the golden chersonese and the way thither-第42章

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sentry　has　been　on　duty　always；　and　a　bull…dog　is　chained　at　the　foot
of　the　ladder　which　leads　to　both　bungalows。　But　there　is　really
nothing　to　fear　from　these　〃treacherous　Malays。〃　It　is　most　curious　to
see　the　appurtenances　of　civilization　in　the　heart　of　a　Malay　jungle；
and　all　the　more　so　because　our　long　night　journey　up　the　Linggi　makes
it　seem　more　remote　than　it　is。　　We　are　really　only　sixty　miles　from
Malacca。

The　drawing…room　has　a　good　piano；　and　many　tasteful　ornaments；　books；
and　chinagifts　from　loving　friends　and　relations　in　the　far　off
homeand　is　as　livable　as　a　bachelor　would　be　likely　to　make　it。　There
is　a　billiard　table　in　the　corridor。　The　dining…room；　which　is　reached
by　going　out　of　doors；　with　its　red…tiled　floor　and　walls　of　dark；
unpolished　wood；　is　very　pretty。　In　the　middle　of　the　dinner　table
there　is　a　reflecting　lake　for　〃hot…house　flowers；〃　and　exquisite
crystal；　menu　cards　with　holders　of　Dresden　china；　four　classical
statuettes　in　Parian；　with　pine…apples；　granadillas；　bananas；
pomegranates；　and　a　durion　blanda；　are　the　〃table　decorations。〃　The
cuisine　is　almost　too　elaborate　for　a　traveler's　palate；　but　plain　meat
is　rarely　to　be　got；　and　even　when　procurable　is　unpalatable　unless
disguised。　Curry　is　at　each　meal；　but　it　is　not　made　with　curry　powder。
Its　basis　is　grated　cocoa…nut　made　into　a　paste　with　cocoa…nut　milk；
and　the　spices　are　added　fresh。　Turtles　when　caught　are　kept　in　a　pond
until　they　are　needed；　and　we　have　turtle　soup；　stewed　turtle；　curried
turtle　and　turtle　cutlets　ad　nauseam。　Fowls　are　at　every　meal；　but
never　plain　roasted　or　plain　boiled。　　The　first　day　there　was　broiled
and　stewed　elephant　trunk；　which　tastes　much　like　beef。

Babu；　who　is　always　en　grand　tenue；　has　taken　command　of　everything　and
saves　our　host　all　trouble。　He　carves　at　the　sideboard；　scolds　the
servants　in　a　stage　whisper；　and　pushes　them　indignantly　aside　when
they　attempt　to　offer　anything　to　〃his　young　ladies；〃　reduces　Captain
Murray's　butler　to　a　nonentity；　and　as　far　as　he　can　turns　the
Residency　into　Government　House；　waiting　on　us　assiduously　in　our
rooms；　and　taking　care　of　our　clothes。　The　dinner　bell　is　a　bugle。

In　houses　in　these　regions　there　is　always　a　brick…floored　bath…room；
usually　of　large　size；　under　your　bedroom；　to　which　you　descend　by　a
ladder。　This　is　often　covered　by　a　trap…door；　which　is　sometimes
concealed　by　a　couch；　and　in　order　to　descend　the　sofa　cushion　is
lifted。　Here　it　is　an　open　trap　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　A　bath　is　a
necessitynot　a　luxuryso　near　the　equator；　and　it　is　usual　to　take
one　three；　four；　or　even　five　times　a　day；　with　much　refreshment。　One
part　of　Babu's　self…imposed　duty　is　to　look　under　our　pillows　for
snakes　and　centipedes；　and　the　latter　have　been　found　in　all　our　rooms。

I　must　now　make　you　acquainted　with　our　host；　Captain　Murray。　He　was
appointed　when　the　Datu　Klana　asked　for　a　Resident　four　years　ago。　He
devotes　himself　to　Sungei　Ujong　as　if　it　were　his　own　property；　though
he　has　never　been　able　to　acquire　the　language。　He　is　a　man　about
thirty…eight；　a　naval　officer；　and　an　enterprising　African　traveler；
under　the　middle　height；　bronzed；　sun…browned；　disconnected　in　his
conversation　from　the　habit　of　living　without　anyone　in　or　out　of　the
house　to　speak　to；　professing　a　misanthropy　which　he　is　very　far　from
feeling；　for　he　is　quite　unsuspicious；　and　disposed　to　think　the　best
of　every　one；　hasty　when　vexed；　but　thoroughly　kind…hearted；　very
blunt；　very　undignified；　never　happy　（he　says）　out　of　the　wilds；
thoroughly　well　disposed　to　the　Chinese　and　Malays；　but　very　impatient
of　their　courtesies；　thoroughly　well　meaning；　thoroughly　a　gentleman；
but　about　the　last　person　that　I　should　have　expected　to　see　in　a
position　which　is　said　to　require　much　tact　if　not　finesse。　　His
success　leads　me　to　think；　as　I　have　often　thought　before；　that　if　we
attempt　to　deal　with　Orientals　by　their　own　methods；　we　are　apt　to　find
them　more　than　a　match　for　us；　and　that　thorough　honesty　is　the　best
policy。

He　lives　alone；　unguarded；　trusts　himself　by　night　and　day　without　any
escort　among　the　people；　keeps　up　no　ceremony　at　all；　and　is
approachable　at　all　hours。　Like　most　travelers；　he　has　some　practical
knowledge　of　medicine；　and　he　gives　advice　and　medicines　most
generously；　allowing　himself　to　be　interrupted　by　patients　at　all
hours。　There　is　no　doctor　nearer　than　Malacca。　He　has　been　so
successful　that　people　come　from　the　neighboring　States　for　his　advice。
There　is　very　little　serious　disease；　but　children　are　subject　to　a
loathsome　malady　called　puru。　Two　were　brought　with　it　to…day。　　The
body　and　head　are　covered　with　pustules　containing　matter；　looking　very
much　like　small…pox；　and　the　natives　believe　that　it　must　run　its
course　for　a　year。　Captain　Murray　cures　it　in　a　few　days　with　iodide　of
potassium　and　iodine；　and　he　says　that　it　is　fast　disappearing。

Captain　Murray　is　judge；　〃sitting　in　Equity；〃　Superintendent　of　Police；
Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer；　and　Surveyor　of　Taxes；　besides　being　Board
of　Trade；　Board　of　Works；　and　I　know　not　what　besides。　In　fact；　_he　is
the　Government_；　although　the　Datu　Klana's　signature　or　seal　is
required　to　confirm　a　sentence　of　capital　punishment；　and　possibly　in
one　or　two　other　cases；　and　his　Residential　authority　is　subject　only
to　the　limitations　of　his　own　honor　and　good　sense；　sharpened　somewhat；
were　he　other　than　what　he　is；　by　possible　snubs　from　the　Governor　of
the　Straits　Settlements　or　the　Colonial　Secretary。　He　is　a　thoroughly
honorable　man；　means　well　by　all　the　interests　of　his　little　kingdom；
and　seems　both　beloved　and　trusted。

On　Sunday　morning　we　had　English　service　and　a　sermon；　the　congregation
being　augmented　by　the　only　other　English　peoplea　man　from　Australia
who　is　here　road…making；　and　his　wife；　and　in　the　afternoon；
disregarding　a　temperature　of　85　degrees；　we　went　through　the　Chinese
village　of　Serambang。

Tin　is　the　staple　product　of　Sungei　Ujong；　and　until　lately　the　Malay
peninsula　and　the　adjacent　regions　were　supposed　to　be　the　richest　tin
producing　countries　in　the　world。　　There　is　not　a　single　tin　mine；
however；　properly　so…called。　The　whole　of　the　tin　exported　from　Sungei
Ujong；　which　last　year　（1879）；　even　at　its　present　reduced　price；　was
valued　at　81；400　pounds；　and　contributed　as　export　duty　to　the
Government　5；800　pounds；　is　found　in　the　detritus　of　ancient　mountains；
and　is　got；　in　mining　parlance；　in　〃stream　works〃that　is；　by　washing
the　soil；　just　as　gold　is　washed　out　of　the　soil　in　Australia　and
California。　It　is　supposed　that　there　is　a　sufficient　supply　to　last
for　ages；　even　though　the　demand　for　tin　for　new　purposes　is　always　on
the　increase。　It　is　tin　mining　which　has　brought　the　Chinese　in　such
numbers　to　these　States；　and　as　miners　and　smelters　they　are　equally
efficient　and　persevering。　In　1828；　the　number　of　Chinese　working　the
mines　here　was　one　thousand；　and　in　the　same　year　they　were　massacred
by　the　Malays。　They　now　number　ten　thousand；　and　under　British
protection　have　nothing　to　fear。

It　is　still　the　New　Year　holidays；　and　hundreds　of　Chinamen　were
lounging　about；　and　every　house　was　gayly　decorated。　　The　Malays　never
join　house　to　house；　the　Chinese　always　do　so；　and　this　village　has　its
streets　and　plaza。　The　houses　are　all　to　a　certain　extent
fire…proofthat　is；　when　a　fire　occurs；　and　the　attap…thatched　roofs
are　burned；　the　houses　below；　which　are　mostly　shops；　are　safe。　These
shops；　some　of　which　are　very　large；　are　nearly　dark。　They　deal　mainly
in　Chinese　goods　and　favorite　Chinese　articles　of　food；　fireworks；
mining　tools；　and　kerosene　oil。　In　one　shop　twenty　〃assistants；〃　with
only　their　loose　cotton　trousers　on；　were　sitting　at　round　tables
having　a　mealnot　their　ordinary　diet；　I　should　think；　for　they　had
seventeen　different　sorts　of　soups　and　stews；　some　of　them　abominations
to　our　thinking。

We　visited　the　little　joss…house；　very　gaudily　decorated；　the　main
feature　of　the　decorations　being　two　enormous　red　silk　umbrellas；
exquisitely　embroidered　in　gold　and　silks。　　The　crowds　in　this　village
remind　me　of　Canton；　but　the