the golden chersonese and the way thither-第27章
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and they give a very imposing idea of the importance of the island。 It
is interesting to note that of the 434 enumerators employed only seven
were Europeans！
The number of houses on the island is 20；462； the total population is
139；208 souls； viz。； 105；423 males and 33；785 females。 The total
increase in ten years is divided as follows：
Europeans and Americans 823
Eurasians 930
_Chinese_ 32；194
Malays and other natives of the Archipelago 6；954
Tamils and other natives of India 637
Other nationalities 559
Among these 〃other nationalities〃 the great increase has been among the
Arabs； who have nearly doubled their numbers。 Among the 〃Malays and
other natives of the Archipelago〃 are included； Achinese； Boyanese；
Bugis； Dyaks； Jawi…Pekans； and Manilamen。
The European resident population； exclusive of the soldiers； is only
1；283。 _The Chinese population is_ 86；766； the Malay； 22；114； the
Tamil； 10；475； the Javanese； 5；881； and the Eurasian； 3；091。 In the
very small European population 19 nationalities are included； the
Germans numerically following the British。 Of 15；368 domestic servants；
only 844 are women。＇
These Klings are active and industrious； but they lack fibre
apparently； and that quick…sightedness for opportunities which makes
the Chinese the most successful of all emigrants。 Not a Malay or a
Kling has raised himself either as a merchant or in any other capacity
to wealth or distinction in the colony。 The Klings make splendid
boatmen； they drive gharries； run as syces； lend small sums of money at
usurious interest； sell fruit； keep small shops； carry 〃chit books；〃
and make themselves as generally useful as their mediocre abilities
allow。 They are said to be a harmless people so far as deeds go。 They
neither fight； organize； nor get into police rows； but they quarrel
loudly and vociferously； and their vocabulary of abuse is said to be
inexhaustible。 The Kling men are very fine…looking； lithe and active；
and； as they clothe but little； their forms are seen to great
advantage。 The women are； I think； beautifulnot so much in face as in
form and carriage。 I am never weary of watching and admiring their
inimitable grace of movement。 Their faces are oval； their foreheads
low； their eyes dark and liquid； their noses shapely； but disfigured by
the universal adoption of jewelled nose…rings； their lips full； but not
thick or coarse； their heads small； and exquisitely set on long；
slender throats； their ears small； but much dragged out of shape by the
wearing of two or three hoop…earrings in each； and their glossy； wavy；
black hair； which grows classically low on the forehead； is gathered
into a Grecian knot at the back。 Their clothing； or rather drapery； is
a mystery； for it covers and drapes perfectly； yet has no _make_； far
less fit； and leaves every graceful movement unimpeded。 It seems to
consist of ten wide yards of soft white muslin or soft red material； so
ingeniously disposed as to drape the bust and lower limbs； and form a
girdle at the same time。 One shoulder and arm are usually left bare。
The part which may be called a petticoatthough the word is a slur
upon the graceful draperyis short； and shows the finely turned
ankles； high insteps； and small feet。 These women are tall； and
straight as arrows； their limbs are long and rounded； their appearance
is timid； one might almost say modest； and their walk is the poetry of
movement。 A tall； graceful Kling woman； draped as I have described；
gliding along the pavement； her statuesque figure the perfection of
graceful ease； a dark pitcher on her head； just touched by the
beautiful hand； showing the finely moulded arm； is a beautiful object；
classical in form； exquisite in movement； and artistic in coloring； a
creation of the tropic sun。 What thinks she； I wonder； if she thinks
at all； of the pale European； paler for want of exercise and engrossing
occupation； who steps out of her carriage in front of her； an
ungraceful heap of poufs and frills； tottering painfully on high heels；
in tight boots； her figure distorted into the shape of a Japanese sake
bottle； every movement a struggle or a jerk； the clothing utterly
unsuited to this or any climate； impeding motion； and affecting health；
comfort； and beauty alike？
It is all fascinating。 Here is none of the indolence and apathy which
one associates with Oriental life； and which I have seen in Polynesia。
These yellow； brown； tawny； swarthy； olive…tinted men are all intent on
gain； busy； industrious； frugal； striving； and； no matter what their
creed is； all paying homage to Daikoku。 In spite of the activity；
rapidity； and earnestness； the movements of all but the Chinese are
graceful； gliding； stealthy； the swarthy faces have no expression that
I can read； and the dark； liquid eyes are no more intelligible to me
than the eyes of oxen。 It is the 〃Asian mystery〃 all over。
It is only the European part of Singapore which is dull and sleepy
looking。 No life and movement congregate round the shops。 The
merchants； hidden away behind jalousies in their offices； or dashing
down the streets in covered buggies； make but a poor show。 Their houses
are mostly pale； roomy； detached bungalows； almost altogether hidden by
the bountiful vegetation of the climate。 In these their wives； growing
paler every week； lead half…expiring lives； kept alive by the efforts
of ubiquitous 〃punkah…wallahs；〃 writing for the mail； the one active
occupation。 At a given hour they emerge； and drive in given directions；
specially round the esplanade； where for two hours at a time a double
row of handsome and showy equipages moves continuously in opposite
directions。 The number of carriages and the style of dress of their
occupants are surprising； and yet people say that large fortunes are
not made now…a…days in Singapore！ Besides the daily drive； the ladies；
the officers； and any men who may be described as of 〃no occupation；〃
divert themselves with kettle…drums； dances； lawn tennis； and various
other devices for killing time； and this with the mercury at 80
degrees！ Just now the Maharajah of Johore； sovereign of a small state
on the nearest part of the mainland； a man much petted and decorated by
the British Government for unswerving fidelity to British interests；
has a house here； and his receptions and dinner parties vary the
monotonous round of gayeties。
The native streets monopolize the picturesqueness of Singapore with
their bizarre crowds； but more interesting still are the bazaars or
continuous rows of open shops which create for themselves a perpetual
twilight by hanging tatties or other screens outside the sidewalks；
forming long shady alleys； in which crowds of buyers and sellers
chaffer over their goods； the Chinese shopkeepers asking a little more
than they mean to take； and the Klings always asking double。 The bustle
and noise of this quarter are considerable； and the vociferation
mingles with the ringing of bells and the rapid beating of drums and
tom…tomsan intensely heathenish sound。 And heathenish this great city
is。 Chinese joss…houses； Hindu temples； and Mohammedan mosques almost
jostle each other； and the indescribable clamor of the temples and the
din of the joss…houses are faintly pierced by the shrill cry from the
minarets calling the faithful to prayer； and proclaiming the divine
unity and the mission of Mahomet in one breath。
How I wish I could convey an idea； however faint； of this huge；
mingled； colored； busy； Oriental population； of the old Kling and
Chinese bazaars； of the itinerant sellers of seaweed jelly； water；
vegetables； soup； fruit； and cooked fish； whose unintelligible street
cries are heard above the din of the crowds of coolies； boatmen； and
gharriemen waiting for hire； of the far…stretching suburbs of Malay and
Chinese cottages； of the sheet of water； by no means clean； round which
hundreds of Bengalis are to be seen at all hours of daylight
unmercifully beating on great stones the delicate laces； gauzy silks；
and elabo
