the golden chersonese and the way thither-第71章

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sacrificial　duties；　and　recites　the　service　for　the　dead　after　the
corpse　has　been　lowered　into　the　grave。　There　is　an　inferior　official
of　the　mosque　who　keeps　it　clean；　and　reports　to　the　Imaum　absentees
from　public　worship；　goes　round　the　villages　to　give　notice　of　public
prayer；　assists　at　burials；　and　beats　the　great　drum　of　the　mosque。　The
Imaum　appears　to　be　the　highest　functionary；　and　performs　what　are
regarded　as　the　most　sacred　rites　of　Islamism。　There　are　regular　fees
paid　to　these　persons　for　their　services；　and　at　sacrifices　they
receive　part　of　the　victim。　I　was　afraid　of　going　into　any　of　the
mosques。　They　are　all　conical　buildings　of　wood　and　attap　raised　on
wooden　pillars；　and　are　usually　on　small　knolls　a　little　way　from　the
kampongs。　They　have　no　minarets；　but　the　larger　ones　have　a　separate
shed　in　which　the　drum　or　gong　used　for　the　call　to　prayer　is　kept。

Buffaloes　are　sacrificed　on　religious　occasions；　and　at　the　births；
circumcisions；　marriages；　and　shaving　of　the　heads　of　the　children　of
wealthy　people。　The　buffalo　sacrificed　for　religious　purposes　must　be
always　without　blemish。　Its　bones　must　not　be　broken　after　death；
neither　must　its　horns　be　used　for　common　purposes。　It　is　slain　near
the　mosque　with　solemn　sacrificial　ceremonies；　and　one…half　is　usually
cooked　and　eaten　on　the　spot　by　the　〃parishioners。〃

While　I　am　on　the　subject　of　religious　observances；　I　must　tell　you
that　I　saw　a　Moslem　funeral　to…day　from　a　respectful　distance。　The
graves　are　decently　placed　together　usually；　though　some　of　the　pious
rich　have　large　isolated　burial　places。　The　grave　is　dug　by　rulei。e。；
the　digger　continues　his　work　till　his　ear　and　the　surface　are　on　a
level。　It　is　shaped　like　ours；　with　one　important　exception；　that　a
chamber　two　feet　high　for　the　reception　of　the　body　is　dug　in　the　side。

The　corpse；　that　of　a　man　I　believe；　covered　with　a　cloth　and　dressed
in　cotton　clothing；　was　carried　on　a　bier　formed　of　two　planks；　with
the　male　relations　following。　On　reaching　the　grave　the　Imaum　read　a
service　in　a　monotonous　tone；　and　then　the　body　was　lowered　till　it
reached　the　level　of　the　side　chamber；　in　which　it　was　placed；　and
inclosed　with　the　planks　on　which　it　had　been　carried。　Some　leaves　and
flowers　were　then　thrown　in；　and　the　grave　was　filled　up；　after　which
some　water　was　sprinkled　upon　it；　and　a　man；　not　the　Imaum；　sitting
upon　it；　recited　what　the　Singhalese　said　was　a　sort　of　confession　of
faith；　turning　toward　Mecca。　The　relatives　bowed　in　the　same　direction
and　then　left　the　place；　but　on　stated　days　afterward　offerings　of
spices　and　flowers　are　made。　It　was　reverential　and　decorous；　perhaps
even　more　so　than　the　Buddhist　funerals　which　I　saw　in　Japan；　but　the
tombs　are　not　so　carefully　tended；　and　look　more　melancholy。　The　same
dumpy；　pawn…shaped　pillars　are　placed　at　the　head　and　feet　of　the
raised　mounds　of　earth　which　cover　the　graves；　as　in　Malacca。　　It　is
believed　that　when　the　mourners　have　retired　seven　paces　from　the　grave
two　angels　enter　upon　inquisitorial　functions。　When　death　is　seen　to　be
approaching；　the　dying　person　is　directed　to　repeat　a　short　form　of
confession　of　his　faith　in　the　unity　of　God；　and　if　he　is　unable；　it　is
recited　for　him。　The　offices　of　washing　and　shrouding　the　dead　are
religious　ceremonies；　and　are　performed　by　one　of　the　officials　of　the
mosque。　The　influence　of　the　great　Prophet　of　Arabia　is　wonderfully
enduring。

This　letter；　which　began　among　sun…birds　and　butterflies；　has　got　into
a　dismal　groove；　out　of　which　I　must　rescue　it；　but　it　is　difficult　to
give　any　consecutive　account　of　anything　when　the　fascinating　Eblis
murmurs　ouf！　ouf！　sits　on　my　writing　book；　takes　my　pen　out　of　my　hand；
makes　these　scrawls　which　I　fear　will　make　my　writing　illegible；　and
claims　constant　attention。

The　Royal　Elephant　is　a　noble　animal。　His　docility　is　perfect。　He
climbed　up　and　down　places　so　steep　that　a　good　horse　would　have
bungled　at　them；　pulled　down　trees　when　he　was　told　to　do　it；　held
others　which　were　slanting　dangerously　across　the　track　high　above　our
heads　till　we　had　safely　passed　under　them；　lifted　fallen　trees　out　of
his　way；　or　took　huge　steps　over　them；　and　slid　down　a　steep　bank　into
the　Perak　with　great　dexterity。　He　was　told　to　take　a　banana　tree　for
his　dinner；　and　he　broke　off　the　tough　thick　stem　just　above　the　ground
as　if　it　had　been　a　stick；　then　neatly　stripped　the　eight…foot　leaves；
and　holding　the　thick　end　of　each　stalk　under　his　foot；　stripped　off
the　whole　leaf　on　each　side　of　the　midrib；　and　then；　with　the　dexterity
of　a　monkey　peeling　a　banana；　he　peeled　off　the　thick　rind　from　the
stem；　and　revelled　in　the　juices　of　the　soft　inside。　I　was　sitting　on
the　ground　in　a　place　where　there　was　scarcely　room　for　him　to　pass；
and　yet　he　was　so　noble　and　gentle　that　I　never　thought　of　getting　up；
even　though　his　ponderous　feet　just　touched　me；　and　I　ate　my　lunch
within　the　swing　of　his　huge　proboscis；　but　he　stood　quite　still；
except　that　he　flapped　his　〃ears〃　and　squirted　water　over　himself。　Each
elephant　has　his　own　driver；　and　there　is　quite　a　large　vocabulary　of
elephant　language。　The　mahout　carried　an　invaluable　knife…weapon；
called　a　parang；　broadest　and　heaviest　at　the　point；　and　as　we　passed
through　the　jungle　he　slashed　to　right　and　left　to　clear　the　track；　and
quite　thick　twigs　fell　with　hardly　an　effort　on　his　part。

After　traveling　for　several　hours　we　came　upon　a　kampong　under　palms
and　nutmeg　trees；　and　then　dismounted　and　took　our　lunch；　looking　out
from　deep　shadow　down　upon　the　beautiful　river　lying　in　the　glory　of
the　noonday　sun；　its　banks　bright　with　birds　and　butterflies。　The
mahout　was　here　among　friends；　and　the　salutations　were　numerous。　If
nose…rubbing　as　a　form　of　greeting　is　practiced　I　have　never　seen　it。
What　I　have　seen　is　that　when　one　man　approaches　another；　or　is　about
to　pay　a　visit；　he　joins　his　hands　as　if　in　supplication；　and　the　other
touches　them　on　both　sides；　and　afterward　raises　his　hands　to　his　lips
and　forehead。　It　is　a　courteous　looking　mode　of　salutation。

At　this　point　the　Singhalese　said　that　the　natives　told　him　that　it　was
possible　to　ford　the　Perak；　but　that　the　mahout　said　that　the　elephant
was　a　〃diver；〃　and　would　probably　dive；　but　that　there　was　no　danger　to
us　except　of　getting　very　wet。　I　liked　the　prospect　of　a　journey　on　the
other　side；　so　we　went　down　a　steep　bank　into　the　broad；　bright；　river；
and　putting　out　from　the　shore；　went　into　the　middle；　and　shortly　the
elephant　gently　dropped　down　and　was　entirely　submerged；　moving
majestically　along；　with　not　a　bit　of　his　huge　bulk　visible；　the　end　of
his　proboscis　far　ahead；　writhing　and　coiling　like　a　water　snake　every
now　and　then；　the　nostrils　always　in　sight；　but　having　no　apparent
connection　with　the　creature　to　which　they　belonged。　Of　course　we　were
sitting　in　the　water；　but　it　was　nearly　as　warm　as　the　air；　and　so　we
went　for　some　distance　up　the　clear；　shining　river；　with　the　tropic　sun
blazing　down　upon　it；　with　everything　that　could　rejoice　the　eye　upon
its　shores；　with　little　beaches　of　golden　sands；　and　above　the　forest
the　mountains　with　varying　shades　of　indigo　coloring。

There　would　have　been　nothing　left　to　wish　for　if　you　had　been　there　to
see；　though　you　would　have　tried　to　look　as　if　you　saw　an　elephant
moving　submerged　along　a　tropical　river　every　day　with　people　of　three
races　on　his　back！！

The　Singhalese　said；　〃I'm　going　to　take　you　to　Koto…lamah；　no　European
has　been　there　since　the　war。　I've　never　been　there；　nor　the　Resident
either。〃　I　have　pored　over　blue　books　long　enough　to　know　that　this　is
a　place　which　earned　a　most　unenviable　notoriety　during　the　recent
troubles；　and　is　described　as　〃a　stronghold　of　piracy；　lawlessness；　and
disaffection。〃　As　we　were　making　a　diagonal　crossing　of　the　Perak；　the
Singhalese　said；　〃A　few　months　ago　they　would　have　been　firing　at　us
from　both　sides　of　the　river。〃　It　was　a　beautiful　view　at　that　point；
with　the　lovely　river　in　its　windings；　and　on　the　top　of　the　steep　bank
a　kampong　of　largish　houses　under　palms　and　durions。　A　good　many　people
assembled　on　the