the golden chersonese and the way thither-第24章
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In my solitary explorations I was not mobbed or rudely treated in any
way。 The people were as gentle and inoffensive in their manners as the
Japanese； without their elaborate courtesy and civilized curiosity。
Having seen all I could see； I turned shipwards； weary； footsore； and
exhausted； my feet so sore and blistered； indeed； that long before I
reached a gharrie I was obliged to take off my boots and wrap them in
handkerchiefs。 The dust was deep and made heavy walking； and the level
straightness of a great part of the road is wearisome。 Overtaking even
at my slow rate of progress a string of creaking buffalo carts； I got
upon the hindmost； but after a little rest found the noise； dust； and
slow progress intolerable； and plodded on as before； taking two and a
half hours to walk three miles。 About a mile from Cholen there is an
extraordinary burial…ground； said to cover an area of twenty square
miles。 （？） It is thickly peopled with the dead； and profuse vegetation
and funereal lichens give it a profoundly melancholy look。 It was
chosen by the Cambodian kings several centuries ago for a cemetery； on
the advice of the astrologers of the court。 The telegraph wire runs
near it； and so the old and the new age meet。
On my weary way I was overtaken by a young French artillery officer；
who walked with me until we came upon an empty gharrie； and was
eloquent upon the miseries of Saigon。 It is a very important military
station； and a sort of depot for the convicts who are sent to the
（comparatively） adjacent settlement of New Caledonia。 A large force of
infantry and artillery is always in barracks here； but it is a most
sickly station。 At times 40 per cent。 of this force is in hospital from
climatic diseases； and the number of men invalided home by every mail
steamer； and the frequent changes necessary； make Saigon a very costly
post。 The French don't appear to be successful colonists。 This Cochin
Chinese colony of theirs； which consists of the six ancient southern
provinces of the empire of Anam； was ceded to France in 1874； but its
European population is still under twelve thousand； exclusive of the
garrison and the Government officials。 The Government consists of a
governor； aided by a privy council。 The population of the colony is
under a million and a half； including eighty…two thousand Cambodians
and forty thousand Chinese。 According to my various informantsthis
young French officer； a French nun； and a trader of dubious
nationality； in whose shop I restedFrance is doing its best to
promote the prosperity and secure the good…will of the natives。 The
land…tax； which was very oppressive under the native princes； has been
lowered； municipal government has been secured to the native towns； and
corporate and personal rights have been respected。 These persons
believe that the colony； far from being a source of profit to France；
is kept up at a heavy annual loss； and they regard the Chinese as the
only element in the population worth having。 They think the Anamese
very superior to the Cambodians； from whom indeed they conquered these
six provinces； but the Cambodians are a bigger and finer race
physically。
I do not think I have said how hideous I think the adult Anamese。
Somewhere I have read that two thousand years before our era the
Chinese called them Giao…chi； which signifies 〃with the big toe。〃 This
led me to look particularly at their bare feet； and I noticed even in
children such a wide separation of the big toe from the rest as to
convey the perhaps erroneous impression that it is of unusual size。 The
men are singularly wide at the hips； and walk with a laughably
swaggering gait； which is certainly not affectation； but is produced by
a sufficient anatomical cause。 I never saw such ugly； thick…set； rigid
bodies； such uniformly short necks； such sloping shoulders； such flat
faces and flatter noses； such wide； heavy； thick…lipped mouths； such
projecting cheek bones； such low foreheads； such flat…topped heads； and
such tight； thick skin； which suggests the word hide…bound。 The dark；
tawny complexion has no richness of tint。 Both men and women are short；
and the teeth of both sexes are blackened by the constant chewing of
the betel…nut； which reddens the saliva； which is constantly flowing
like blood from the corners of their mouths。 Though not a vigorous；
they appear to be a healthy people； and have very large families。 They
suffer chiefly from 〃forest fever〃 in the forest lands； but the rice
swamps； deadly to Europeans； do not harm them。
I rested for some time at a very beautiful convent； and was most kindly
entertained by some very calm； sweet…looking sisters； who labor piously
among the female Anamese； and have schools for girls。 The troops are
stationed at Saigon for only two years； owing to the unhealthiness of
the climate； but these pious women have no sanitarium； and live and die
at their posts。 Various things in the convent chapel remind one of the
faithfulness unto death both of missionaries and converts。 In this
century alone three successive kings rivaled each other in persecuting
the Christians； both Europeans and native； over and over again
murdering all the missionaries。 In 1841 the king ordered that all
missionaries should be drowned； and in 1851 his successor ordered that
whoever concealed a missionary should be cut in two。 The terrible and
sanguinary persecution which followed this edict never ceased； till
years afterward the French frightened the king into toleration； and put
an end； one hopes forever； to the persecution of Christians。 The
sisters compute the native Christians at seven thousand； and have
sanguine hopes for the future of Christianity in French Cochin China；
as well as in Cambodia； which appears to be under a French
protectorate。
I do not envy the French their colony。 According to my three
informants； Europeans cannot be acclimatized； and most of the children
born of white parents die shortly after birth。 The shores of the sea
and of the rivers are scourged by severe intermittent fevers； and the
whole of the colony by dysentery； which among Europeans is particularly
fatal。 The mean temperature is 83 degrees F。； the dampness is unusual；
and the nights are too hot to refresh people after the heat of the
day。*
＇*The chief production of the country is rice； which forms half the sum
total of the exports。 The other exports are chiefly salt…fish； salt；
undyed cotton； skins of beasts； and pepper。 About seven hundred vessels
enter and leave Saigon in a year。＇
After leaving the convent I resumed my gharrie； and the driver took me；
what I suppose is the usual 〃course〃 for tourists； through a quaint
Asiatic town inhabited by a mixed； foreign population of Hindus；
Malays； Tagals； and Chinese merchants； scattered among a large
indigenous population of Anamese fishermen； servants； and husbandmen；
through the colonial district； which looked asleep or dead； to the
markets； where the Chinamen and natives of India were in the full swing
and din of buying and selling all sorts of tropical fruits and rubbishy
French goods； and through what may be called the Government town or
official quarter。 It was getting dark when I reached the wharf； and the
darkness enabled me to hobble unperceived on board on my bandaged feet。
The heat of the murky； lurid evening was awful； and as thousands of
mosquitoes took possession of the ship； all comfort was banished； and I
was glad when we steamed down the palm…fringed Saigon or Donnai waters；
and through the mangrove swamps at the mouths of the Me…kong river； and
past the lofty Cape St。 Jacques； with its fort； into the open China
Sea。
I。 L。 B。
LETTER VII
Beauties of the TropicsSingapore HospitalityAn Equatorial
MetropolisAn Aimless ExistenceThe Growth of Singapore〃Farms〃 and
〃Farmers〃The Staple of ConversationThe Glitter of 〃Barbaric
Gold〃A Polyglot PopulationA Mediocre PeopleFemale Grace and
BeautyThe 〃Asian Mystery〃Oriental PicturesquenessThe
Metamorphosis of Singapore
SINGAPORE； January 19； 1879。
It is hotso hot！but not stifling； and all the rich…flavored；
colored fruits of the tropics are herefruits whose generous juices
are drawn from the
