the golden chersonese and the way thither-第50章

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Chinamen。　Klang　looks　as　if　an　incubus　oppressed　it；　and　possibly　the
Chinese　are　glad　to　be　as　far　as　possible　from　the　seat　of　what
impresses　me　as　a　fussy　Government。　At　all　events；　Klang；　from　whatever
cause；　has　a　blighted　look；　and　deserted　houses　rapidly　falling　into
decay；　overgrown　roads；　fields　choked　with　weeds；　and　an　absence　of
life　and　traffic　in　the　melancholy　streets；　have　a　depressing
influence。　The　people　are　harassed　by　a　vexatious　and　uncertain　system
of　fees　and　taxes；　calculated　to　engender　ill　feeling；　and　things
connected　with　the　administration　seem　somewhat　〃mixed。〃

You　will　be　almost　tired　of　the　Chinese；　but　the　more　I　see　of　them　the
more　I　am　impressed　by　them。　These　States；　as　well　as　Malacca；　would　be
jungles　with　a　few　rice　clearings　among　them　were　it　not　for　their
energy　and　industry。　　Actually　the　leading　man；　not　only　at　Kwala
Lumpor　（now　the　seat　of　government）；　but　in　Selangor；　is　Ah　Loi；　a
Chinaman！　During　the　disturbances　before　we　〃advised〃　the　State；　the
Malays　burned　the　town　of　Kwala　Lumpor　three　times；　and　he　rebuilt　it；
and；　in　spite　of　many　disasters　stuck　to　it　at　the　earnest　request　of
the　native　government。　He　has　made　long　roads　for　the　purpose　of
connecting　the　most　important　of　the　tin　mines　with　the　town。　His
countrymen　place　implicit　confidence　in　him；　and　Mr。　Syers；　the
admirable　superintendent　of　police；　tells　me　that　by　his　influence　and
exertions　he　has　so　successfully　secured　peace　and　order　in　his　town
and　district　that　during　many　years　not　a　single　serious　crime　has　been
committed。　He　employs　on　his　estatein　mines；　brickfields；　and
plantationsover　four　thousand　men。　He　has　the　largest　tapioca　estate
in　the　country　and　the　best　machinery。　He　has　introduced　the
manufacture　of　bricks；　has　provided　the　sick　with　an　asylum；　has　been
loyal　to　British　interests；　has　been　a　most　successful　administrator　in
the　populous　district　intrusted　to　him；　and　has　dispensed　justice　to
the　complete　satisfaction　of　his　countrymen。　While　he　is　the　creator　of
the　commercial　interests　of　Selangor；　he　is　a　man　of　large　aims　and　of
an　enlightened　public　spirit。　Is　there　no　decoration　of　St。　　Michael　or
St。　George　in　reserve　for　Ah　Loi？*　So　far；　however；　from　receiving　any
suitable　recognition　of　his　services；　it　is　certain　that　Ah　Loi's
claims　for　compensation　for　losses；　etc。；　have　not　yet　been　settled。
＇*The　months　after　my　visit；　Ah　Loi　received　the　Sultan　of　Selangor　for
several　days　with　great　magnificence；　and　in　July；　1880；　he　entertained
the　Governor　of　the　Straits　Settlements　and　his　suite　with　yet　greater
splendor；　erecting　for　the　occasion　a　fine　banqueting…hall　with　open
sides。＇

Sir　F。　A。　Weld　writes　of　this　visit〃At　Kwala　Lumpor；　besides　the
reception　and　a　dinner　at　the　Capitan　China's；　a　Chinese　theatrical
performance　was　given　representing　a　sultan　and　great　rajahs；
quarreling；　but　laying　aside　their　quarrels　on　the　appearance　of　a
'governor；'　who　pacifies　the　country。　Addresses　and　odes　were　also　sung
and　recited　to　me　from　the　stage；　and　the　performers　representing　the
great　personages　prostrated　themselves　and　made　obeisances。　　The
dresses　were　all　real　hand…worked　gold　and　silver　embroidery　on　thick
silks　of　the　richest　colors。　The　princes　were　attended　by　their
warriors；　some　of　whose　helmets　and　arms　were　magnificent；　with　banners
and　feather　standards；　and　coats　of　arms；　or　their　equivalents；　borne
aloft　by　heralds；　ladies　also　appeared；　one　a　prima…donna；　other
actresses　rode　hobby…horses；　only　the　head　of　the　woman　and　hobby…horse
being　visible　in　the　clouds　of　silk　and　gold。　Jesters　jested；　and
tumblers；　in　blue；　loose　tunics　and　wide　scarlet　trousers；　shot　across
the　stage　when　there　was　any　room　in　front　of　the　crowd　of　actors　with
the　rapidity　of　meteors。　The　pace　was　too　great　to　be　even　sure　that
they　were　human　beings。　I　have　seen　Kean's　Shakespearian　revival
pageants　formerly　in　London；　but　I　never　realized　what　a　mediaeval
court　pageant　might　have　been　till　in　the　heart　of　the　Malay　Peninsula
I　saw　the　most　gorgeous　combination　of　color　and　picturesque　effect
that　I　have　ever　set　eyes　upon。〃＇

Klang　does　not　improve　on　further　acquaintance。　It　looks　as　if　half　the
houses　were　empty；　and　certainly　half　the　population　is　composed　of
Government　employes；　chiefly　police　constables。　There　is　no　air　of
business　energy；　and　the　queerly　mixed　population　saunters　with　limp
movements；　even　the　few　Chinese　look　depressed；　as　if　life　were　too
much　for　them。　It　looks　too　as　if　there　were　a　need　for　holding　down
the　population　（which　I　am　sure　there　isn't）；　for　in　addition　to　the
fort　and　its　barracks；　military　police　stations　are　dotted　about。　A
jail；　with　a　very　high　wall；　is　in　the　middle　of　the　village。　The
jungle　comes　so　near　to　Klang　that　tigers　and　herds　of　elephants；
sometimes　forty　strong；　have　been　seen　within　half　a　mile　of　it。　In
Sungei　Ujong　there　was　some　excitement　about　a　〃rogue　elephant〃　（i。e。；
an　elephant　which　for　reasons　which　appear　good　to　other　elephants；　has
been　expelled　from　the　herd；　and　has　been　made　mad　and　savage　by
solitude）；　which；　after　killing　two　men；　has　crossed　the　river　into
Selangor；　and　is　man…killing　here。　A　few　days　ago　a　man　catching　sight
of　him　in　the　jungle　took　refuge　in　a　tree；　and　the　brute　tore　the　tree
down　with　its　trunk；　and　trampled　the　poor　fellow　to　death；　his
companion　escaping　during　the　process。

Yesterday　evening　we　had　service　in　the　hall；　the　whole　white
population　being　〃rounded　up〃　for　it；　seven　men　and　two　women；　three　of
whom　are　Roman　Catholics。　The　congregation　sat　under　one　punkah　and　the
Resident　under　another；　both　being　worked　by　bigoted　Mohammedans！
Everything　was　〃ship…shape；〃　as　becomes　Mr。　Douglas's　antecedents；　a
union　jack　over　the　desk；　from　which　the　liturgy　was　read；　and　a
tiger…skin　over　the　tiles　in　front；　the　harmonium　well　played；　the
singing　and　chanting　excellent。　We　had　one　of　the　most　beautiful　of　the
Ambrosian　hymns；　and　possibly　Dr。　Bonar　may　like　to　hear　that　his　hymn；
〃I　heard　the　voice　of　Jesus　say；〃　was　sung　with　equal　enjoyment　by
Catholics　and　Protestants　in　the　wilds　of　the　Golden　Chersonese。

There　is　an　almost　daily　shower　here；　and　it　is　lovely　now；　with　a
balmy　freshness　in　the　air。　No　one　could　imagine　that　we　are　in　the
torrid　zone；　and　only　3　degrees　from　the　equator。　The　mercury　has　not
been　above　83　degrees　since　I　came；　and　the　sea　and　land　breezes　are
exquisitely　delicious。　I　wish　you　could　see　a　late　afternoon　here　in
its　full　beauty；　with　palms　against　a　golden　sky；　pink　clouds；　a　pink
river；　and　a　balm…breathing　air；　just　strong　enough　to　lift　the　heavy
scented　flowers　which　make　the　evenings　delicious。　There　has　been　a
respite　from　mosquitoes；　and　I　am　having　a　〃real　good　time。〃

But　I　had　a　great　fright　yesterday　（part　of　the　〃good　time〃　though）。　I
was　going　into　the　garden　when　six　armed　policemen　leapt　past　me　as　if
they　had　been　shot；　followed　by　Mr。　Daly；　the　land…surveyor；　who　has
the　V。C。　for　some　brave　deed；　shouting　〃a　cobra！　a　cobra！〃　and　I　saw　a
hooded　head　above　the　plants；　and　then　the　form　I　most　fear　and　loathe
twisting　itself　toward　the　house　with　frightful　rapidity；　every　one
flying。　I　was　up　a　ladder　in　no　time；　and　the　next　moment　one　of　the
policemen；　plucking　up　courage；　broke　the　reptile's　back　with　the　butt
of　his　rifle；　and　soon　it　was　borne　away；　dead；　by　its　tail。　It　was
over　four　feet　long。　They　get　about　three　a　day　at　the　fort。

There　is　a　reward　of　20　cents　per　foot　for　every　venomous　snake　brought
in；　50　cents　per　foot　for　an　alligator；　and　25　dollars　for　every　tiger。
Lately　the　police　have　got　two　specimens　of　an　ophiophagus；　a
snake…eating　snake　over　eighteen　feet　long；　whose　bite　they　say　is
certain　death。　　They　have　a　horrible　collection　of　snakes　alive；　half
dead；　dead；　and　preserved。　There　was　a　fright　of　a　different　kind　late
at　night；　and　the　two　made　me　so　nervous　that　when　the　moonlight
glinted　two　or　three　times　on　the　bayonet　of　the　sentry；　which　I　could
see　from　my　bed；　I　thought　it　was　a　Malay　going　to　murder　the　Resident；
against　whom　I　fear　there　may　be　many　a　vendetta。



LETTER　XIV　（Cont