the golden chersonese and the way thither-第58章

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Russia；　but　Russia；　France；　Germany；　and　America；　the　whole　lot　of　the
〃Great　Powers〃　are　represented　chiefly　by　a　few　second…rate　war…ships；
or　shabby　consulates　in　back　streets；　while　England　is　a　〃name　to
conjure　with；〃　and　is　represented　by　prosperous　colonies；　powerful
protective　forces；　law；　liberty；　and　security。　These　ideas　are　forced
so　strongly　upon　me　as　I　travel　westward；　that　I　almost　fear　that　I　am
writing　in　a　〃hifalutin〃　style；　so　I　will　only　add　that　I　think　that
our　Oriental　Grand　Vizier　knew　Oriental　character　and　the　way　of
influencing　Oriental　modes　of　thinking　better　than　his　detractors　when
he　added　et　Imperatrix　to　the　much　loved　V。　R。

This　is　truly　a　brilliant　place　under　a　brilliant　sky；　but　Oh　I　weary
for　the　wilds！　There　is　one　street；　Chulia　Street；　entirely　composed　of
Chulia　and　Kling　bazaars。　Each　sidewalk　is　a　rude　arcade；　entered　by
passing　through　heavy　curtains；　when　you　find　yourself　in　a　narrow；
crowded　passage；　with　deep　or　shallow　recesses　on　one　side；　in　which
the　handsome；　brightly…dressed　Klings　sit　on　the　floor；　surrounded　by
their　bright…hued　goods；　and　over　one's　head　and　all　down　the　narrow；
thronged　passage；　noisy　with　business；　are　hung　Malay　bandannas；　red
turban　cloths；　red　sarongs　in　silk　and　cotton；　and　white　and　gold
sprinkled　muslins；　the　whole　length　of　the　very　long　bazaar；　blazing
with　color；　and　picturesque　beyond　description　with　beautiful　costume。
The　Klings　are　much　pleasanter　to　buy　from　than　the　Chinese。　In
addition　to　all　the　brilliant　things　which　are　sold　for　native　wear；
they　keep　large　stocks　of　English　and　German　prints；　which　they　sell
for　rather　less　than　the　price　asked　for　them　at　home；　and　for　less
than　half　what　the　same　goods　are　sold　for　at　the　English　shops。

I　am　writing　as　if　the　Klings　were　predominant；　but　they　are　so　only　in
good　looks　and　bright　colors。　Here　again　the　Chinese；　who　number
forty…five　thousand　souls；　are　becoming　commercially　the　most　important
of　the　immigrant　races；　as　they　have　long　been　numerically　and
industrially。　In　Georgetown；　besides　selling　their　own　and　all　sorts　of
foreign　goods　at　reasonable　rates　in　small　shops；　they　have　large
mercantile　houses；　and；　as　elsewhere；　are　gradually　gaining　a
considerable　control　over　the　trade　of　the　place。　　They　also　occupy
positions　of　trust　in　foreign　houses；　and　if　there　were　a　strike　among
them　all　business；　not　excepting　that　of　the　Post　Office；　would　come　to
a　standstill。　I　went　into　the　Mercantile　Bank　and　found　only　Chinese
clerks；　in　the　Post　Office　and　only　saw　the　same；　and　when　I　went　to
the　〃P。　and　O。〃　office　to　take　my　berth　for　Ceylon；　it　was　still　a
Chinaman；　imperturbable；　taciturn；　independent；　and　irreproachably
clean；　with　whom　I　had　to　deal　in　〃pidjun　English。〃　They　are　everywhere
the　same；　keen；　quick…witted　for　chances；　markedly　self…interested；
purpose…like；　thrifty；　frugal；　on　the　whole　regarding　honesty　as　the
best　policy；　independent　in　manner　as　in　character；　and　without　a　trace
of　〃Oriental　servility。〃


Georgetown；　February　11th。I　have　not　seen　very　much　in　my　two　days；
indeed；　I　doubt　whether　there　is　much　to　see；　in　my　line　at　least；　nor
has　the　island　any　interesting　associations　as　Malacca　has；　or　any
mystery　of　unexplored　jungle　as　in　Sungei　Ujong　and　Selangor。　Pinang
came　into　our　possession　in　1786；　through　the　enterprise　of　Mr。　　Light；
a　merchant　captain；　who　had　acquired　much　useful　local　knowledge　by
trading　to　Kedah　and　other　Malay　States。　　The　Indian　Government　desired
a　commercial　〃emporium〃　and　a　naval　station　in　the　far　east；　and　Mr。
Light　recommended　this　island；　then　completely　covered　with　forest；　and
only　inhabited　by　two　migratory　families　of　Malay　fishermen；　whose　huts
were　on　the　beach　where　this　town　now　stands。　In　spite　of　romantic
stories　of　another　kind；　to　which　even　a　recent　encyclopedia　gives
currency；　it　seems　that　the　Rajah　of　Kedah；　to　whom　the　island
belonged；　did　not　bestow　it　on　Mr。　Light；　but　sold　it　to　the　British
Government　for　a　stipulated　payment　of　2；000　pounds　a　year；　which　his
successor　receives　at　this　day。

It　is　little　over　thirteen　miles　long；　and　from　five　to　ten　broad。　It
is　a　little　smaller　than　the　Isle　of　Wight；　its　area　being　one　hundred
and　seven　square　miles。

The　roads　are　excellent。　After　one　has　got　inside　of　the　broad　belt　of
cocoa　and　areca　palms　which　runs　along　the　coast；　one　comes　upon
beautiful　and　fertile　country；　partly　level；　and　partly　rolling；　with
rocks　of　granite　and　mica…schist；　and　soil　of　a　shallow　but　rich
vegetable　mould；　with　abundance　of　streams　and　little　cascades；　dotted
all　over　with　villas　（very　many　of　them　Chinese）　and　gardens；　and
planted　with　rice；　pepper　and　fruits；　while　cloves　and　nutmegs；　which
last　have　been　long　a　failure；　grow　on　the　higher　lands。　The　centre　of
Pinang　is　wooded　and　not　much　cultivated；　but　on　the　south　and
south…west　coasts　there　are　fine　sugar；　coffee　and　pepper　plantations。
The　coffee　looks　very　healthy。　From　the　ridges　in　the　centre　of　the
island　the　ground　rises　toward　the　north；　till；　at　the　Peak；　it　reaches
the　height　of　two　thousand　nine　hundred　and　twenty…two　feet。　There　is　a
sanitarium　there　with　a　glorious　view；　and　a　delicious　temperature
ranging　from　60　degrees　to　75　degrees；　while　in　the　town　and　on　the　low
lands　it　ranges　from　80　degrees　to　90　degrees。　A　sea　breeze　blows　every
day；　and　rain　falls　throughout　the　year；　except　in　January　and
February。　The　vegetation　is　profuse；　but　less　beautiful　and　tropical
than　on　the　mainland；　and　I　have　seen　very　few　flowers　except　in
gardens。

The　products　are　manifoldguavas；　mangoes；　lemons；　oranges；　bananas；
plantains；　shaddocks；　bread…fruit；　etc。；　and　sugar；　rice；　sweet
potatoes；　ginger；　areca；　and　cocoa…nuts；　coffee；　cloves；　some　nutmegs；
and　black　and　white　pepper。　My　gharrie　driver　took　me　to　see　a　Chinese
pepper　plantationto　me　the　most　interesting　thing　that　I　saw　on　a
very　long　and　hot　drive。　Pepper　is　a　very　profitable　crop。　The　vine
begins　to　bear　in　three　or　four　years　after　the　cuttings　have　been
planted；　and　yields　two　crops　annually　for　about　thirteen　years。　It　is
an　East　Indian　plant；　rather　pretty；　but　of　rambling　and　untidy　growth；
a　climber；　with　smooth；　soft　stems；　ten　or　twelve　feet　long；　and　tough；
broadly　ovate　leaves。　It　is　supported　much　as　hops　are。　When　the
berries　on　a　spike　begin　to　turn　red　they　are　gathered；　as　they　lose
pungency　if　they　are　allowed　to　ripen。　They　are　placed　on　mats；　and　are
either　trodden　with　the　feet　or　rubbed　by　the　hands　to　separate　them
from　the　spike；　after　which　they　are　cleaned　by　winnowing。　Black　pepper
consists　of　such　berries　wrinkled　and　blackened　in　the　process　of
drying；　and　white　pepper　of　similar　berries　freed　from　the　skin　and　the
fleshy　part　of　the　fruit　by　being　soaked　in　water　and　then　rubbed。　Some
planters　bleach　with　chlorine　to　improve　the　appearance；　but　this
process；　as　may　be　supposed；　does　not　improve　the　flavor。

In　these　climates　the　natives　use　enormous　quantities　of　pepper；　as
they　do　of　all　hot　condiments；　and　the　Europeans　imitate　them。

Although　there　are　so　many　plantations；　a　great　part　of　Pinang　is
uncleared；　and　from　the　peak　most　of　it　looks　like　a　forest。　It
contains　ninety　thousand　inhabitants；　the　Chinese　more　than　equaling
all　the　other　nationalities　put　together。　Its　trade；　which　in　1860　was
valued　at　3；500；000　pounds；　is　now　（1880）　close　upon　8；000；000　pounds；
Pinang　being；　like　Singapore；　a　great　entrepot　and　〃distributing
point。〃

Now　for　the　wilds　once　more！

I。　L。　B。



A　CHAPTER　ON　PERAK

The　Boundaries　and　Rivers　of　PerakTin　MiningFruits　and
VegetablesThe　Gomuti　PalmThe　Trade　of　PerakA　Future　of　CoffeeA
Hopeful　LookoutChinese　DifficultiesChinese　Disturbances　in
LarutThe　〃Pangkor　Treaty〃A　〃Little　War〃The　Settlement　of
PerakThe　Resident　and　Assistant…Resident


The　〃protected〃　State　of　Perak　（pronounced　Payrah）　is　the　richest　and
most　important　of　the　States　of　the　Peninsula；　as　well　as　one　of　the
largest。　Its　coast…line；　broken　into；　however；　by　a　bit　of　British
territory；　is　about　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　miles　in　length。　Its
sole　southern　boundary　is　the　State　of