the golden chersonese and the way thither-第49章

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which　became　notorious　in　England　a　few　years　ago　for　a　〃little　war；〃
in　which　we　inflicted　a　very　heavy　chastisement　on　the　Malays　for　the
assassination　of　Mr。　　Birch；　the　British　Resident。　It　has　on　its　south
and　southeast　Sungei　Ujong；　Jelabu；　and　Pahang；　but　its　boundaries　in
these　directions　are　ill…defined。　The　Strait　of　Malacca　bounds　it　on
the　west；　and　its　coast…line　is　about　a　hundred　and　twenty　miles　long。
From　its　slightly　vague　interior　boundary　to　the　coast；　it　is　supposed
to　preserve　a　tolerably　uniform　depth　of　from　fifty　to　sixty　miles。
Klang　is　on　the　Klang　river；　in　lat。　3　degrees　3'　N。；　and　long。　101
degrees　29'　30〃　E。　I　call　it　〃the　Capital　after　a　fashion；〃　because　the
Resident　and　his　myrmidons　live　here；　and　because　vessels　which　draw
thirteen　feet　of　water　can　go　no　higher；　but　the　true　capital；　created
by　the　enterprise　of　Chinamen；　is　thirty…six　miles　farther　inland；　the
tin…mining　settlement　of　Kwala　Lumpor。　Selangor　thrives；　if　it　does
thrive；　which　I　greatly　doubt；　on　tin　and　gutta；　but　Klang　is　a　most
misthriven；　decayed；　dejected；　miserable…looking　place。*　The　nominal
ruler　of　Selangor　is　Sultan　Abdul　Samat；　but　he　hybernates　on　a　pension
at　Langat；　a　long　way　off；　and　must　be　nearly　obliterated；　I　think。
＇*Kwala　Lumpor　is　now　the　most　important　mining　entrepot　in　Selangor；
and　in　1880　the　British　Resident　and　his　staff　were　removed　thither。＇

It　is　a　great　change　from　Malacca　in　every　respect。　I　left　it　with
intense　regret。　Hospitality；　kindness；　most　genial　intercourse；　and　its
own　semi…mediaeval　and　tropical　fascinations；　made　it　one　of　the
brightest　among　the　many　bright　spots　of　my　wanderings。　Mr。　Hayward
took　me　to　the　Rainbow　in　a　six…oared　boat；　manned　by　six　policemen；
completing　the　list　of　〃Government　facilities〃　as　far　as　Malacca　is
concerned。　The　mercury　was　90　degrees　in　my　little　cabin　or　den；　and　it
swarmed　not　only　with　mosquitoes；　but　with　cockroaches；　which；　in　the
dim　light；　looked　as　large　as　mice。　Of　course；　no　one　sleeps　below　in
the　tropics　who　can　avoid　it；　so　as　the　deck　was　thick　with　Chinamen；　I
had　my　mattress　laid　on　a　bench　on　the　bridge；　which　was　only　occupied
by　two　Malay　look…out　men。　There　is　not　very　much　comfort　when　one
leaves　the　beaten　tracks　of　travel；　but　any　loss　is　far　more　than　made
up　for　by　the　intense　enjoyment。

It　was　a　delightful　night。　The　moon　was　only　a　hemisphere；　yet　I　think
she　gave　more　light　than　ours　at　the　full。　The　night　was　so　exquisite
that　I　was　content　to　rest　without　sleeping；　the　Babel　noises　of　fowls
and　men　had　ceased；　and　there　were　only　quiet　sounds　of　rippling　water；
and　the　occasional　cry　of　a　sea…bird　as　we　slipped　through　the　waveless
sea。　When　the　moon　set；　the　sky　was　wonderful　with　its　tropic　purple
and　its　pavement　and　dust　of　stars。　I　have　become　quite　fond　of　the
Southern　Cross；　and　don't　wonder　that　the　early　navigators　prostrated
themselves　on　deck　when　they　first　saw　it。　It　is　not　an　imposing
constellation；　but　it　is　on　a　part　of　the　sky　which　is　not　crowded　with
stars；　and　it　always　lies　aslant　and　obvious。　　It　has　become　to　me　as
much　a　friend　as　is　the　Plough　of　the　northern　regions。

At　daybreak　the　next　morning　we　were　steaming　up　the　Klang　river；　whose
low　shores　are　entirely　mangrove　swamps；　and　when　the　sun　was　high　and
hot　we　anchored　in　front　of　the　village　of　Klang；　where　a　large　fort　on
an　eminence；　with　grass　embankments　in　which　guns　are　mounted；　is　the
first　prominent　object。　Above　this　is　a　large　wooden　bungalow　with　an
attap　roof；　which　is　the　British　Residency。　There　was　no　air；　and　the
British　ensign　in　front　of　the　house　hung　limp　on　the　flag…staff。　Below
there　is　a　village；　with　clusters　of　Chinese　houses　on　the　ground；　and
Malay　houses　on　stilts；　standing　singly；　with　one　or　two　Government
offices　bulking　largely　among　them。　A　substantial　flight　of　stone　steps
leads　from　the　river　to　a　skeleton　jetty　with　an　attap　roof；　and　near
it　a　number　of　attap…roofed　boats　were　lying；　loaded　with　slabs　of　tin
from　the　diggings　in　the　interior；　to　be　transhipped　to　Pinang。　A
dainty　steam…launch；　the　Abdulsamat；　nominally　the　Sultan's　yacht；
flying　a　large　red　and　yellow　flag；　was　also　lying　in　the　river。

Mr。　Bloomfield　Douglas；　the　Resident；　a　tall；　vigorous；　elderly　man；
with　white　hair；　a　florid　complexion；　and　a　strong　voice　heard
everywhere　in　authoritative　tones；　met　me　with　a　four…oared　boat；　and　a
buggy　with　a　good　Australian　horse　brought　me　here。　From　this　house
there　is　a　large　but　not　a　beautiful　view　of　river　windings；　rolling
jungle；　and　blue　hills。　The　lower　part　of　the　house；　which　is　supported
on　pillars；　is　mainly　open；　and　is　used　for　billiard…room；　church；
lounging…room；　afternoon　tea…room；　and　audience…room；　but　I　see　nothing
of　the　friendly；　easy…going　to　and　fro　of　Chinese　and　Malays；　which
was　a　pleasant　feature　of　the　Residency　in　Sungei　Ujong。　In　fact；　there
is　here　much　of　the　appearance　of　an　armed　post　amidst　a　hostile
population。　In　front　of　the　Residency　there　is　a　six…pounder　flanked　by
two　piles　of　shot。　Behind　it　there　is　a　guard…room；　with　racks　of
rifles　and　bayonets　for　the　Resident's　body…guard　of　twelve　men；　and
quarters　for　the　married　soldiers；　for　soldiers　they　are；　though　they
are　called　policemen。　A　gong　hangs　in　front　of　the　porch　on　which　to
sound　the　alarm；　and　a　hundred　men　fully　armed　can　turn　out　at　five
minutes'　notice。

The　family　consists　of　the　Resident；　his　wife；　a　dignified　and　gracious
woman；　with　a　sweet　but　plaintive　expression　of　countenance；　and　an
afflicted　daughter；　on　whom　her　mother　attends　with　a　loving；　vigilant；
and　ceaseless　devotion　of　a　most　pathetic　kind。　The　circle　is　completed
by　a　handsome　black　monkey　tied　to　a　post；　and　an　ape　which　they　call
an　ouf；　from　the　solitary　monosyllable　which　it　utters；　but　which　I
believe　to　be　the　〃agile　gibbon；〃　a　creature　so　delicate　that　it　has
never　yet　survived　a　voyage　to　England。

It　is　a　beautiful　creature。　I　could　〃put　off〃　hours　of　time　with　it。　It
walks　on　its　hind　legs　with　a　curious　human　walk；　hanging　its　long　arms
down　by　its　sides　like　B…。　　It　will　walk　quietly　by　your　side　like
another　person。　It　has　nice　dark　eyes；　with　well…formed　lids　like　ours；
a　good　nose；　a　human　mouth　with　very　nice　white　teeth；　and　a　very
pleasant　cheery　look　when　it　smiles；　but　when　its　face　is　at　rest　the
expression　is　sad　and　wistful。　It　spends　a　good　deal　of　its　time　in
swinging　itself　most　energetically。　It　has　very　pretty　fingers　and
finger…nails。　It　looks　fearfully　near　of　kin　to　us；　and　yet　the　gulf　is
measureless。　It　can　climb　anywhere；　and　take　long　leaps。　　This　morning
it　went　into　a　house　in　which　a　cluster　of　bananas　is　hanging；　leaped
up　to　the　roof；　and　in　no　time　had　peeled　two；　which　it　ate　very
neatly。　It　has　not　even　a　rudimentary　tail。　When　it　sits　with　its　arms
folded　it　looks　like　a　gentlemanly　person　in　a　close…fitting　fur　suit。

The　village　of　Klang　is　not　interesting。　It　looks　like　a　place　which
has　〃seen　better　days；〃　and　does　not　impress　one　favorably　as　regards
the　prosperity　of　the　State。　Above　it　the　river　passes　through　rich
alluvial　deposits；　well　adapted　for　sugar；　rice；　and　other　products　of
low…lying　tropical　lands；　but　though　land　can　be　purchased　on　a　system
of　deferred　payments　for　two　dollars　an　acre；　these　lands　are　still
covered　with　primeval　jungle。　Steam…launches　and　flattish…bottomed
native　boats　go　up　the　river　eighteen　miles　farther　to　a　village　called
Damarsara；　from　which　a　good　country　road　has　been　made　to　the　great
Chinese　village　and　tin　mines　of　Kwala　Lumpor。　The　man…eating　tigers；
which　almost　until　now　infested　the　old　jungle　track；　have　been　driven
back；　and　plantations　of　tobacco；　tapioca；　and　rice　have　been　started
along　the　road。　On　a　single　Chinese　plantation；　near　Kwala　Lumpor；
there　are　over　two　thousand　acres　of　tapioca　under　cultivation；　and　the
enterprising　Chinaman　who　owns　it　has　imported　European　steam　machinery
for　converting　the　tapioca　roots　into　the　marketable　article。　Whatever
enterprise　I　hear　of　in　the　interior　is　always　in　the　hands　of
Chinamen。　Klang　looks　as　if　an　incubus　oppressed　it；　and　possibly　the
Chinese　ar