the golden chersonese and the way thither-第54章

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with　Chinese　onlookers。　A　Chinaman　had　bought　a　girl　（very　nice…looking
she　was）；　and　now　a　man　wants　to　marry　her；　upon　which　her　owner
produces　a　promissory　note　from　her；　and　demands　165　as　her　price！　　It
was　impossible　to　make　him　understand　that　the　transaction　is　utterly
illegal　and　immoral。　The　Resident　addressed　some　very　strong　and　just
words　to　this　man　in　reprobation　of　his　conduct；　which　were　translated
for　the　benefit　of　the　crowd。

I　cannot　elicit　anything　very　definite；　here　or　elsewhere；　about　the
legal　system　under　which　criminals　are　tried　in　these　States。
Apparently；　murder；　robbery；　forgery；　and　violent　assault　come　under
English　criminal　law；　and　must　be　equally　punishable　whether　committed
by　a　Briton；　a　Chinaman；　or　a　Malay。　But　then　nobody；　except　a
Christian；　can　be　punished　for　bigamy。　So　criminal　law　even　undergoes
modification　by　local　custom；　and　the　four　wives　of　the　Mussulman；　and
the　subordinate　wives　of　the　Chinaman；　have　an　equal　claim　to
recognition　with　the　one　wife　of　the　Englishman。　Even　Mohammedan　law；
by　which　the　Malays　profess　to　be　ruled；　is　modified　by　Malay　custom；
which　asserts　itself　specially　in　connection　with　marriage；　its
frequent　attendant　repudiation；　and　inheritance。

The　〃Malay　custom〃　（adat　Malayu）　seems　to　have　been　originally　a　just
and　equitable　code；　though　ofttimes　severe　in　its　punishments；　as　you
will　see　if　you　can　get　Newbold's　_Malacca_；　and　was　probably　suited　to
the　people；　but　it　has　undergone　such　clippings　and　emendations　by　the
successive　Rajahs　or　Sultans　of　these　native　States；　that　the　custom
now　in　force　bears　a　very　faint　resemblance　to　the　original　adat。　It　is
said；　indeed；　that　each　alteration　has　been　for　the　worse；　and　that　now
any　chief　who　introduces　anything　of　his　own　will；　justifies　it　as
〃adat　Malayu。〃　Mr。　Swettenham；　the　Assistant　Colonial　Secretary；　says
that　the　few　upright　Rajahs　who　exist　say　that　there　is　no　longer　any
〃adat　Malayu；〃　but　that　everything　is　done　by　〃adat　Suka　hate；〃　i。e。；
the　custom　by　which　a　man　can　best　suit　his　own　inclination。

So　it　seems　that　a　most　queerly　muddled　system　of　law　prevails　under
our　flag；　Mohammedan　law；　modified　by　degenerate　and　evil　custom；　and
to　some　extent　by　the　discretion　of　the　residents；　existing　alongside
of　fragments　of　English　criminal　law；　or　more　perhaps　correctly　of
〃justice's　justice；〃　the　Resident's　notions　of　〃equity；〃　overriding　all
else。*　Surely；　as　we　have　practically　acquired　those　States；　and　are
responsible　for　their　good　government；　we　ought　to　give　them　the
blessing　of　a　simple　code　of　law；　of　which　the　residents　shall　be　only
the　responsible　interpreters；　modified　by　the　true　〃Malay　custom〃　of
course；　but　under　the　same　conditions　which　are　giving　such　growing
satisfaction　to　the　peoples　of　India　and　Ceylon。　　
＇*A　Colonial　friend　tells　me　that　he　asked　an　English　magistrate　in　one
of　the　native　States；　by　what　lawEnglish；　Colonial；　or　Malayhe　had
sentenced　some　culprits　to　three　years'　imprisonment；　and　that　the　reply
was　a　shrug；　and　〃The　rascals　were　served　right。〃＇

The　oaths　are　equally　inscrutable；　and　probably　no　oath；　however
terrible　in　formula；　would　restrain　a　Chinese　coolie　witness　from
telling　a　lie；　if　he　thought　it　would　be　to　his　advantage。*　
＇*Sir　Benson　Maxwell；　late　Chief　Justice　of　the　Straits　Settlements；　to
whose　kindness　I　am　much　indebted；　wrote　to　me　lately　thus：　〃In　China　I
believe　an　oath　is　rarely　taken；　when　it　is；　it　is　in　the　form　of　an
imprecation。　The　witness　cuts　off　a　cock's　head；　and　prays　that　he　may
be　so　treated　if　he　speaks　falsely。〃　〃Would　you　cut　off　a　cock's　head　to
that？〃　I　once　asked　a　Chinese　witness　who　had　made　a　statement　which　I
did　not　believe。　〃I　would　cut　off　an　elephant's　head　to　it；〃　he　replied。
In　the　Colonial　courts；　Chinamen　are　sworn　by　burning　a　piece　of　paper
on　which　is　written　some　imprecation　on　themselves　if　they　do　not　speak
the　truth。＇

I　went　to　see　the　jail；　a　tolerable　buildinga　barred　cage　below；　and
a　long　room　abovestanding　in　a　graveled　courtyard；　surrounded　by　a
high　wall。　Formerly　there　were　no　prisons；　and　criminals　were　punished
on　the　spot；　either　by　being　krissed；　shot；　or　flogged。　Here　they　have
a　liberal　diet　of　rice　and　salt　fish；　and　〃hard　labor〃　is　only　mild
work　on　the　roads。　The　prisoners；　forty…two　adult　men；　were　drawn　up　in
a　row；　and　Mr。　Syers　called　the　roll；　telling　the　crime　of　each　man；
and　his　conduct　in　prison；　and　most　of　those　who　had　conducted
themselves　well　were　to　be　recommended　to　the　Sultan　for　remission　of
part　of　their　sentences。　〃Flog　them　if　they　are　lazy；〃　the　Resident
often　said；　but　Mr。　Syers　says　that　he　never　punishes　them　except　under
aggravated　circumstances。　The　prisoners　are　nearly　all　Chinamen；　and
their　crimes　are　mostly　murder；　gang…robbery；　assault；　and　theft。
About　half　of　them　were　in　chains。　There　is　an　unusual　mortality　in　the
prison；　attributed；　though　possibly　not　_attributable_；　to　the　enforced
disuse　of　opium。　We　went　also　to　the　hospital；　mainly　used　by　the
police；　a　long　airy　shed；　with　a　broad　shelf　on　each　side。　Mr。　Klyne；
the　apothecary；　a　half…caste；　has　a　good　many　Malay　dispensary
patients。

On　our　return；　four　Malay　women；　including　the　Imaum's　wife；　came　to
see　me。　Each　one　would　have　made　a　picturesque　picture；　but　they　had　no
manners；　and　seized　on　my　hands；　which　are　coarsened；　reddened；　and
swelled　from　heat　and　mosquito　bites；　all　exclaiming；　〃chanti！
chanti！〃pretty！　pretty！　I　wondered　at　their　bad　taste；　specially　as
they　had　very　small　and　pretty　hands　themselves；　with　almond…shaped
nails。

In　the　evening　the　〃establishment〃　dined　at　the　Residency。　　After
dinner；　as　we　sat　in　the　darkness　in　the　veranda；　maddened　by　mosquito
bites；　about　9：30；　the　bugle　at　the　fort　sounded　the　〃alarm；〃　which　was
followed　in　a　few　seconds　by　the　drum　beating　〃to　quarters；〃　and　in
less　than　five　minutes　every　approach　to　the　Residency　was　held　by　men
with　fixed　bayonets；　and　fourteen　rounds　of　ball…cartridges　each　in
their　belts；　and　every　road　round　Klang　was　being　patrolled　by　pickets。
I　knew　instinctively　that　it　was　〃humbug；〃　arranged　to　show　the
celerity　with　which　the　little　army　could　be　turned　out；　and　shortly　an
orderly　arrived　with　a　note〃False　alarm；〃　but　Klang　never　subsided
all　night；　and　the　Klings　beat　their　tom…toms　till　daylight。　I　am
writing　at　dawn　now；　in　order　that　my　letter　may　〃catch　the　mail。〃

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XVI

A　Yachting　VoyageThe　Destruction　of　SelangorVarieties　of
SlimeSwamp　FeverAn　Unprosperous　RegionA　〃Deadly…Lively〃
MorningA　Waif　and　StrayThe　Superintendent　of　Police

STEAM…LAUNCH　〃ABDULSAMAT〃　February　7。


You　will　certainly　think；　from　the　dates　of　my　letters；　that　I　am
usually　at　sea。　The　Resident；　his　daughter；　Mrs。　　Daly；　Mr。　Hawley；　a
revenue　officer；　and　I；　left　Klang　this　morning　at　eight　for　a　two
days'　voyage　in　this　bit　of　a　thing。　Blessed　be　〃the　belt　of　calms！〃
There　was　the　usual　pomp　of　a　body…guard；　some　of　whom　are　in
attendance；　and　a　military　display　on　the　pier；　well　drilled；　and　well
officered　in　quiet；　capable；　admirable；　unobtrusive　Mr。　　Syers；　but
gentle　Mrs。　Douglas；　devoted　to　her　helpless　daughter；　standing　above
the　jetty；　a　lone　woman　in　forlorn；　decayed　Klang；　haunts　me　as　a
vision　of　sadness；　as　I　think　of　her　sorrow　and　her　dignified
hospitality　in　the　midst　of　it。

Now；　at　half…past　eleven；　we　are　aground　with　an　ebb…tide　on　the　bar　of
the　Selangor　river；　so　I　may　write　a　little；　though　I　should　like　to　be
asleep。


Bernam　River；　Selangor；　February　8th。〃Chi…laka！〃　（worthless
good…for…nothing　wretch）；　〃Bodo！〃　（fool）。　I　hear　these　words　repeated
incessantly　in　tones　of　thunder　and　fury；　with　accompaniments　which
need　not　be　dwelt　upon。　The　Malays　are　a　revengeful　people。　If　any
official　in　British　service　were　to　knock　them　about　and　insult　them；
one　can　only　say　what　has　been　said　to　me　since　I　came　to　the　native
States：　〃Well；　some　dayall　I　can　say　is；　God　help　him！〃　But　then　if
an　official　were　to　be　krissed；　no　matter　how　deservedly　in　Malay
estimation；　a　gunboat　would　be　sent　up　the　river　to　〃punish；〃　and　would
kill；　burn；　and　destroy；　ther