the golden chersonese and the way thither-第67章

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were　three　gharries；　and　behind　the　house　several　small　houses　for
slaves　and　others。　A　number　of　girls　and　children；　probably　mostly
slaves；　mirthfully　peeped　at　us　from　under　the　tasteful　mat　blinds。

Really　the　upper　class　of　Malay　houses　show　some　very　good　work。　The
thatch　of　the　steep　roof　is　beautifully　put　on；　and　between　the　sides
of　finely　woven　checked　matting　interspersed　with　lattice　work　and
bamboo　work；　the　shady　inner　rooms　with　their　carved　doorways　and
portieres　of　red　silk；　the　pillows　and　cushions　of　gold　embroidery　laid
over　the　exquisitely　fine　matting　on　the　floors；　the　light　from　the
half…shaded　windows　glancing　here　and　there　as　the　breeze　sways　the
screens；　there　is　an　indescribable　appropriateness　to　the　region。

I　waited　for　the　elephant　in　a　rambling　empty　house；　and　Malays　brought
pierced　cocoa…nuts；　buffalo　milk；　and　a　great　bouquet　of　lotus　blossoms
and　seed…vessels；　out　of　which　they　took　the　seeds；　and　presented　them
on　the　grand　lotus　leaf　itself。　Each　seed　is　in　appearance　and　taste
like　a　hazel…nut；　but　in　the　centre；　in　an　oval　slit；　the　future　lotus
plant　is　folded　up；　the　one　vivid　green　seed　leaf　being　folded　over　a
shoot；　and　this　is　intensely　bitter。

The　elephant　at　last　came　up　and　was　brought　below　the　porch。　They　are
truly　hideous　beasts；　with　their　gray；　wrinkled；　hairless　hides；　the
huge　ragged　〃flappers〃　which　cover　their　ears；　and　with　which　they　fan
themselves　ceaselessly；　the　small；　mean　eyes；　the　hideous　proboscis
which　coils　itself　snakishly　round　everything；　the　formless　legs；　so
like　trunks　of　trees；　the　piggish　back；　with　the　steep　slope　down　to
the　mean；　bare　tail；　and　the　general　unlikeness　to　all　familiar　and
friendly　beasts。　I　can　hardly　write；　for　a　little　wah…wah；　the　most
delightful　of　apes；　is　hanging　with　one　long；　lean　arm　round　my　throat；
while　with　its　disengaged　hand　it　keeps　taking　my　pen；　dipping　it　in
the　ink；　and　scrawling　over　my　letter。　It　is　the　most　winsome　of
creatures；　but　if　I　were　to　oppose　it　there　is　no　knowing　what　it　might
do；　so　I　will　take　another　pen。　The　same　is　true　of　an　elephant。　I　am
without　knowledge　of　what　it　may　be　capable　of！

Before　I　came　I　dreamt　of　howdahs　and　cloth　of　gold　trappings；　but　my
elephant　had　neither。　In　fact　there　was　nothing　grand　about　him　but　his
ugliness。　His　back　was　covered　with　a　piece　of　raw　hide；　over　which
were　several　mats；　and　on　either　side　of　the　ridgy　backbone　a　shallow
basket；　filled　with　fresh　leaves　and　twigs；　and　held　in　place　by　ropes
of　rattan。　I　dropped　into　one　of　these　baskets　from　the　porch；　a　young
Malay　lad　into　the　other；　and　my　bag　was　tied　on　behind　with　rattan。　A
noose　of　the　same　with　a　stirrup　served　for　the　driver　to　mount。　He　was
a　Malay；　wearing　only　a　handkerchief　and　sarong；　a　gossiping；　careless
fellow；　who　jumped　off　whenever　he　had　a　chance　of　a　talk；　and　left　us
to　ourselves。　He　drove　with　a　stick　with　a　curved　spike　at　the　end　of
it；　which；　when　the　elephant　was　bad；　was　hooked　into　the　membranous
〃flapper；〃　always　evoking　the　uprearing　and　brandishing　of　the
proboscis；　and　a　sound　of　ungentle　expostulation；　which　could　be　heard
a　mile　off。　He　sat　on　the　head　of　the　beast；　sometimes　cross…legged；
and　sometimes　with　his　legs　behind　the　huge　ear　covers。　Mr。　Maxwell
assured　me　that　he　would　not　send　me　into　a　region　without　a　European
unless　it　were　perfectly　safe；　which　I　fully　believed；　any　doubts　as　to
my　safety；　if　I　had　any；　being　closely　connected　with　my　steed。

This　mode　of　riding　is　not　comfortable。　One　sits　facing　forward　with
the　feet　dangling　over　the　edge　of　the　basket。*　This　edge　soon　produces
a　sharp　ache　or　cramp；　and　when　one　tries　to　get　relief　by　leaning　back
on　anything；　the　awkward；　rolling　motion　is　so　painful；　that　one
reverts　to　the　former　position　till　it　again　becomes　intolerable。　　Then
the　elephant　had　not　been　loaded　〃with　brains；〃　and　his　pack　was　as
troublesome　as　the　straw　shoes　of　the　Japanese　horses。　It　was　always
slipping　forward　or　backward；　and　as　I　was　heavier　than　the　Malay　lad；
I　was　always　slipping　down　and　trying　to　wriggle　myself　up　on　the　great
ridge　which　was　the　creature's　backbone；　and　always　failing；　and　the
mahout　was　always　stopping　and　pulling　the　rattan　ropes　which　bound　the
whole　arrangement　together；　but　never　succeeding　in　improving　it。
＇*See　Frontispiece。＇

Before　we　had　traveled　two　hours；　the　great　bulk　of　the　elephant；
without　any　warning；　gently　subsided　behind；　and　then　as　gently　in
front；　the　huge；　ugly　legs　being　extended　in　front　of　him；　and　the　man
signed　to　me　to　get　off；　which　I　did　by　getting　on　his　head　and　letting
myself　down　by　a　rattan　rope　upon　the　driver；　who　made　a　step　of　his
back；　for　even　when　〃kneeling；〃　as　this　queer　attitude　is　called；　a
good　ladder　is　needed　for　comfortable　getting　off　and　on。　　While　the
whole　arrangement　of　baskets　was　being　re…rigged；　I　clambered　into　a
Malay　dwelling　of　the　poorer　class；　and　was　courteously　received　and
regaled　with　bananas　and　buffalo　milk。　Hospitality　is　one　of　the　Malay
virtues。　This　house　is　composed　of　a　front　hut　and　a　back　hut　with　a
communication。　Like　all　others　it　is　raised　to　a　good　height　on　posts。
The　uprights　are　of　palm；　and　the　elastic；　gridiron　floor　of　split
laths　of　the　invaluable　nibong　palm　（oncosperma　filamentosum）。　The
sides　are　made　of　neatly　split　reeds；　and　the　roof；　as　in　all　houses；
of　the　dried　leaves　of　the　nipah　palm　（nipa　fruticans）　stretched　over　a
high　ridge　pole　and　steep　rafters　of　bamboo。　I　could　not　see　that　a
single　nail　had　been　used　in　the　house。　The　whole　of　it　is　lashed
together　with　rattan。　The　furniture　consists　entirely　of　mats；　which
cover　a　part　of　the　floor；　and　are　used　both　for　sitting　on　and
sleeping　on；　and　a　few　small；　hard；　circular　bolsters　with　embroidered
ends。　A　musket；　a　spear；　some　fishing…rods；　and　a　buffalo　yoke　hung
against　the　wall　of　the　reception　room。　In　the　back　room；　the　province
of　the　women　and　children；　there　were　an　iron　pot；　a　cluster　of
bananas；　and　two　calabashes。　The　women　wore　only　sarongs；　and　the
children　nothing。　The　men；　who　were　not　much　clothed；　were　lounging　on
the　mats。

The　Malays　are　passionately　fond　of　pets；　and　are　said　to　have　much
skill　in　taming　birds　and　animals。　Doubtless　their　low　voices　and
gentle；　supple　movements　never　shock　the　timid　sensitiveness　of　brutes。
Besides　this；　Malay　children　yield　a　very　ready　obedience　to　their
elders；　and　are　encouraged　to　invite　the　confidence　of　birds　and
beasts；　rather　than　to　torment　them。　They　catch　birds　by　means　of
bird…lime　made　of　gutta；　by　horse…hair　nooses；　and　by　imitating　their
call。　In　this　small　house　there　were　bamboo　cages　containing　twenty
birds；　most　of　them　talking　minas　and　green…feathered　small　pigeons。
They　came　out　of　their　cages　when　called；　and　perched　in　rows　on　the
arms　of　the　men。　I　don't　know　whether　the　mina　can　learn　many　words；
but　it　imitates　the　human　voice　so　wonderfully　that　in　Hawaii　when　it
spoke　English　I　was　quite　deceived　by　it。　　These　minas　articulated　so
humanly　that　I　did　know　whether　a　bird　or　a　Malay　spoke。　There　were
four　love…birds　in　an　exquisitely　made　bamboo　cage；　lovely　little
creatures　with　red　beaks　and　blue　and　green　plumage。　The　children　catch
small　grasshoppers　for　their　birds　with　a　shovel…shaped　instrument　of
open　rattan　work。　When　I　add　that　there　were　some　homely　domestic　fowls
and　a　nearly　tailless　cat；　I　think　I　have　catalogued　the　visible
possessions　of　this　family；　with　the　exception　of　a　bamboo　cradle　with
a　small　brown　inmate　hanging　from　the　rafters；　and　a　small　shed；　used；
I　believe；　for　storing　rice。

The　open　floor；　while　it　gives　air　and　ventilation；　has　also　its
disadvantages；　for　solid　and　liquid　refuse　is　thrown　through　it　so
conveniently　that　the　ground　under　the　house　is　apt　to　contain　stagnant
pools　and　heaps　of　decomposing　matter；　and　men　lying　asleep　on　mats　on
these　gridirons　have　sometimes　been　stabbed　with　a　kris　inserted
between　the　bars　from　below　by　an　enemy　seeking　revenge。

I　must　not；　however；　give　the　impression　that　the　Malays　are　a　dirty
people。　They　wash　their　clothes　frequently；　and　bathe　as　often　as　is
possible。