the golden chersonese and the way thither-第75章

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me　more　daily。　They　look　exactly　like　familiar　demons；　and　certainly
anyone　having　them　about　him　two　hundred　years　ago　would　have　been
burned　as　a　wizard。　When　Mr。　Low　walks　down　the　veranda；　these　two
familiars　walk　behind　him　with　a　stealthy　tread。　He　is　having　a
business　conversation　just　now　with　some　Rajahs；　whose　numerous
followers　are　standing　and　lying　about；　and　Eblis　is　sitting　on　his
shoulder　with　one　arm　round　his　neck；　while　Mahmoud　sits　on　the　table
opening　letters；　and　the　siamang；　sitting　on　the　rafter；　is　looking
down　with　an　unpleasant　look。　Eblis　condescends　to　notice　me　to…day；
and　occasionally　sits　on　my　shoulder　murmuring　〃Ouf！　ouf！〃　the　sweet
sound　which　means　all　varieties　of　affection　and　happiness。　They　say
wah…wah　distinctly；　and　scream　with　rage　like　children；　but　have　none
of　the　meaningless　chatter　of　monkeys。　It　is　partly　their　silence　which
makes　them　such　very　pleasant　companions。　At　sunrise；　however；　like
their　forest　brethren；　they　hail　the　sun　for　some　minutes　with　a　noise
which　I　have　never　heard　them　make　again　during　the　day；　loud　and
musical；　as　if　uttered　by　human　vocal　organs；　very　clear　and　pleasant。
Doubtless　the　Malays　like　Mr。　Low　all　the　better　for　his　love　of　pets。

At　lunch　they　were　both；　as　usual；　sitting　at　the　table。　I　am　still
much　afraid　of　Mahmoud；　but　Captain　Walker　is　infatuated　with　him；　and
likes　his　rough；　jolly　manners；　and　his　love　of　fun　and　rough　play。　As
Assam　was　bringing　me　a　cup　of　coffee　this　creature　put　out　his　long
arm；　and　with　his　face　brimming　over　with　frolic；　threw　the　coffee　over
the　mat。　Then　he　took　up　a　long　glass　of　beer　and　began　to　drink　it
eagerly；　but　as　Mr。　Low　disapproved　of　his　being　allowed　to　get　tipsy　a
second　time；　it　was　taken　from　him；　upon　which　he　took　up　the　breast　of
a　fricasseed　chicken　and　threw　it　at　the　offender。　The　miscreant　did
every　kind　of　ludicrous　thing；　finishing　by　pulling　everyone　to　go　out
with　him；　as　he　always　does　at　that　hour；　and　when　he　had　succeeded　in
getting　us　all　out　was　in　a　moment　at　the　top　of　a　high　tree；　leaping
from　branch　to　branch；　throwing　himself　on　coffee　shrubs　below；
swinging　himself　up　again　in　a　flash；　leaping；　bounding！　a　picture　of
agility；　strength；　and　happiness。　The　usual　morning　gathering　of　Rajahs
and　their　followers；　with　Klings　and　Sikhs；　was　there；　and　I　suspect
that　they　thought　adult　Europeans　very　foolish　for　being　amused　with
these　harum…scarum　antics。

A　follower　had　brought　a　〃baboon；〃　an　ape　or　monkey　trained　to　gather
cocoa…nuts；　a　hideous　beast　on　very　long　legs　when　on　all　fours；　but
capable　of　walking　erect。　They　called　him　a　〃dog…faced　baboon；〃　but　I
think　they　were　wrong。　He　has　a　short；　curved　tail；　sable…colored　fur
darkening　down　his　back；　and　a　most　repulsive；　treacherous；　and
ferocious　countenance。　He　is　fierce；　but　likes　or　at　all　events　obeys
his　owner；　who　held　him　with　a　rope　fifty　feet　long。　At　present　he　is
only　half　tame；　and　would　go　back　to　the　jungle　if　he　were　liberated。
He　was　sent　up　a　cocoa…nut　tree　which　was　heavily　loaded　with　nuts　in
various　stages　of　ripeness　and　unripeness；　going　up　in　surly　fashion；
looking　round　at　intervals　and　shaking　his　chain　angrily。　When　he　got
to　the　top　he　shook　the　fronds　and　stalks；　but　no　nuts　fell；　and　he
chose　a　ripe　one；　and　twisted　it　round　and　round　till　its　tenacious
fibers　gave　way；　and　then　threw　it　down　and　began　to　descend；　thinking
he　had　done　enough；　but　on　being　spoken　to　he　went　to　work　again　with
great　vigor；　picked　out　all　the　ripe　nuts　on　the　tree；　twisted　them　all
off；　and　then　came　down　in　a　thoroughly　bad；　sulky；　temper。　He　was
walking　erect；　and　it　seemed　discourteous　not　to　go　and　thank　him　for
all　his　hard　toil。

As　I　write　I　see　a　fascinating　sight：　three　black　apes　sitting　under
the　roof　in　such　a　position　that　I　can　only　see　their　faces；　and　they
are　all　leaning　their　chins　on　a　beam；　and　with　their　wrinkled　faces
and　gray　beards　are　looking　exactly　like　…。　It　is　most　interesting
to　be　among　wild　beasts；　which；　though　tame；　or　partly　so；　are　not　in
captivity；　and　to　see　their　great　sagacity　and　their　singular　likeness
and　unlikeness　to　us。　I　could　dispense　with　the　reptiles；　though。　Last
night　there　were　seventeen　lizards　in　my　room　and　two　in　my　slippers。
During　the　profound　stillness　of　about　3　A。M。；　a　crowd；　hooting；
yelling；　and　beating　clappers；　passed　not　far　off　in　the　darkness；　and
there　was　a　sound　of　ravaging　and　rending　caused　by　a　herd　of　elephants
which　had　broken　into　the　banana　grounds。

Besides　apes；　elephants；　dogs；　and　other　pets；　there　are　some　fine
jungle…fowls；　a　pheasant；　a　〃fire…back；〃　I　think；　and　an　argus　pheasant
of　glorious　beauty；　but　glorious　is　not　quite　the　word　either；　for　the
hundred…eyed　feathers　of　its　tail　are　painted　rather　in　browns　than
colors。　These　birds　are　under　the　charge　of　a　poor　Chinaman；　who　once
had　money；　but　has　gone　to　complete　ruin　from　opium…smoking。　　His　frame
is　reduced　to　a　skeleton　covered　with　skin。　I　never　saw　such　emaciation
even　in　an　advanced　stage　of　illness。

Just　now　I　saw　Mahmoud　and　Eblis　walk　into　my　room；　and　shortly
following　them；　I　found　that　Mahmoud　had　drawn　a　pillow　to　the　foot　of
the　bed；　and　was　lying　comfortably　with　his　head　upon　it；　and　that
Eblis　was　lying　at　the　other　end。　I　do　hope　that　you　will　not　be　tired
of　the　apes。　To　me　they　are　so　intensely　interesting　that　I　cannot　help
writing　about　them。　Eblis　has　been　feverish　for　some　days。　I　think　he
has　never　recovered　from　the　thrashing　he　got　the　day　I　came。　He　is
pining　and　growing　very　weak；　he　eats　nothing　but　little　bits　of
banana；　and　Mr。　Low　thinks　he　is　sure　to　die。　It　is　a　curious　fact　that
these　apes；　which　are　tamed　by　living　with　Europeans；　acquire　a　great
aversion　to　Malays。


February　19。Eblis　became　much　worse　while　I　was　out　yesterday；　and　I
fear　will　surely　die。　He　can　hardly　hold　anything　in　his　cold；　feeble
hands；　and　eats　nothing。　He　has　a　strangely　human；　faraway　look；　just
what　one　sees　in　the　eyes　of　children　who　have　nearly　done　with　this
world。

The　heat　is　much　greater　to…day；　there　is　less　breeze；　and　the　mercury
has　reached　90　degrees；　but　in　the　absence　of　mosquitoes；　and　with
pine…apples　and　bananas　always　at　hand；　one　gets　on　very　well。　But
mosquitoes　do　embitter　existence　and　interfere　with　work。　Apparently；
people　never　become　impervious　to　the　poison；　as　I　thought　they　did；
and　there　is　not　a　Malay　in　his　mat　hut；　or　a　Chinese　coolie　in　his
crowded　barrack；　who　has　not　his　mosquito　curtains；　and　I　have　already
mentioned　that　the　Malays　light　fires　under　their　houses　to　smoke　them
away。　Last　night　a　malignant　and　hideous　insect；　above　an　inch　long；　of
the　bug　species；　appeared。　The　bite　of　this　is　as　severe　as　the　sting
of　a　hornet。

The　jungle　seems　to　be　full　of　wild　beasts；　specially　tigers；　in　this
neighborhood；　and　the　rhinoceros　is　not　uncommon。　Its　horn　is　worth
15；　but　Rajah　Muda　Yusuf；　who　desires　to　have　a　monopoly　of　them；　says
that　there　are　horns　with　certain　peculiar　markings　which　can　be　sold
to　the　Chinese　for　500*　each　to　be　powdered　and　used　as　medicine。　Wild
elephants　are　abundant；　but；　like　the　rhinoceros；　they　ravage　the　deep
recesses　of　the　jungle。　　All　the　tame　elephants　here；　however；　were
once　wild；　including　the　fifty　which；　with　swords；　dragons；　bells；
krises　with　gold　scabbards；　and　a　few　other　gold　articles；　formed　the
Perak　regalia。　The　herds　are　hunted　with　tame；　steady　elephants；　and　on
a　likely　one　being　singled　out；　he　is　driven　by　slow　degrees　into　a
strong　inclosure；　and　there　attached　by　stout　rattan　ropes　to　an
experienced　old　elephant；　and　fed　on　meager　diet　for　some　weeks；　varied
with　such　dainties　as　sugar…cane　and　sweet　cakes。　The　captive　is
allowed　to　go　and　bathe；　and　plaster　himself　with　mud；　all　the　while
secured　to　his　tame　companion；　and　though　he　makes　the　most　desperate
struggles　for　liberty；　he　always　ends　by　giving　in；　and　being　led　back
to　his　fastenings　in　the　corral。　At　times　a　man　gets　upon　him；　sits　on
his　head；　and　walks　upon　his　back。　It　is　here　generally　about　two　years
before　an　elephant　is　regarded　as　thoroughly　broken　in　and　to　be
trusted