the golden chersonese and the way thither-第51章

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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　（Continued）

Yachting　in　the　Malacca　StraitsA　Tropic　DreamThe　Rajah
MoussaTiger　StoriesA　Grand　ExcitementA　〃Man…Eating　Kris〃A　Royal
ResidenceA　Council　of　StateThe　Sultan's　AttendantsThe　〃Light　of
the　Harem〃The　Sultan's　Offering


S。S。　〃ABDULSAMAT；〃　LANGAT　RIVER；　SELANGOR

I　was　glad　to　get　up　at　sunrise；　when　the　whole　heaven　was　flooded　with
color　and　glory；　and　the　lingering　mists　which　lay　here　and　there　over
the　jungle　gleamed　like　silver。　　Before　we　left；　Mrs。　Douglas　gave　me
tea；　scones；　and　fresh　butter；　the　first　fresh　butter　that　I　have
tasted　for　ten　months。　We　left　Klang　in　this　beautiful　steam…launch；
the　（so…called）　yacht　of　the　Sultan；　at　eight；　with　forty　souls　on
board。

I　am　somewhat　hazy　as　to　where　I　am。　〃The　Langat　river〃　is　at　present
to　me　only　a　〃geographical　expression。〃　It　is　now　past　three　o'clock；
and　we　have　been　going　about　since　eight；　sometimes　up　rivers；　but
mostly　on　lovely　tropic　seas　among　islands。　This　is　one　of　the　usual
business　tours　of　the　Resident；　with　the　additional　object　of
presenting　a　uniform　to　the　Sultan。　Besides　Mr。　Douglas　there　are　his
son…in…law；　Mr。　Daly；　Mr。　Hawley；　who　has　lately　been　appointed　to　a
collectorship；　and　who　goes　up　to　be　presented　to　the　Sultan；　Mr。
Syers；　formerly　a　private　in　the　10th　Regiment；　now　superintendent　of
the　Selangor　police　force；　and　thirty　policemen；　who　go　up　to　form　the
Sultan's　escort　to…morrow。　Precautions；　for　some　occult　reason；　seem　to
be　considered　indispensable　here；　and　have　been　increased　since　the
murder　of　Mr。　Lloyd　at　the　Dindings。　The　yacht　has　a　complete　permanent
roof　of　painted　canvas；　and　under　this　is　an　armament　of　boarding
pikes。　Round　the　little　foremast　four　cutlasses　and　a　quantity　of　ball
cartridges　are　displayed。　Six　rifles　are　in　a　rack　below；　and　the
policemen　and　body…guard　are　armed　with　rifles　and　bayonets。

The　yacht　is　perfection。　The　cabin；　in　which　ten　can　dine；　is　high　and
airy；　and；　being　forward；　there　is　no　vibration。　　Space　is　exquisitely
utilized　by　all　manner　of　contrivances。　　She　is　only　50　tons；　and　very
low　in　the　water；　but　we　are　going　all　the　way　to　Prince　of　Wales
island　in　her200　miles。　　Everything　is　perfect　on　board；　even　to　the
cuisine；　and　I　appreciate　the　low　rattan　chairs　at　the　bow；　in　which
one　can　sit　in　the　shade　and　enjoy　the　zephyrs。

This　day　has　been　a　tropic　dream。　I　have　enjoyed　it　and　am　enjoying　it
intensely。　We　steamed　down　the　Klang　river；　and　then　down　a　narrow
river…like　channel　among　small　palm…fringed　islands　which　suddenly
opened　upon　the　sea；　which　was　slightly　green　toward　the　coral…sanded；
densely　wooded；　unpeopled　shores；　but　westward　the　green　tint　merged
into　a　blue　tint；　which　ever　deepened　till　a　line　of　pure；　deep；
indescribable　blue　cut　the　blue　sky　on　the　far…off　clear　horizon。　But；
ah！　that　〃many　twinkling　smile　of　ocean！〃　Words　cannot　convey　an　idea
of　what　it　is　under　this　tropic　sun　and　sky；　with　the　silver…flashing
wavelets　rippling　the　surface　of　the　sapphire　sea；　beneath　whose　clear
warm　waters　brilliant　fishes　are　darting　through　the　coral　groves。
These　are　enchanted　seas

　　　　　〃Where　falls　not　rain；　or　hail；　or　any　snow；
　　　　　Or　ever　wind　blows　loudly。〃

It　is　unseemly　that　the　Abdulsamat　should　smoke　and　puff　and　leave　a
foamy　wake　behind　her。　〃Sails　of　silk　and　ropes　of　sendal；〃　and　poetic
noiseless　movements　only　would　suit　these　lovely　Malacca　Straits。　This
is　one　of　the　very　few　days　in　my　life　in　which　I　have　felt　mere　living
to　be　a　luxury；　and　what　it　is　to　be　akin　to　seas　and　breezes；　and
birds　and　insects；　and　to　know　why　nature　sings　and　smiles。

We　had　been　towing　a　revenue　cutter　with　stores　for　a　new　lighthouse；
and　cast　her　adrift　at　the　point　where　we　anchored；　and　the　Resident
and　Mr。　Daly　went　ashore　with　thirteen　policemen；　and　I　had　a　most
interesting　and　instructive　conversation　with　Mr。　Syers。　Afterward　we
steamed　along　the　low　wooded　coast；　and　then　up　the　Langat　river　till
we　came　to　Bukit　Jugra；　an　isolated　hill　covered　with　jungle。　The
landing　is　up　a　great　face　of　smooth　rock；　near　the　top　of　which　is　a
pretty　police　station；　and　higher　still；　nearly　concealed　by　bananas
and　cocoa…palms；　is　the　large　bungalow　of　the　revenue　officer　and
police　magistrate　of　Langat。　We　saw　Mr。　Ferney；　the　magistrate；　landed
the　police　guard；　and　then　steamed　up　here　for　a　council。

Mr。　Syers　went　ashore；　and　returned　with　the　Sultan's　heir；　the　Rajah
Moussa；　a　very　peculiar…looking　Malay；　a　rigid　Mohammedan；　who　is
known；　the　Resident　says；　to　have　said　that　when　he　becomes　Sultan　he
〃will　drive　the　white　men　into　the　sea。〃　He　works　hard；　as　an　example
to　his　people；　and　when　working　dresses　like　a　coolie。　He　sets　his　face
against　cock…fighting　and　other　Malay　sports；　is　a　reformer；　and　a
_dour_；　strong…willed　man；　and　his　accession　seems　to　be　rather　dreaded
by　the　Resident；　as　it　is　supposed　that　he　will　be　something　more　than
a　mere　figure…head　prince。　He　is　a　Hadji；　and　was　dressed　in　a　turban
made　of　many　yards　of　priceless　silk　muslin；　embroidered　in　silk；　a
white　baju；　and　a　long　white　sarong；　and　full　white　trousersa
beautiful　dress　for　an　Oriental。　　He　shook　hands　with　me。　I　wish　that
these　people　would　not　adopt　our　salutations；　their　own　are　so　much
more　appropriate　to　their　character。

The　yacht　is　now　lying　at　anchor　in　a　deep　coffee…colored　stream；　near
a　picturesque　Malay　village　on　stilts；　surrounded　by　very　extensive
groves　of　palms。　Several　rivers　intersect　each　other　in　this
neighborhood；　flowing　through　dense　jungles　and　mangrove　swamps。　The
sun　is　still　high。　The　four　white　men　and　the　Rajah　Moussa　have　gone
ashore　snipe　shooting；　the　Malays　on　board　are　sleeping；　and　I　am
enjoying　a　delicious　solitude。


February　4；　4　P。M。We　are　steaming　over　the　incandescent　sapphire　sea；
among　the　mangrove…bordered　islands　which　fringe　the　Selangor　coast；
under　a　blazing　sun；　with　the　mercury　88　degrees　in　the　shade；　but　the
heat；　though　fierce；　is　not　oppressive；　and　I　have　had　a　delightful
day。　　The　men　returned　when　they　could　no　longer　see　to　shoot　snipes；
with　a　well　filled　bag；　and　after　sunset　we　dropped　down　to　Bukit　Jugra
or　Langat。　Most　of　the　river　was　as　black　as　night　with　the　heavy
shadows　of　the　forest；　but　along　the　middle　there　was　a　lane　of
lemon…colored　water；　the　exquisite　reflection　of　a　lemon…colored　sky。
The　Resident　and　Mr。　Daly　went　down　to　the　coast　in　the　yacht　to　avoid
the　mosquitoes　of　the　interior；　but　I　with　Omar；　one　of　the　〃body
guard；〃　half　Malay　half　Kling；　as　my　attendant；　and　Mr。　Syers；　landed；
to　remain　at　the　magistrate's　bungalow。　It　was　a　lovely　walk　up　the
hill　through　the　palms　and　bananas；　and　the　bayonets　of　our　escort
gleamed　in　the　intense　moonlight；　not　with　anything　alarming　about　them
either；　for　an　escort　is　only　necessary　because　the　place　is　so
infested　by　tigers。　The　bungalow　is　large　but　rambling；　and　my　room　was
one　built　out　at　the　end；　with　six　windows　with　solid　shutters；　of
which　Mr。　　Ferney　closed　all　but　two；　and　half　closed　those；　because　of
a　tiger　which　is　infesting　the　immediate　neighborhood　of　the　house；　and
whose　growling；　they　say；　is　most　annoying。　　He　killed　a　heifer
belonging　to　the　Sultan　two　nights　ago；　and　last　night　the　sentry　got　a
shot　at　him　from　the　veranda　outside　my　room　as　he　was　engaged　in　most
undignified　depredations　upon　the　hen　house。

There　was　a　grand　excitement　yesterday　morning。　A　tigress　was　snared　in
a　pitfall　and　was　shot。　Her　corpse　was　brought　to　the　bungalow　warm　and
limp。　She　measured　eight　feet　two　inches　from　her　nose　to　her　tail；　and
her　tail　was　two　feet　six　inches　long。　She　had　whelps；　and　they　must　be
starving　in　the　jungle　tonight。　Her　beautiful　skin　is　hanging　up。　All
the　neighborhood；　Chinese　and　Malay；　turned　out。　Some　danced；　and　the
Sultan　beat　gongs。　Everybody　seized　upon　a　bit　of　the　beast。　The　Sultan
claimed　the　liver；　which；　when　dried　and　powdered；　is　worth　twice　its
weight　in　gold；　as　a　medicine。　The　blood　was　taken；　and　I　saw　the
Chinamen　drying　it　in