　my　fellow…passengers　had　driven　off　I　stepped　ashore　and
tried　to　realize　that　I　was　in　Cochin　China　or　Cambodia；　but　it　would
not　do。　The　irrepressible　Chinaman　in　his　loose　cotton　trousers　was　as
much　at　home　as　in　Canton；　and　was　doing　all　the　work　that　was　done；
the　shady　lounges　in　front　of　the　cafes　were　full　of　Frenchmen；
Spaniards；　and　Germans；　smoking　and　dozing　with　their　feet　upon　tables
or　on　aught　else　which　raised　them　to　the　level　of　their　heads；　while
men　in　linen　suits　and　pith　helmets　dashed　about　in　buggies　and
gharries；　and　French　officers　and　soldiers　lounged　weariedly　along　all
the　roads。　There　was　not　a　native　to　be　seen！　A　little　later　there　was
not　a　European　to　be　seen！　There　was　a　universal　siesta　behind　closed
jalousies；　and　Saigon　was　abandoned　to　Chinamen　and　leggy　dogs。　Then
came　the　cool　of　the　afternoon；　i。e。；　the　mercury；　with　evident
reluctance；　dawdled　down　to　84　degrees；　military　bands　performed；　the
Europeans　emerged；　smoking　as　in　the　morning；　to　play　billiards　or
ecarte；　or　sip　absinthe　at　their　cafes；　then　came　the　mosquitoes　and
dinner；　after　which　I　was　told　that　card…parties　were　made　up；　and　that
the　residents　played　till　near　midnight。　Thus　from　observation　and
hearsay；　I　gathered　that　the　life　of　a　European　Saigonese　was　made　up
of　business　in　baju　and　pyjamas　with　cheroot　in　mouth　from　6　to　9：30
A。M。；　then　the　bath；　the　toilette；　and　the　breakfast　of　claret　and
curry；　next　the　sleeping；　smoking；　and　lounging　till　tiffin；　after
tiffin　a　little　more　work；　then　the　band；　billiards；　ecarte；　absinthe；
smoking；　dinner；　and　card…parties；　varied　by　official　entertainments。

Rejecting　a　guide；　I　walked　about　Saigon；　saw　its　streets；　cafes；　fruit
markets；　bazaars；　barracks；　a　botanic　or　acclimatization　garden；　of
which　tigers　were　the　chief　feature；　got　out　upon　the　wide；　level
roads；　bordered　with　large　trees；　which　run　out　into　the　country　for
miles　in　perfectly　straight　lines；　saw　the　handsome　bungalows　of　the
residents；　who　surround　themselves　with　many　of　the　luxuries　of　Paris；
went　over　a　beautiful　convent；　where　the　sisters　who　educate　native
girl　children　received　me　with　kindly　courtesy；　and　eventually　driving
in　a　gharrie　far　beyond　the　town；　and　then　dismissing　it；　I　got　into　a
labyrinth　of　lanes；　each　with　a　high　hedge　of　cactus；　and　without
knowing　it　found　that　I　was　in　a　native　village；　Choquan；　a　village　in
which　every　house　seems　to　be　surrounded　and　hidden　by　high　walls　of　a
most　malevolent　and　obnoxious　cactus；　so　as　to　insure　absolute　privacy
to　its　proprietor。　Each　dwelling　is　under　the　shade　of　pommeloe；
orange；　and　bamboo。　By　dint　of　much　peeping；　and　many　pricks　which　have
since　inflamed；　I　saw　that　the　poorer　houses　were　built　of　unplaned
planks　or　split　bamboo；　thatched　with　palm　leaves；　with　deep　verandas；
furnished　with　broad　matted　benches　with　curious；　round　bamboo　pillows。
On　these　men；　scarcely　to　be　called　clothed；　were　lying；　smoking　or
chewing　the　betel…nut；　and　all　had　teapots　in　covered　baskets　within
convenient　reach。　　The　better　houses　are　built　of　an　ornamental
framework　of　carved　wood；　the　floor　of　which　is　raised　about　three　feet
from　the　ground　on　brick　pillars。　The　roofs　of　these　are　rather　steep；
and　are　mostly　tiled；　and　have　deep　eaves；　but　do　not　as　elsewhere　form
the　cover　of　the　veranda。　　While　I　was　looking　through　the　cactus
screen　of　one　of　these　houses；　a　man　came　out　with　a　number　of　low
caste；　leggy；　flop…eared；　mangy　dogs；　who　attacked　me　in　a　cowardly
bullying　fashion；　yelping；　barking；　and　making　surreptitious　snaps　at
my　feet。　Their　owner　called　them　off；　however；　and　pelted　them　so
successfully　that　some　ran　away　whimpering；　and　two　pretended　（as　dogs
will）　to　have　broken　legs。　This　man　carried　a　cocoa…nut；　and　on　my
indicating　that　I　was　thirsty；　he　hesitated；　and　then　turning　back；
signed　to　me　to　follow　him　into　his　house。　　This　was　rare　luck！

Within　the　cactus　screen；　which　is　fully　ten　feet　high；　there　is　a
graveled　area；　on　which　the　neat…looking　house　stands；　and　growing　out
of　the　very　thirsty　ground　are　cocoa　palms；　bananas；　bread　fruit；　and
papayas。　There　are　verandas　on　each　side　of　the　doorway　with　stone
benches；　the　doorway　and　window　frames　are　hung　with　〃portieres〃　of
split　reeds；　and　a　ladder　does　duty　for　door　steps。　The　interior　is
very　dark；　and　divided　into　several　apartments。　　As　soon　as　I　entered
there　was　a　rush　as　if　of　bats　into　the　darkness；　but　on　being
reassured；　about　twenty　women　and　boy　and　girl　children　appeared；　and
contemplated　me　with　an　apathetic　stare　of　extreme　solemnity。　Remember
the　mercury　was　92　degrees；　so　the　women　may　be　excused　for　having
nothing　more　than　petticoats　or　loose　trousers　on　in　the　privacy　of
their　home；　the　children　for　being　in　a　state　of　nudity；　and　the　man
for　being　clothed　in　a　loin　cloth！　As　I　grew　used　to　the　darkness　I　saw
a　toothless　old　woman　smoking　in　a　corner；　fanned　by　two　girls；　who；　I
believe；　are　domestic　slaves。　Near　one　of　the　window　openings　a　young
woman　was　lounging；　and　two　others　were　attentively　removing　vermin
from　her　luxuriant　but　ill…kept　hair。　Mats　and　bamboo　pillows　covered
the　floors；　and　most　of　the　inmates　had　been　rudely　disturbed　in　a
siesta。

I　was　evidently　in　the　principal　apartment；　for　the　walls　were
decorated　with　Chinese　marine　pictures；　among　which　were　two　glaring
daubs　of　a　Madonna　and　an　Ecce　Homo。　There　was　also　a　rude　crucifix；
from　which　I　gather　that　this　is　a　Roman