the golden chersonese and the way thither-第45章

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this　layer。　They　were　working　from　above；　and　had　already　bared　some
inches　of　the　stump；　which　was　four　feet　six　inches　in　diameter。　As　the
small　morsels　fell　among　the　myriads　of　ants　which　swarmed　round　the
base　they　were　broken　up；　three　or　four　ants　sometimes　working　at　one
bit　till　they　had　reduced　it　into　manageable　portions。　It　was　a
splendid　sight　to　see　this　vast　and　busy　crowd　inspired　by　a　common
purpose；　and　with　the　true　instinct　of　discipline；　forever　forming　into
column　at　the　foot　of　the　stump。

Toward　dusk　the　reddish　ants；　which　may　be　termed　quarriers；　gave　up
work；　and　this　was　the　signal　for　the　workers　below　to　return　home。　The
quarriers　came　down　the　stump　pushing　the　laborers；　rather　rudely　as　I
thought；　out　of　their　way；　and　then　forming　in　what　might　be　called
〃light　skirmishing　order；〃　they　marched　to　the　lower　entrance　of　the
town；　meeting　as　they　went　the　column　of　workers　going　up　to　the　stump。
They　met　it　of　course　at　once；　and　a　minute　of　great　helter…skelter
followed；　this　column　falling　back　on　itself　as　if　assailed；　in　great
confusion。　If　this　be　the　ordinary　day's　routine；　why　does　that　column
fall　into　confusion；　and　why；　after　throwing　it　into　disorder；　do　the
reddish　ants　close　their　ranks　and　march　into　the　town　in　compact
order；　parallel　with　the　working　column　going　the　other　way；　and　which
they　seemed　to　terrorize？　Is　it　possible　that　the　smaller　ants　are　only
slaves　of　the　larger？　Inscrutable　are　the　ways　of　ants！　　However；　when
the　advancing　column　had　recovered　from　its　confusion　it　formed　up；
and；　wheeling　round　in　most　regular　order；　fell　behind　the　rear…guard
of　the　working　column；　and　before　dark　not　an　ant　remained　outside
except　a　dead　body。

Soon　after　the　last　of　its　living　comrades　had　disappeared；　six　ants；
with　a　red　one　（dare　I　say？）　〃in　command；〃　came　out　and　seemed　to　hold
a　somewhat　fussy　consultation　round　the　corpse　which　had　fallen　on　the
line　of　march　to　the　stump。　After　a　minute　or　two；　three　of　them　got
hold　of　it；　and　with　the　other　four　as　spectators　or　mourners；　they
dragged　it　for　about　six　feet　and　concealed　it　under　a　leaf；　after
which　they　returned　home；　all　this　was　most　fascinating。　A　little　later
Captain　Murray　destroyed　both　entrances　to　the　town；　but　before
daylight；　by　dint　of　extraordinary　labor；　they　were　reconstructed　lower
down　the　slope；　and　the　work　at　the　stump　was　going　on　as　if　nothing　so
unprecedented　had　happened。

I　should　have　liked　also　to　study　the　ways　of　the　white　ant；　the　great
timber…destroying　pest　of　this　country；　which　abounds　on　this　hill。　He
is　a　large　ant　of　a　pale　buff　color。　　Up　the　trunk　of　a　tree　he　builds
a　tunnel　of　sand；　held　together　by　a　viscid　secretion；　and　under　this
he　works；　cutting　a　deep　groove　in　the　wood；　and　always　extending　the
tunnel　upward。　I　broke　away　two　inches　of　such　a　tunnel　in　the
afternoon；　and　by　the　next　morning　it　was　restored。　　Among　many　other
varieties　of　ants；　there　is　one　found　by　the　natives；　which　people　call
the　〃soldier　ant。〃　I　saw　many　of　these　big　fellows；　more　than　an　inch
long；　with　great　mandibles。　Their　works　must　be　on　a　gigantic　scale；
and　their　bite　or　grip　very　painful；　but　being　with　a　party；　I　was　not
able　to　make　their　acquaintance。

When　it　grew　dark；　tiny　lamps　began　to　move　in　all　directions。　Some
came　from　on　high；　like　falling　stars；　but　most　moved　among　the　trees　a
few　feet　from　the　ground　with　a　slow　undulatory　motion；　the　fire　having
a　pale　blue　tinge；　as　one　imagines　an　incandescent　sapphire　might　have。
The　great　tree…crickets　kept　up　for　a　time　the　most　ludicrous　sound　I
ever　heardone　sitting　in　a　tree　and　calling　to　another。　From　the
deafening　noise；　which　at　times　drowned　our　voices；　one　would　suppose
the　creature　making　it　to　be　at　least　as　large　as　an　eagle。

The　accommodation　of　the　〃Sanitarium〃　is　most　limited。　The　two
gentlemen；　well　armed；　slept　in　the　veranda；　the　Misses　Shaw　in　camp
beds　in　the　inner　cabin；　and　I　in　a　swinging　cot　in　the　outer；　the
table　being　removed　to　make　room　for　it。　The　bull…dog　mounted　guard
over　all；　and　showed　his　vigilance　by　an　occasional　growl。　The　eleven
attendants　stowed　themselves　away　under　the　cabin；　except　a　garrulous
couple；　who　kept　the　fire　blazing　till　daylight。　My　cot　was　most
comfortable；　but　I　failed　to　sleep。　The　forest　was　full　of　quaint；　busy
noises；　broken　in　upon　occasionally　by　the　hoot　of　the　〃spectre　bird；〃
and　the　long；　low；　plaintive　cry　of　some　animal。

All　the　white　residents　in　the　Malacca　Settlements　have　been　greatly
excited　about　a　tragedy　which　has　just　occurred　at　the　Dindings；　off
this　coast；　in　which　Mr。　　Lloyd；　the　British　superintendent；　was
horribly　murdered　by　the　Chinese；　his　wife；　and　Mrs。　Innes；　who　was　on
a　visit　to　her；　narrowly　escaping　the　same　fate。　Lying　awake　I　could
not　help　thinking　of　this；　and　of　the　ease　with　which　the　Resident
could　be　overpowered　and　murdered　by　any　of　our　followers　who　might
have　a　grudge　against　him；　when；　as　I　thought；　the　door　behind　my　head
from　the　back　ladder　was　burst　open；　and　my　cot　and　I　came　down　on　the
floor　at　the　head；　the　simple　fact　being；　that　the　head…rope；　not
having　been　properly　secured；　gave　way　with　a　run。　An　hour　afterward
the　foot…ropes　gave　way；　and　I　was　deposited　on　the　floor　altogether；
and　was　soon　covered　with　small　ants。

Early　in　the　morning　the　apes　began　to　call　to　each　other　with　a
plaintive　〃Hoo…houey；〃　and　in　the　gray　dawn　I　saw　an　iguana　fully　four
feet　long　glide　silently　down　the　trunk　of　a　tree；　the　branches　of
which　were　loaded　with　epiphytes。　Captain　Shaw　asked　the　imaum　of　one
of　the　mosques　of　Malacca　about　alligator's　eggs　a　few　days　ago；　and
his　reply　was；　that　the　young　that　went　down　to　the　sea　became
alligators；　and　those　which　came　up　the　rivers　became　iguanas。　At
daylight；　after　coffee　and　bananas；　we　left　the　hill；　and　after　an
accident；　promptly　remedied　by　Mr。　Hayward；　reached　Serambang　when　the
sun　was　high　in　the　heavens。　I　should　think　that　there　are　very　few
circumstances　which　Mr。　Hayward　is　not　prepared　to　meet。　He　has　a
reserve　of　quiet　strength　which　I　should　like　to　see　fully　drawn　upon。
He　has　the　scar　of　a　spear　wound　on　his　brow；　which　Captain　Murray　says
was　received　in　holding　sixty　armed　men　at　bay；　while　he　secured　the
retreat　of　some　helpless　persons。　　Yet　he　continues　to　be　much　burdened
by　his　responsibility　for　these　fair　girls；　who；　however；　are　enjoying
themselves　thoroughly；　and　will　be　none　the　worse。

We　had　scarcely　returned　when　a　large　company　of　Chinamen；　carrying
bannerets　and　joss…sticks；　came　to　the　Residency　to　give　a　spectacle　or
miracle…play；　the　first　part　consisting　of　a　representation　of　a　huge
dragon；　which　kicked；　and　jumped；　and　crawled；　and　bellowed　in　a　manner
totally　unworthy　of　that　ancient　and　splendid　myth；　and　the　second；　of
a　fierce　melee；　or　succession　of　combats　with　spears；　shields；　and
battle…axes。　The　performances　were　accompanied　by　much　drumming；　and　by
the　beating　of　tom…toms；　an　essentially　infernal　noise；　which　I　cannot
help　associating　with　the　orgies　of　devil…worship。　The　〃Capitan　China；〃
in　a　beautiful　costume；　sat　with　us　in　the　veranda　to　see　the
performance。

I　have　written　a　great　deal　about　the　Chinese　and　very　little　about　the
Malays；　the　nominal　possessors　of　the　country；　but　the　Chinese　may　be
said　to　be　everywhere；　and　the　Malays　nowhere。　You　have　to　look　for
them　if　you　want　to　see　them。　Besides；　the　Chinese　are　as　ten　to　two　of
the　whole　population。　Still　the　laws　are　administered　in　the　name　of
the　Datu　Klana；　the　Malay　ruler。　The　land　owned　by　Malays　is　being
measured；　and　printed　title…deeds　are　being　given；　a　payment　of　2s。　an
acre　per　annum　being　levied　instead　of　any　taxes　on　produce。　Export
duties　are　levied　on　certain　articles；　but　the　navigation　of　the　rivers
is　free。　Debt　slavery；　one　curse　of　the　Malay　States；　has　been
abolished　by　the　energy　of　Captain　Murray　with　the　cordial　co…operation
of　the　Datu　Klana；　and　now　the　whole　population　have　the　status　and
rights　of　free　men。　It　is　a　great　pity　that　this　Prince　is　in　Malacca；
for　he　is　said　to　be　a　very　enlightened　ruler。　The　photograph　which