the golden chersonese and the way thither-第38章

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heat　of　the　sun。

We　left　Sempang　at　two；　the　Misses　Shaw　reeling　rather　than　walking　to
the　launch。　I　cannot　imagine　what　the　mercury　was　in　the　sun；　but　the
copper　sheathing　of　the　gunwale　was　too　hot　to　be　touched。　Above
Sempang　the　river　narrows　and　shoals　rapidly；　and　we　had　to　crawl；
taking　soundings　incessantly；　and　occasionally　dragging　heavily　over
mud　banks。　We　saw　a　large　alligator　sleeping　in　the　sun　on　the　mud；
with　a　mouth；　I　should　think；　a　third　of　the　length　of　his　body；　and　as
he　did　not　wake　as　we　panted　past　him；　a　rifle　was　loaded　and　we　backed
up　close　to　him；　but　Babu；　who　had　the　weapon；　and　had　looked　quite
swaggering　and　belligerent　so　long　as　it　was　unloaded；　was　too
frightened　to　fire；　the　saurian　awoke；　and　his　hideous　form　and
corrugated　hide　plunged　into　the　water；　so　close　under　the　stern　as　to
splash　us。　After　this；　alligators　were　so　common；　singly　or　in　groups；
or　in　families；　that　they　ceased　to　be　exciting。　It　is　difficult　for
anything　to　produce　continuous　excitement　under　this　fierce　sun；　and
conversation；　which　had　been　flagging　before　noon；　ceased　altogether。
It　was　awfully　hot　in　the　launch；　between　fire　and　boiler…heat　and
solar　fury。　I　tried　to　keep　cool　by　thinking　of　Mull；　and　powdery　snow
and　frosty　stars；　but　it　would　not　do。　It　was　a　solemn　afternoon；　as
the　white；　unwinking　sun　looked　down　upon　our　silent　party；　on　the
narrow　turbid　river；　silent　too；　except　for　the　occasional　plunge　of　an
alligator　or　other　water　monsteron　mangrove　swamps　and　nipah　palms
dense　along　the　river　side；　on　the　blue　gleam　of　countless　kingfishers；
on　slimy　creeks　arched　over　to　within　a　few　feet　of　their　surface　by
grand　trees　with　festoon　of　lianas；　on　an　infinite　variety　of　foliage；
on　an　abundance　of　slender…shafted　palms；　on　great　fruits　brilliantly
colored；　on　wonderful　flowers　on　the　trees；　on　the　hoya　carnosa　and
other　waxen…leaved　trailers　matting　the　forest　together　and　hanging
down　in　great　festoons；　the　fiery　tropic　sunblaze　stimulating　all　this
over…production　into　perennial　activity；　and　vivifying　the　very　mud
itself。

Occasionally　we　passed　a　canoe　with　a　〃savage〃　crouching　in　it　fishing；
but　saw　no　other　trace　of　man；　till　an　hour　ago　we　came　upon　large
cocoa　groves；　a　considerable　clearing　in　the　jungle；　and　a　very　large
Malayan…Chinese　village　with　mosques；　one　on　either　side　of　the　river；
houses　built　on　platforms　over　the　water；　large　and　small　native　boats
covered　and　thatched　with　attap；　roofed　platforms　on　stilts　answering
the　purpose　of　piers；　bathing…houses　on　stilts　carefully　secluded；　all
forming　the　（relatively）　important　village　of　Permatang　Pasir。

Up　to　this　time　we　had　expected　to　find　perfectly　smooth　sailing；　as　a
runner　was　sent　from　Malacca　to　the　Resident　yesterday。　We　supposed
that　we　should　be　carried　in　chairs　six　miles　through　the　jungle　to　a
point　where　a　gharrie　could　meet　us；　and　that　we　should　reach　the
Residency　by　nine　tonight　at　the　latest。　On　arriving　at　Sempang；　Mr。
Hayward　had　sent　a　canoe　to　this　place　with　instructions　to　send
another　runner　to　the　Resident；　but

　　　　　〃The　best　laid　schemes　of　men　and　mice　gang　aft　aglee。〃

The　messenger　seemed　to　have　served　no　other　purpose　than　to　assemble
the　whole　male　population　of　Permatang　Pasir　on　the　shorea
sombre…faced　throng；　with　an　aloofness　of　manner　and　expression　far
from　pleasing。　The　thatched　piers　were　crowded　with　turbaned　Mussulmen
in　their　bajus　or　short　jackets；　full　white　trousers；　and　red　sarongs
or　plaitless　kiltsthe　boys　dressed　in　silver　fig…leaves　and　silver
bangles　only。　All　looked　at　our　unveiled　faces　silently；　and；　as　I
thought；　disapprovingly。

After　being　hauled　up　the　pier　with　great　difficulty；　owing　to　the
lowness　of　the　water；　we　were　met　by　two　of　the　Datu　Klana's　policemen；
who　threw　cold　water　on　the　idea　of　our　getting　on　at　all　unless
Captain　Murray　sent　for　us。　These　men　escorted　us　to　this　police
stationa　long　walk　through　a　lane　of　much　decorated　shops；
exclusively　Chinese；　succeeded　by　a　lane　of　detached　Malay　houses；　each
standing　in　its　own　fenced　and　neatly　sanded　compound　under　the　shade
of　cocoa…palms　and　bananas。　The　village　paths　are　carefully　sanded　and
very　clean。　We　emerged　upon　the　neatly　sanded　open　space　on　which　this
barrack　stands；　glad　to　obtain　shelter；　for　the　sun　is　still　fierce。　It
is　a　genuine　Malay　house　on　stilts；　but　where　there　should　be　an
approach　of　eight　steps　there　is　only　a　steep　ladder　of　three　round
rungs；　up　which　it　is　not　easy　to　climb　in　boots！　There　is　a　deep
veranda　under　an　attap　roof　of　steep　slope；　and　at　either　end　a　low　bed
for　a　constable；　with　the　usual　very　hard；　circular　Malay　bolsters；
with　red　silk　ends；　ornamented　with　gold　and　silk　embroidery。　Besides
this　veranda　there　is　only　a　sort　of　inner　room；　with　just　space　enough
for　a　table　and　four　chairs。　The　wall　is　hung　with　rifles；　krises；　and
handcuffs；　with　which　a　〃Sam　Slick〃　clock；　an　engraving　from　the
Graphic；　and　some　curious　Turkish　pictures　of　Stamboul；　are　oddly　mixed
up。　　Babu；　the　Hadji；　having　recovered　from　a　sulk　into　which　he　fell
in　consequence　of　Mr。　Hayward　having　quizzed　him　for　cowardice　about　an
alligator；　has　made　everything　（our　very　limited　everything）　quite
comfortable；　and；　with　as　imposing　an　air　as　if　we　were　in　Government
House；　asks　us　when　we　will　have　dinner！　One　policeman　has　brought　us
fresh　cocoa…nut　milk；　another　sits　outside　pulling　a　small　punkah；　and
two　more　have　mounted　guard　over　us。　This　stilted　house　is　the　barrack
of　eleven　Malay　constables。　　Under　it　are　four　guns　of　light　calibre；
mounted　on　carriages；　and　outside　is　a　gong　on　which　the　policemen　beat
the　hours。

At　the　river　we　were　told　that　the　natives　would　not　go　up　the　shallow；
rapid　stream　by　night；　and　now　the　corporal　says　that　no　man　will　carry
us　through　the　jungle；　that　trees　are　lying　across　the　track；　that
there　are　dangerous　swamp　holes；　that　though　the　tigers　which　infest
the　jungle　never　attack　a　party；　we　might　chance　to　see　their　glaring
eyeballs；　that　even　if　men　could　be　bribed　to　undertake　to　carry　us；
they　would　fall　with　us；　or　put　us　down　and　run　away；　for　no　better
reason　than　that　they　caught　sight　of　the　〃spectre　bird〃　（the　owl）；　and
he　adds；　with　a　gallantry　remarkable　in　a　Mohammedan；　that　he　should
not　care　about　Mr。　Hayward；　〃but　it　would　not　do　for　the　ladies。〃　So　we
are　apparently　stuck　fast；　the　chief　cause　for　anxiety　and
embarrassment　being　that　the　youngest　Miss　Shaw　is　lying　huddled　up　and
shivering　on　one　of　the　beds；　completely　prostrated　by　a　violent　sick
headache；　brought　on　by　the　heat　of　the　sun　in　the　launch。　She　declares
that　she　cannot　move；　but　our　experienced　escort；　who　much　fears
bilious　fever　for　her；　is　resolved　that　she　shall　as　soon　as　any　means
of　transit　can　be　procured。　Heretofore；　I　have　always　traveled　〃without
encumbrance。〃　Is　it　treasonable　to　feel　at　this　moment　that　these　fair
girls　are　one？

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XII

The　Tomb　of　〃A　Great　Prophet〃〃Durance　Vile〃Fragile　TravelersOur
CraftA　Night　in　the　JungleNocturnal　RevelationsJanuary　in　the
Perak　JungleGlories　of　the　JungleActivity　and　StillnessAn　Uneasy
NightA　Slim　RepastBetel…ChewingA　Severe　DisappointmentPolice
Station　at　Rassa


BRITISH　RESIDENCY；　SERAMBANG；　SUNGEI　UJONG；　January　26。

By　the　date　of　my　letter　you　will　see　that　our　difficulties　have　been
surmounted。　I　continue　my　narrative　in　a　temperature　which；　in　my
roomshaded　though　it　ishas　reached　87　degrees。　After　hearing　many
pros　and　cons；　and　longing　much　for　the　freedom　of　a　solitary　traveler；
I　went　out　and　visited　the　tomb　of　a　famous　Hadji；　〃a　great　prophet；〃
the　policeman　said；　who　was　slain　in　ascending　the　Linggi。　It　is　a
raised　mound；　like　our　churchyard　graves；　with　a　post　at　each　end；　and
a　jar　of　oil　upon　it；　and　is　surrounded　by　a　lattice　of　reeds　on　which
curtains　are　hanging；　the　whole　being　covered　with　a　thatched　roof
supported　on　posts。

The　village　looks　prosperous；　and　the　Chinaman　as　much　at　home　as　in
China；striving；　thriving；　and　oblivious　of　everything　but　his　own
interests；　the　sole　agent　in　the　development　of　the　resources　of　the
country；