the golden chersonese and the way thither-第46章

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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　I
inclose　（from　which　the　engraving　is　taken）　is　of　the　marriage　of　his
daughter；　a　very　splendid　affair。　The　buffalo　in　front　was　a　marriage
present　from　the　Straits　Government；　and　its　covering　was　of　cloth　of
gold　thick　with　pearls　and　precious　stones。

We　visited　yesterday　a　Malay　kampong　called　Mambu；　in　order　to　pay　an
unceremonious　visit　to　the　Datu　Bandar；　the　Rajah　second　in　rank　to　the
reigning　prince。　His　house；　with　three　others；　a　godown　on　very　high
stilts；　and　a　mound　of　graves　whitened　by　the　petals　of　the　Frangipani；
with　a　great　many　cocoa…nut　and　other　trees；　was　surrounded；　as　Malay
dwellings　often　are；　by　a　high　fence；　within　which　was　another
inclosing　a　neat；　sanded　level；　under　cocoa…palms；　on　which　his
〃private　residence〃　and　those　of　his　wives　stand。　His　secretary；　a
nice…looking　lad　in　red　turban；　baju；　and　sarong；　came　out　to　meet　us；
followed　by　the　Datu　Bandar；　a　pleasant；　able…looking　man；　with　a
cordial　manner；　who　shook　hands　and　welcomed　us。　No　notice　had　been
given　of　our　visit；　and　the　Rajah；　who　is　reclaiming　and　bringing　into
good　cultivation　much　of　his　land；　and　who　sets　the　example　of　working
with　his　own　hands；　was　in　a　checked　shirt；　and　a　common；　checked；　red
sarong。　Vulgarity　is　surely　a　disease　of　the　West　alone；　though；　as　in
Japan；　one　sees　that　it　can　be　contagious；　and　this　Oriental；　far　from
apologizing　for　his　dishabille；　led　us　up　the　steep　and　difficult
ladder　by　which　his　house　is　entered　with　as　much　courteous　ease　as　if
he　had　been　in　his　splendors。

I　thoroughly　liked　his　house。　It　is　both　fitting　and　tasteful。　We
stepped　from　the　ladder　into　a　long　corridor；　well…matted；　which　led　to
a　doorway　with　a　gold…embroidered　silk　or　valance；　and　a　looped…up
portiere　of　white…flowered　silk　or　crepe。　This　was　the　entrance　to　a
small　room　very　well　proportioned；　with　two　similar　doorways；　curtained
with　flowered　silk；　one　leading　to　a　room　which　we　did　not　see；　and　the
other　to　a　bamboo　gridiron　platform；　which　in　the　better　class　of　Malay
houses　always　leads　to　a　smaller　house　at　the　back；　where　cooking　and
other　domestic　operations　are　carried　on；　and　which　seems　given　up　to
the　women。　There　was　a　rich；　dim　light　in　the　room；　which　was　cool　and
wainscoted　entirely　with　dark　red　wood；　and　there　was　only　one　long；
low　window；　with　turned　bars　of　the　same　wood。　There　were　three
handsome　cabinets　with　hangings　of　gold　and　crimson　embroidery；　and　an
ebony　frame　containing　a　verse　of　the　Koran　in　Arabic　characters　hung
over　one　doorway。　In　accordance　with　Mohammedan　prohibitions；　there　was
no　decoration　which　bore　the　likeness　of　any　created　thing；　but　there
were　some　artistic　arabesques　under　the　roof。　The　furniture；　besides
the　cabinets；　consisted　of　a　divan；　several　ebony　chairs；　a　round　table
covered　with　a　cool　yellow　cloth；　and　a　table　against　the　wall　draped
with　crimson　silk　flowered　with　gold。　The　floor　was　covered　with　fine
matting；　over　which　were　Oudh　rugs　in　those　mixtures　of　toned…down　rich
colors　which　are　so　very　beautiful。　　Richness　and　harmony　characterized
the　room；　and　it　was　distinctively　Malay；　one　could　not　say　that　it
reminded　one　of　anything　except　of　the　flecked　and　colored　light　which
streams　through　dark；　old；　stained　glass。

The　Datu　Bandar's　brother　and　uncle　came　in；　the　first　a　very　handsome
Hadji；　with　a　bright；　intelligent　countenance。　He　has　lived　in　Mecca
for　eight　years　studying　the　Koran　under　a　renowned　teacher；　and　in
this　quest　of　Mussulman　learning　has　spent　several　thousand　dollars。
〃We　never　go　to　Mecca　to　trade；〃　he　said；　〃we　go　for　religious　purposes
only。〃　These　men　looked　superb　in　their　red　dresses　and　turbans；
although　the　Malays　are　anything　but　a　handsome　race。　Their　hospitality
was　very　graceful。　Many　of　the　wealthier　Mohammedans；　though　they　don't
drink　wine；　keep　it　for　their　Christian　guests；　and　they　offered　us
champagne；　which　is　supposed　to　be　an　irresistible　temptation　to　the
Christian　palate。　On　our　refusing　it　they　brought　us　cow's　milk　and
most　delicious　coffee　with　a　very　fragrant　aroma；　and　not　darker　in
color　than　tea　of　an　average　strength。　This　was　made　from　roasted
coffee　leaves。　　The　berries　are　exported。　A　good　many　pretty；　quiet
children　stood　about；　but　though　the　Rajah　gave　us　to　understand　that
they　were　the　offspring　of　three　mothers；　we　were　not　supposed　to　see
any　of　〃the　mean　ones　within　the　gates。〃

Our　hosts　had　a　good　deal　to　say；　and　did　not　leave　us　to　entertain
them；　though　we　are　but　〃infidel　dogs。〃　That　we　are　regarded　as　such；
along　with　all　other　unbelievers；　always　makes　me　feel　shy　with
Mohammedans。　Some　time　ago；　when　Captain　Shaw　pressed　on　the　Malays　the
impropriety　of　shooting　Chinamen；　as　they　were　then　in　the　habit　of
doing；　the　reply　of　one　of　them　was；　〃Why　not　shoot　Chinamen？　　they've
no　religion；〃　and　though　it　would　be　highly　discourteous　in　members　of
a　ruled　race　to　utter　this　sentiment　regarding　their　rulers；　I　have　not
the　least　doubt　that　it　is　their　profound　conviction　concerning
ourselves。

Nothing　shows　more　the　honesty　and　excellence　of　Captain　Murray's
purposes　than　that　he　should　be　as　much　respected　and　loved　as　he　is　in
spite　of　a　manner　utterly　opposed　to　all　Oriental　notions　of　dignity；
whether　Malay　or　Chinese。　　I　have　mentioned　his　abruptness；　as　well　as
his　sailor…like　heartiness；　but　they　never　came　into　such　strong　relief
as　at　the　Datu　Bandar's；　against　the　solemn　and　dignified　courtesy　of
our　hosts。

We　returned　after　dark；　had　turtle…soup　and　turtle…steak；　not　near　so
good　as　veal；　which　it　much　resembles；　for　dinner；　sang　〃Auld　Lang
Syne；〃　which　brought　tears　into　the　Resident's　kindly　eyes；　and　are　now
ready　for　an　early　start　to…morrow。


Stadthaus；　Malacca。We　left　Serambang　before　daylight　on　Thursday　in
buggies；　escorted　by　Captain　Murray；　the　buggies；　as　usual；　being　lent
by　the　Chinese　〃Capitans。〃　Horses　had　been　sent　on　before；　and　after
changing　them　we　drove　the　second　stage　through　most　magnificent
forest；　until　they　could　no　longer　drag　the　buggies　through　the　mud；　at
which　point　of　discomfiture　three　saddled　ponies　and　two　chairs　were
waiting　to　take　us　through　the　jungle　to　the　river。　We　rode　along　an
infamous　track；　much　of　it　knee…deep　in　mud；　through　a　green　and　silent
twilight；　till　we　emerged　upon　something　like　English　park　and
fox…cover　scenery；　varied　by　Malay　kampongs　under　groves　of　palms。　In
the　full　blaze　of　noon　we　reached　the　Linggi　police　station；　from　which
we　had　started　in　the　sampan；　and　were　received　by　a　company　of　police
with　fixed　bayonets。　We　dined　in　the　police　station　veranda；　and　as　the
launch　had　been　obliged　to　drop　down　the　river　because　the　water　was
falling；　we　went　to　Sempang　in　a　native　boat；　paddled　by　four　Malays
with　paddles　like　oval…ended　spades　with　spade　handles；　a　guard　of
honor　of　policemen　going　down　with　us。　　There　we　took　leave　of　our　most
kind　and　worthy　host；　who；　with　tears　in　his　kind　eyes；　immediately
turned　up　the　river　to　dwell　alone　in　his　bungalow　with　his　bull…dog；
his　revolver；　and　his　rifle；　a　self…exiled　man。*　
＇*In　1881；　Captain　Murray；　feeling　ill　after　prolonged　exposure　to　the
sun；　went　to　Malacca；　where　he　died　a　few　days　afterward　at　the　house　of
his　friend　Mr。　Hayward。　Sir　F。　A。　Weld　writes　of　him　in　a　dispatch　to
Lord　Kimberley：〃I　cannot　close　this　notice　of　the　State　of　Sungei
Ujong　without　recalling　the　memory　of　Captain　Murray；　so　lately　its
Resident；　to　whom　it　owes　much；　and　who　was　devoted　to　its　people　and
interests。　A　man　of　great　honesty　of　purpose　and　kindliness　of　heart；
Captain　Murray　possessed　many　of　those　qualities　which　are　required　for
the　successful　administration　of　a　Malay　State；　and　though　he　labored
under　the　disadvantage　of　want　of　knowledge　of　the　native　tongue；　he　yet
was　able　to　attach　to　himself；　in　a　singular　manner；　the　affections　of
all　around　him。　For　the　last　six　years；　Captain　Murray　has　successfully
advised　in　the　administration　of　the　Government　of　Sungei　Ujong；
consolidating　order　and　good　g