the golden chersonese and the way thither-第43章

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exquisitely　embroidered　in　gold　and　silks。　　The　crowds　in　this　village
remind　me　of　Canton；　but　the　Chinese　look　anything　but　picturesque
here；　for　none　of　themor　at　all　events；　only　their　〃Capitans〃wear
the　black　satin　skull　cap；　and　their　shaven　heads；　with　the　small　patch
of　hair　which　goes　into　the　composition　of　the　pigtail；　look　very　ugly。
The　pig…tail　certainly　begins　with　this　lock　of　hair；　but　the　greater
part　of　it　is　made　up　of　silk　or　cotton　thread　plaited　in　with　the
hair；　and　blue　or　red　strands　of　silk　in　a　pigtail　indicate　mourning　or
rejoicing。　None　of　the　Chinese　here　wear　the　beautiful　long　robes　used
by　their　compatriots　in　China　and　Japan。　The　rich　wear　a　white；
shirt…like　garment　of　embroidered　silk　crepe　over　their　trousers　and
petticoat；　and　the　poorer　only　loose　blue　or　brown　cotton　trousers；　so
that　one　is　always　being　reminded　of　the　excessive　leanness　of　their
forms。　Some　of　the　rich　merchants　invited　us　to　go　in　and　drink
champagne；　but　we　declined　everything　but　tea；　which　is　ready　all　day
long　in　tea…pots　kept　hot　in　covered　baskets　very　thickly　padded；　such
as　are　known　with　us　as　〃Norwegian　Kitchens。〃

In　the　middle　of　the　village　there　is　a　large；　covered；　but　open…sided
building　like　a　market；　which　is　crowded　all　dayand　all　night　tooby
hundreds　of　these　poor；　half…naked　creatures　standing　round　the　gaming
tables；　silent；　eager；　excited；　staking　every　cent　they　earn　on　the
turn　of　the　dice；　living　on　the　excitement　of　their　gainsa　truly　sad
spectacle。　Probably　we　were　the　first　European　ladies　who　had　ever
walked　through　the　gambling…house；　but　the　gamblers　were　too　intent
even　to　turn　their　heads。　There　also　they　are　always　drinking　tea。　Some
idea　of　the　profits　made　by　the　men　who　〃farm〃　the　gambling　licenses
may　be　gained　from　the　fact　that　the　revenue　derived　by　the　Government
from　the　gambling　〃farms〃　is　over　900　pounds　a　year。

Spirits　are　sold　in　three　or　four　places；　and　the　license　to　sell　them
brings　in　nearly　700　pounds　a　year；　but　a　drunken　Chinaman　is　never
seen。　There　are　a　few　opium　inebriates；　lean　like　skeletons；　and　very
vacant　in　expression；　and　every　coolie　smokes　his　three　whiffs　of　opium
every　night。　Only　a　few　of　the　richer　Chinamen　have　wives；　and　there
are　very　few　women；　as　is　usual　in　a　mining　population。　A　good　many
roads　have　been　made　in　the　State；　and　the　Chinese　are　building
buggies；　gharries；　and　wagons；　and　many　of　the　richer　ones　own　them　and
import　Sumatra　ponies　to　draw　them。　To　say　that　the　Chinese　make　as
good　emigrants　as　the　British　is　barely　to　give　them　their　due。　They
have　equal　stamina　and　are　more　industrious　and　thrifty；　and　besides
that　they　are　always　sober；　can　bear　with　impunity　the　fiercest
tropical　heat；　and　can　thrive　and　save　where　Englishmen　would　starve。
The　immense　immigration　of　Chinese；　all　affiliated　to　clubs　or　secret
societies；　might　be　a　great　risk　to　the　peace　of　the　State　were　it　not
that　they　recognize　certain　leaders　known　as　〃Capitans　China；〃　who
contrive　to　preserve　order；　so　far　as　is　known　by　a　wholesome　influence
merely；　and　who　in　all　cases；　in　return　for　the　security　which　property
enjoys　under　our　flag；　work　cordially　with　the　Resident　in　all　that
concerns　the　good　of　the　State。　How　these　〃Capitans〃　are　elected；　and
how　they　exercise　their　authority；　is　as　inscrutable　as　most　else
belonging　to　the　Chinese。　The　Chinese　seem　not　so　much　broadly
patriotic　as　provincial　or　clannish；　and　the　〃Hoeys；〃　or　secret
societies；　belong　to　the　different　southern　provinces。　The　fights
between　the　factions；　and　the　way　in　which　the　secret　societies　screen
criminals　by　false　swearing　and　other　means；　are　among　the　woes　of　the
Governor　and　Lieutenant…Governors　of　these　Settlements。　Though　they　get
on　very　well　up　here；　thanks　to　the　〃Capitan　China；〃　the　clans　live　in
separate　parts　of　the　village；　have　separate　markets　and　gaming　houses；
and　a　wooden　arch　across　the　street　divides　the　two　〃Nations。〃

We　went　to　pay　complimentary　visits　for　the　New　Year　to　these
〃Capitans〃　with　the　Malay　interpreter；　and　were　received　with　a　curious
mixture　of　good…will　and　solemnity。　　Wine；　tea　and　sweet…meats　were
produced　at　each　house。　　Their　houses　are　very　rude；　considering　their
ample　means；　and　have　earthen　floors。　They　have　comfortable　carriages；
and　their　gentle；　sweet…mannered　children　were　loaded　with　gold　and
diamonds。　In　one　house；　a　sweet　little　girl　handed　round　the　tea　and
cake；　and　all；　even　to　babies　who　can　scarcely　toddle　across　the　floor；
came　up　and　shook　hands。　　A　Chinese　family　impresses　one　by　its　extreme
orderliness；　filial　reverence　being　regarded　as　the　basis　of　all　the
virtues。　The　manners　of　these　children　are　equally　removed　from　shyness
and　forwardness。　They　all　wore　crowns　of　dark　red　gold　of　very
beautiful　workmanship；　set　with　diamonds。　　When　these　girl…children　are
twelve　years　old；　they　will；　according　to　custom；　be　strictly　secluded；
and　will　not　be　seen　by　any　man　but　their　father　till　the　bridegroom
lifts　the　veil　at　the　marriage　ceremony。

After　these　visits；　in　which　the　〃Capitans　China；〃　through　the
interpreter；　assured　us　of　their　perpetual　and　renewed　satisfaction
with　British　rule；　Mr。　Hayward；　the　interpreter；　and　I；　paid　another
visit　of　a　more　leisurely　kind　to　one　of　the　Chinese　gambling　houses；
which；　as　usual；　was　crowded。　At　one　end　several　barbers　were　at　work。
A　Chinaman　is　always　being　shaved；　for　he　keeps　his　head　and　face　quite
smooth；　and　never　shaves　himself。　The　shaving　the　head　was　originally　a
sign　of　subjection　imposed　by　the　Tartar　conquerors；　but　it　is　now　so
completely　the　national　custom　that　prisoners　feel　it　a　deep　disgrace
when　their　hair　is　allowed　to　grow。　Coolies　twist　their　five　feet　of
pigtail　round　their　heads　while　they　are　at　work；　but　a　servant　or
other　inferior；　only　insults　his　superior　if　he　enter　his　presence　with
his　pigtail　otherwise　than　pendent。　The　gaming　house；　whose　open　sides
allow　it　to　present　a　perpetual　temptation；　is　full　of　tables；　and　at
each　sits　a　croupier；　well　clothed；　and　as　many　half…naked　Chinamen　as
can　see　over　each　others'　shoulders　crowd　round　him。　Their　silent；
concentrated　eagerness　is　a　piteous　sight；　as　the　cover　is　slowly
lifted　from　the　heavy　brass　box　in　which　the　dice　are　kept；　on　the　cast
of　which　many　of　them　have　staked　all　they　possess。　They　accept　their
losses　as　they　do　their　gains；　with　apparent　composure。　They　work　very
hard；　and　live　on　very　little；　but　they　are　poor　just　now；　for　the
price　of　tin　has　fallen　nearly　one…half　in　consequence　of　the　great　tin
discoveries　in　Australia。

Along　with　Mr。　Hayward　I　paid　a　visit　to　the　Court　House；　a　large
whitewashed　room；　with　a　clean　floor　of　red　tiles；　a　tiled　dais；　with　a
desk　for　the　judge；　a　table　with　a　charge　sheet　and　some　books　upon　it；
and　three　long　benches　at　the　end　for　witnesses　and　their　friends。　A
punkah　is　kept　constantly　going。　There　are　a　clerk；　a　Chinese
interpreter；　who　speaks　six　Chinese　dialects；　and　a　Malay　interpreter；
who　puts　the　Chinese　interpreter's　words　into　English。　As　the　judge
does　not　understand　Malay；　it　will　be　observed　that　justice　depends　on
the　fidelity　of　this　latter　official。　Though　I　cannot　say　that　the
dignity　of　justice　is　sustained　in　this　court；　there　is　not　a　doubt
that　the　intentions　of　the　judge　are　excellent；　and　if　some　of　the
guilty　escape；　it　is　not　likely　that　any　of　the　innocent　suffer。　The
Datu　Bandar　sometimes　sits　on　the　bench　with　the　Resident。

The　benches　were　crowded　almost　entirely　with　Chinamen；　and　a　number　of
policemen　stood　about。　I　noticed　that　these　were　as　anxious　as　our　own
are　to　sustain　a　case。　The　case　which　I　heard；　and　which　occupied　more
than　an　hour；　was　an　accusation　against　a　wretched　Chinaman　for
stealing　a　pig。　　I　sat　on　the　bench　and　heard　every　word　that　was　said；
and　arrived　at　no　judicial　conclusion；　nor　did　the　Resident；　so　the
accused　was　dismissed。　He　did　steal　that　pig　though！　I　don't　see　how
truth　can　be　arrived　at　in　an　Oriental　court；　especially　where　the
witnesses　are　members　of　Chinese　secret　societies。　Another　case　of
alleged　nocturnal　assault；　was　tried；　in　which　the　judge　t