the golden chersonese and the way thither-第76章

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before　an　elephant　is　regarded　as　thoroughly　broken　in　and　to　be
trusted；　and；　as　elsewhere；　stories　are　told　of　elephant　revenge　and
keepers　being　killed。　A　full…grown　elephant　requires　about　200　lbs。　of
food　a　day。　These　animals　are　destructive　to　the　cocoa…nut　trees；　and
when　they　get　an　opportunity　they　put　their　heads　against　them；　and
then；　with　a　queer　swaying　movement　throw　the　weight　of　their　bodies
over　and　over　again　against　the　stem　till　the　palm　comes　down　with　a
crash；　and　the　dainty　monster　regales　himself　with　the　blossoms　and　the
nuts。　The　Malays　pet　and　caress　them；　and　talk　to　them　as　they　do　to
their　buffaloes。　Half　a　ton　is　considered　a　sufficient　load　for　a
journey　if　it　be　metal　or　anything　which　goes　into　small　compass；　but
if　the　burden　be　bulky；　from　four　to　six　hundred　weight　is　enough。
Except　where　there　are　rivers　or　roads　suitable　for　bullock…carts　or
pack　bullocks；　they　do　nearly　all　the　carrying　trade　of　Perak；　carrying
loads　on　〃elephant　tracks〃　through　the　jungle。　An　elephant　always　puts
his　foot　into　the　hole　which　another　elephant's　foot　has　made；　so　that
a　frequented　track　is　nothing　but　a　series　of　pits　filled　with　mud　and
water。　Trying　to　get　along　one　of　these　I　was　altogether　baffled；　for
it　had　no　verge。　The　jungle　presented　an　impassable　wall　of　dense
vegetation　on　either　side；　the　undergrowth　and　trees　being　matted
together　by　the　stout；　interminable　strands　of　the　rattan　and　other
tenacious　creepers；　including　a　thorn…bearing　one；　known　among　the
Malays　as　〃tigers'　claws；〃　from　the　curved　hook　of　the　thorn。　I　think　I
made　my　way　for　about　seven　feet。　　This　was　a　favorable　specimen　of　a
jungle　track；　and　I　now　understand　how　the　Malays；　by　felling　two　or
three　trees；　so　that　they　lay　across　similar　and　worse　roads；　were　able
to　delay　the　British　troops　at　a　given　spot　for　a　day　at　a　time。　　
＇*It　is　possible　that　this　was　an　exaggeration；　and　that　the　real　price
is　50。＇

One　might　think　that　elephants　roaming　at　large　would　render
cultivation　impossible；　but　they　have　the　greatest　horror　of　anything
that　looks　like　a　fence；　and　though　they　are　almost　powerful　enough　to
break　down　a　strong　stockade；　a　slight　fence　of　reeds　usually　keeps
them　out　of　padi；　cane；　and　maize　plantations。

Malays　are　gradually　coming　into　Perak。　It　is　said　that　there　has　been
recently　a　large　immigration　from　Selangor。　　The　Malay　population　is
fifty…seven　thousand　nearly；　with　a　large　preponderance　of　males；　but
fifty…eight　thousand　have　crowded　into　the　little　strip　of　land　called
Province　Wellesley；　which　is　altogether　under　British　rule；　and
sixty…seven　thousand　into　Malacca；　which　has　the　same　advantage。　I
suppose　that　slavery　and　polygamy　have　had　something　to　do　with　the
diminution　of　the　population；　as　well　as　small…pox。　Formerly　large
armies　of　fighting　men　could　be　raised　in　these　States。　Islamism　is
always　antagonistic　to　national　progress。　It　seems　to　petrify　or
congeal　national　life；　placing　each　individual　in　the　position　of　a
member　of　a　pure　theocracy；　rather　than　in　that　of　a　patriotic　citizen
of　a　country；　or　member　of　a　nationality。　In　these　States　law；
government　and　social　customs　have　no　existence　apart　from　religion；
and；　indeed；　they　grow　out　of　it。

It　is　strange　that　a　people　converted　from　Arabia；　and　partly；　no
doubt；　civilized　both　from　Arabia　and　Persia；　should　never　have
constructed　anything　permanent。　If　they　were　swept　away　to…morrow　not　a
trace　of　them　except　their　metal　work　would　be　to　be　found。　Civilized
as　they　are；　they　don't　leave　any　more　impress　on　the　country　than　a
Red　Indian　would。　They　have　not　been　destroyed　by　great　wars；　or　great
pestilences；　or　the　ravages　of　drink；　nor　can　it　be　said　that　they
perish　mysteriously；　as　some　peoples　have　done；　by　contact　with
Europeans；　yet　it　is　evident　that　the　dwindling　process　has　been　going
on　for　several　generations。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXI

A　Malay　InteriorMalay　Bird…ScaringRice　CulturePicturesque
DismalnessA　Bad　SpellAn　AlarmPossibilities　of　PerilPatience　and
KindnessMasculine　Clatter


KWALA　KANGSA；　February　20。

Yesterday　afternoon　I　had　an　expedition　which　I　liked　very　much；　though
it　ended　a　little　awkwardly　owing　to　a　late　start。　Captain　Walker　was
going　on　a　shooting　excursion　to　a　lotus　lake　at　some　distance；　and
invited　me　to　join　him。　　So　we　started　after　tiffin　with　two　Malays；
crossed　the　Perak　in　a　〃dug…out；〃　and　walked　for　a　mile　over　a　sandy；
grassy　shore；　which　there　lies　between　the　bright　water　and　the　forest；
then　turned　into　the　jungle；　and　waded　through　a　stream　which　was　up　to
my　knees　as　we　went；　and　up　to　my　waist　as　we　returned。　Then　a
tremendous　shower　came　on；　and　we　were　asked　to　climb　into　a　large
Malay　house；　of　which　the　floor　was　a　perilously　open　gridiron。　At
least　three　families　were　in　it；　and　there　were　some　very　big　men；　but
the　women　hid　themselves　behind　a　screen　of　matting。　It　looked　forlorn。
A　young　baboon　was　chained　to　the　floor；　and　walked　up　and　down
restlessly　like　a　wild　beast　in　a　menagerie；　there　were　many　birds　in
cages；　and　under　the　house　was　much　rubbish；　among　which　numerous　fowls
were　picking。　There　was　much　fishing…tackle　on　the　walls；　both　men　and
women　being　excessively　fond　of　what　I　suppose　may　be　called　angling。
They　brought　us　young　cocoa…nuts；　and　the　milk；　drank　as　it　always
ought　to　be；　through　one　of　the　holes　in　the　nut；　was　absolutely
delicious。

Where　the　Malays　are　not　sophisticated　enough　to　have　glass　or　china；
they　use　dried　gourds　for　drinking…vessels。　The　cocoa…nut　is　an
invaluable　product　to　them。　Besides　furnishing　them　with　an
incomparable　drink；　it　is　the　basis　of　the　curries　on　which　they　live
so　much；　and　its　meat　and　milk　enter　into　the　composition　of　their
sweet　dishes。　I　went　to　see　the　women　behind　their　screen；　and　found
one　of　them　engaged　in　making　a　dish　which　looked　like　something　which
we　used　to　call　syllabub。　It　was　composed　of　remarkably　unbleached
sago；　which　they　make　from　the　sago…palm；　boiled　down　with　sugar　to
nearly　a　jelly。　It　was　on　an　earthenware　plate；　and　the　woman　who　was
preparing　it　mixed　sugar　with　cocoa…nut　milk；　and　whipping　it　with　a
bunch　of　twigs　to　a　slight　froth；　poured　it　over　the　jelly。

When　the　rain　ceased　we　got　through　the　timber　belt　into　a　forlorn
swamp　of　wet　padi；　where　the　water　was　a　foot　deep；　and　in　some　places
so　unintelligibly　hot　that　it　was　unpleasant　to　put　one's　feet　into　it。
It　was　truly　a　dismal　swamp；　and　looked　as　if　the　padi　were　coming　up
by　accident　among　the　reeds　and　weeds。　Indeed；　I　should　have　thought
that　it　was　a　rice　fallow；　but　for　a　number　of　grotesque　scarecrows；
some　mere　bundles　of　tatters；　but　others　wearing　the　aspect　of　big
birds；　big　dolls；　or　cats。　I　could　not　think　how　it　was　that　these
things　made　spasmodic　jerking　movement；　as　there　was　not　a　breath　of
air；　and　they　were　all　soaked　by　the　shower；　till　I　saw　that　they　were
attached　by　long　strings　to　a　little　grass　hut　raised　on　poles；　in
which　a　girl　or　boy　sat　〃bird…scaring。〃　The　sparrows　rob　the
rice…fields；　and　so　do　the　beautiful　padi…birds；　of　which　we　saw　great
numbers。

The　Malays　are　certainly　not　industrious；　they　have　no　need　to　be　so；
and　their　cultivation　is　rude。　They　plow　the　rice…land　with　a　plow
consisting　of　a　pole　eight　feet　long；　with　a　fork　protruding　from　one
end　to　act　as　a　coulter；　and　a　bar　of　wood　inserted　over　this　at　an
oblique　angle　forms　a　guiding　handle。　This　plow　is　drawn　by　the　great
water　buffalo。　After　plowing；　the　clods　are　broken　by　dragging　a　heavy
beam　over　them；　and　are　harrowed　by　means　of　a　beam　set　with　iron
spikes　The　women　do　the　sowing　and　planting。　The　harvest　succeeds　the
planting　in　four　months。　　The　rice　ears　are　cut　short　off；　sometimes　by
a　small　sickle；　and　sometimes　by　an　instrument　which　produces　the
effect　of　shears。　Threshing　consists　in　beating　the　ears　with　thick
sticks　to　loosen　the　husks；　after　which　the　padi　is　carried　in　baskets
to　platforms　ten　feet　above　the　ground；　and　is　allowed　to　fall　on　mats；
when　the　chaff　is　driven　away　by　the　wind。　It　is　husked　by　a　pestle；
and　it　requires　some　skill　to　avoid　crushing　the　grain。