the golden chersonese and the way thither-第40章
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wild men of the interior。 A sound like the constant blowing of a
steam…whistle in the distance was said to be produced by a large
monkey。 Yells； hoarse or shrill； and roars more or less guttural； were
significant of any of the wild beasts with which the forest abounds；
and recalled the verse in Psalm civ。； 〃Thou makest darkness that it may
be night； wherein all the beasts of the forest do move。〃 Then there
were cries as of fierce gambols； or of pursuit and capture； of hunter
and victim； and at times； in the midst of profound stillness； came huge
plungings； with accompanying splashings； which I thought were made by
alligators； but which Captain Murray thinks were more likely the riot
of elephants disturbed while drinking。 There were hundreds of
mysterious and unfamiliar sounds great and small； significant of the
unknown beast； reptile； and insect world which the jungle hides； and
then silences。
Sheet lightning； very blue； revealed at intervals the strong stream
swirling past under a canopy of trees falling and erect； with straight
stems one hundred and fifty feet high probably； surmounted by crowns of
drooping branches； palms with their graceful plumage； lianas hanging；
looping； twistingtheir orange fruitage hanging over our heads； great
black snags； the lithe； wiry forms of our boat…men always straining to
their utmost； and the motionless white turban of the Hadji；all for a
second relieved against the broad blue flame； to be again lost in
darkness。
The Linggi above Permatang Pasir； with its sharp turns and muddy hurry；
is； I should say； from thirty to sixty feet wide； a mere pathway
through the jungle。 Do not think of a jungle； as I used to think of it；
as an entanglement or thicket of profuse and matted scrub； for it is in
these regions at least a noble forest of majestic trees； many of them
supported at their roots by three buttresses； behind which thirty men
could find shelter。 On many of the top branches of these； other trees
have taken root from seeds deposited by birds； and have attained
considerable size； and all send down； as it _appears_； extraordinary
cylindrical strands from two to six inches in diameter； and often one
hundred and fifty feet in length； smooth and straight until they root
themselves； looking like the guys of a mast。 Under these giants stand
the lesser trees grouped in glorious confusion；cocoa； sago； areca；
and gomuti palms； nipah and nibong palms； tree ferns fifteen and twenty
feet high； the bread…fruit； the ebony； the damar； the india rubber； the
gutta…percha； the cajeput； the banyan； the upas； the bombax or cotton
tree； and hosts of others； many of which bear brilliant flowers； but
have not yet been botanized； and I can only give such barbarous names
as chumpaka； Kamooning； marbow； seum； dadap； and； loveliest of all； the
waringhan； a species of ficus； graceful as a birch； and underneath
these again great ferns； ground orchids； and flowering shrubs of heavy；
delicious odor； are interlocked and interwoven。 Oh that you could see
it all！ It is wonderful； no words could describe it； far less mine。 Mr。
Darwin says so truly that a visit to the tropics （and such tropics） is
like a visit to a new planet。 This new wonder…world； so enchanting；
tantalizing； intoxicating； makes me despair； for I cannot make you see
what I am seeing！ Amidst all this wealth of nature and in this
perennial summer heat I quite fail to realize that it is January； and
that with you the withered plants are shriveling in the frost…bound
earth； and that leafless twigs and the needles of half…starved pines
are shivering under the stars in the aurora…lighted winter nights。
But to the jungle again； The great bamboo towers up along the river
sides in its feathery grace； and behind it the much prized Malacca
cane； the rattan； creeping along the ground or climbing trees and
knotting them together； with its tough strands； from a hundred to
twelve hundred feet in length； matted and matting together while ferns；
selaginellas； and lycopodiums struggle for space in which to show their
fragile beauty； along with hardier foliaceous plants； brown and
crimson； green and crimson； and crimson flecked with gold； and the
great and lesser trees alike are loaded with trailers； ferns； and
orchids； among which huge masses of the elk…horn fern and the shining
five…foot fronds of the Asplenium Nidus are everywhere conspicuous。
Not only do orchids crowd the branches； and the hoya carnosa； the yam；
the blue…blossomed Thunbergia； the vanilla （？）； and other beautiful
creepers； conceal the stems； while nearly every parasitic growth
carries another parasite； but one sees here a filament carelessly
dangling from a branch sustaining some bright…hued epiphyte of quaint
mocking form； then a branch as thick as a clipper's main…mast reaches
across the river； supporting a festooned trailer； from whose stalks
hang； almost invisibly suspended； oval fruits； almost vermilion
colored； then again the beautiful vanilla and the hoya carnosa vie with
each other in wreathing the same tree； or an audacious liana； with
great clusters of orange or scarlet blossoms； takes possession of
several trees at once； lighting up the dark greenery with its flaming
splotches； or an aspiring trailer； dexterously linking its feebleness
to the strength of other plants； leaps across the river from tree to
tree at a height of a hundred feet； and； as though in mockery； sends
down a profusion of crimson festoons far out of reach。 But it is as
useless to attempt to catalogue as to describe。 To realize an
equatorial jungle one must see it in all its wonderment of activity and
stillnessthe heated； steamy stillness through which one fancies that
no breeze ever whispers； with its colossal flowering trees； its green
twilight； its inextricable involvement； its butterflies and moths； its
brilliant but harsh voiced birds； its lizards and flying foxes； its
infinite variety of monkeys； sitting； hanging by hands or tails；
leaping； grimacing； jabbering； pelting each other with fruits； and its
loathsome saurians； lying in wait on slimy banks under the mangroves。
All this and far more the dawn revealed upon the Linggi river； but
strange to say； through all the tropic splendor of the morning； I saw a
vision of the Trientalis Europea； as we saw it first on a mossy
hillside in Glen Cannich！
But I am forgetting that the night with its blackness and mystery came
before the sunrise； that the stars seldom looked through the dense
leafage； and that the pale green lamps of a luminous fungus here and
there； and the cold blue sheet…lightning only served to intensify the
solemnity of the gloom。 While the blackest part of the night lasted the
〃view〃 was usually made up of the black river under the foliage； with
scarcely ten yards of its course free from obstructiongreat snags all
along it sticking up menacingly； trees lying half or quite across it；
with barely room to pass under them； or sometimes under water； when the
boat 〃drave heavily〃 over them； while great branches brushed and ripped
the thatch continually； and as one obstacle was safely passed； the
rapidity of the current invariably canted us close on another； but the
vigilant skill of the boatmen averted the slightest accident。 〃Jaga！
Jaga！〃caution！ caution！was the constant cry。 The most unpleasant
sensations were produced by the constant ripping and tearing sounds as
we passed under the low tunnel of vegetation； and by the perpetual
bumping against timber。
The Misses Shaw passed an uneasy night。 The whisky had cured the
younger one of her severe sick headache； and she was the prey of many
terrors。 They thought that the boat would be ripped up； that the roof
would be taken off； that a tree would fall and crush us； that the
boatmen； when they fell overboard； as they often did； would be eaten by
alligators； that they would see glaring eyeballs whenever the cry
〃Rimou！〃a tiger！was raised from the bow； and they continually awoke
me with news of something that was happening or about to happen； and
were drolly indignant because they could not sleep； while I； a blasee
old campaigner； slept whenever they would let me。 Day broke in a heavy
mist； which disappea
