the golden chersonese and the way thither-第63章

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〃the　incarnation　of　brute　force　allied　to　brute　vices！〃　This　is　a
Chinese　region；　so　the　degression　is　excusable。

It　was　bright　and　hot；　the　glorious；　equable　equatorial　heat；　and　when
we　got　out　of　the　mangrove　swamps　through　which　the　road　is　causewayed；
there　was　fine　tropical　foliage；　and　the　trees　were　festooned　with　a
large；　blue　Thunbergia　of　great　beauty。　It　is　eight　miles　from　the
landing　at　Teluk　Kartang　to　Taipeng；　where　the　British　Residency　is。
The　road　crosses　uninteresting　level　country；　but　every　jolt　brings　one
nearer　to　the　Hijan　mountains；　which　rise　picturesquely　from　the　plain
to　a　height　of　over　three　thousand　feet。　In　the　distance　there　is　an
extraordinary　〃butte〃　or　isolated　hill；　Gunong　Pondok；　a　landmark　for
the　whole　region；　and　on　the　right　to　the　east　a　grand　mountain　range；
the　highest　peak　of　which　cannot　fall　far　short　of　eight　thousand　feet；
and　the　blue…green　ranges　showing　the　foam　of　at　least　one　waterfall
almost　helped　one　to　be　cool。

We　reached　Permatang；　another　Chinese　village　of　some　pretensions　and
population；　near　which　are　two　very　large　two…storied　Malay　houses　in
some　disrepair；　in　which　the　wife　of　the　banished　Mentri　of　Larut
lives；　with　a　number　of　slaves。　A　quantity　of　mirthful…looking　slave
girls　were　standing　behind　the　window　bars　looking　at　us
surreptitiously。　We　alighted　at　the　house　of　Mr。　Wynne；　the　Government
Agent；　who　at　once　said　something　courteous　and　hospitable　about
breakfast；　which　I　was　longing　for；　but　after　I　had　had　a　bath　I　found
that　we　were　to　pursue　our　journey；　I　regretting　for　the　second　time
already　Mr。　　Maxwell's　abstemiousness　and　power　of　going　without　food！

From　this　point　we　drove　along　an　excellent　road　toward　the　mountains；
over　whose　cool　summits　cloud　mists　now　and　then　drifted；　and　near　noon
entered　this　important　Chinese　town；　with　a　street　about　a　mile　long；
with　large　bazaars　and　shops　making　a　fine　appearance；　being　much
decorated　in　Chinese　style；　halls　of　meeting　for　the　different　tribes；
gambling　houses；　workshops；　the　Treasury　（a　substantial　dark　wood
building）；　large　detached　barracks　for　the　Sikh　police；　a　hospital；　a
powder　magazine；　a　parade　ground；　a　Government　store…house；　a　large；
new　jail；　neat　bungalows　for　the　minor　English　officials；　and　on　the
top　of　a　steep；　isolated　terraced　hill；　the　British　Residency。　This
hill　is　really　too　steep　for　a　vehicle　to　ascend；　but　the　plucky　pony
and　the　Kling　driver　together　pulled　the　gharrie　up　the　zigzags　in　a
series　of　spasms；　and　I　was　glad　to　get　out　of　the　sunshine　into　a
cool；　airy　house；　where　there　was　a　hope　of　breakfast；　or　rather
tiffin。

The　Residency　is　large　and　lofty；　and　thoroughly　draughty；　a　high
commendation　so　near　the　equator。　It　consists　of　a　room　about　thirty
feet　wide　by　sixty　long；　and　about　twenty　feet　high　at　its　highest
part；　open　at　both　ends；　the　front　end　a　great　bow　window　without　glass
opening　on　an　immense　veranda。　This　room　and　its　veranda　are　like　the
fore　cabin　of　a　great　Clyde　steamer。　It　has　a　red　screen　standing
partly　across　it；　the　back　part　being　used　for　eating；　and　the　front
for　sitting　and　occupation。　My　bedroom　and　sitting…room；　and　the　room
in　which　Sultan　Abdullah's　boys　sleep　are　on　one　side；　and　Mr。
Maxwell's　room　and　office　on　the　other。　Underneath　are　bath…rooms；　and
guard…rooms　for　the　Sikh　sentries。　There　are　no　ornaments　or
superfluities。　　There　are　two　simple　meals　daily；　with　tea　and　bananas
at　7　A。M。；　and　afternoon　tea　at　5　P。M。　Mr。　Maxwell　is　most　abstemious；
and　is　energetically　at　work　from　an　early　hour　in　the　morning。　There
is　a　perpetual　coming　and　going　of　Malays；　and　an　air　of　business
without　fuss。　There　is　a　Chinese　〃housemaid；〃　who　found　a　snake；　four
feet　long；　coiled　up　under　my　down　quilt　yesterday；　and　a　Malay　butler；
but　I　have　not　seen　any　other　domestic。

Those　boys　of　Sultan　Abdullah's　are　the　most　amusing　children　I　ever
saw。　They　are　nine　and　twelve　years　old；　with　monkey…like；
irrepressible　faces。　They　have　no　ballast。　They　talk　ceaselessly；　and
are　very　playful　and　witty；　but　though　a　large　sum　is　being　paid　for
their　education　at　Malacca；　they　speak　atrocious　〃pidjun；〃　and　never
use　Malayan；　in　my　hearing　at　least。　They　are　never　still　for　one
instant；　they　chatter；　read　snatches　from　books；　ask　questions　about
everything；　but　are　too　volatile　to　care　for　the　answers；　turn
somersaults；　lean　over　my　shoulders　as　I　write；　bring　me　puzzles；　and
shriek　and　turn　head　over　heels　when　I　can't　find　them　out；　and　jump　on
Mr。　　Maxwell's　shoulders　begging　for　dollars。　I　like　them　very　much；
for；　though　they　are　so　restless　and　mercurial；　they　are　neither　rude
nor　troublesome。　They　have　kept　the　house　alive　with　their　antics；　but
they　are　just　starting　on　my　elephants　for　Kwala　Kangsa；　on　a　visit　to
the　Regent。　I　wonder　what　will　become　of　them？　Their　father　is　an　exile
in　the　Seychelles；　and　though　it　was　once　thought　that　one　of　them
might　succeed　the　reigning　Rajah；　another　Rajah　is　so　popular　with　the
Malays；　and　so　intelligent；　that　it　is　now　unlikely　that　his　claims
will　be　set　aside。

The　steep　little　hill　on　which　the　Residency　stands　is　planted　with
miserable　coffee；　with　scanty　yellow　foliage。　　The　house　on　my　side　has
a　magnificent　view　of　the　beautiful　Hijan　hills；　down　which　a　waterfall
tumbles　in　a　broad　sheet　of　foam　only　half　a　mile　off；　and　which　breed
a　rampageous　fresh　breeze　for　a　great　part　of　the　day。　The　front
veranda　looks　down　on　Taipeng　and　other　Chinese　villages；　on　neat　and
prolific　Chinese　vegetable　gardens；　on　pits；　formerly　tin　mines；　now
full　of　muddy；　stagnant　water；　on　narrow；　muddy　rivulets　bearing　the
wash　of　the　tin　mines　to　the　Larut　river；　on　all　the　weediness　and
forlornness　of　a　superficially　exhausted　mining　region；　and　beyond　upon
an　expanse　of　jungle；　the　limit　of　which　is　beyond　the　limit　of　vision；
miles　of　tree　tops　as　level　as　the　ocean；　over　which　the　cloud　shadows
sail　in　purple　all　day　long。　In　the　early　morning　the　parade　ground　is
gay　with　〃thin　red〃　lines　of　soldiers；　and　all　day　long　with　a　glass　I
can　see　the　occupations　and　bustle　of　Taipeng。

Taipeng　is　a　thriving；　increasing　place；　of　over　six　thousand
inhabitants；　solely　Chinese；　with　the　exception　of　a　small　Kling
population；　which　keeps　small　shops；　lends　money；　drives　gharries　and
bullock…carts；　and　washes　clothes。　This　place　was　the　focus　of　the
disturbances　in　1873；　and　the　Chinese　seem　still　to　need　to　be　held　in
check；　for　they　are　not　allowed　to　go　out　at　night　without　passes　and
lanterns。　They　are　miners；　except　those　who　keep　the　innumerable　shops
which　supply　the　miners；　and　some　of　them　are　rich。　Taipeng　is
tolerably　empty　during　the　day；　but　at　dusk；　when　the　miners　return；
the　streets　and　gambling　dens　are　crowded；　and　the　usual　Babel　of
Chinese　tongues　begins。　There　are　scarcely　any　Malays　in　the　town。

Mr。　Maxwell　walks　and　rides　about　everywhere　unattended　and　without
precautions；　but　Sikh　sentries　guard　this　house　by　night　and　day。　They
wear　large　blue　turbans；　scarlet　coats　and　white　trousers。　There　are
four　hundred　and　fifty　of　them；　recruited　in　India　from　among　the　Sikhs
and　Pathans；　and　many　of　them　have　seen　service　under　our　flag。　They
are；　to　all　intents　and　purposes；　soldiers；　drilled　and　disciplined　as
such；　though　called　〃Armed　Police；〃　and　are　commanded　by　Major
Swinburne　of　the　80th　Regiment。　There　is　a　half　battery　of　mountain
train　rifled　guns；　and　many　of　these　men　are　drilled　as　gunners。　Their
joy　would　be　in　shooting　and　looting；　but　they　have　not　any　scent　for
crime。　　They　are　splendid…looking　men；　with　long　moustaches　and
whiskers；　but　they　plait　the　long　ends　of　the　latter　and　tuck　them　up
under　their　turbans。　They　have　good…natured　faces　generally；　and　are
sober；　docile　and　peaceable；　but　Major　Swinburne　says　that　they　indulge
in　violent　wordy　warfare　on　〃theological　subjects。〃　They　are　devoted　to
the　accumulation　of　money；　and　very　many　of　them　being　betrothed　to
little　girls　in　India；　save　nearly　all　their　pay　in　order　to　buy　land
and　settle　there。　When　off　duty　they　wear　turbans　and　robes　nearly　as
white　as　snow；　and　look　both　classical　and　col