the golden chersonese and the way thither-第22部分

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loudly　and　vociferously；　and　their　vocabulary　of　abuse　is　said　to　be
inexhaustible。　The　Kling　men　are　very　fine…looking；　lithe　and　active；
and；　as　they　clothe　but　little；　their　forms　are　seen　to　great
advantage。　The　women　are；　I　think；　beautifulnot　so　much　in　face　as　in
form　and　carriage。　I　am　never　weary　of　watching　and　admiring　their
inimitable　grace　of　movement。　Their　faces　are　oval；　their　foreheads
low；　their　eyes　dark　and　liquid；　their　noses　shapely；　but　disfigured　by
the　universal　adoption　of　jewelled　nose…rings；　their　lips　full；　but　not
thick　or　coarse；　their　heads　small；　and　exquisitely　set　on　long；
slender　throats；　their　ears　small；　but　much　dragged　out　of　shape　by　the
wearing　of　two　or　three　hoop…earrings　in　each；　and　their　glossy；　wavy；
black　hair；　which　grows　classically　low　on　the　forehead；　is　gathered
into　a　Grecian　knot　at　the　back。　Their　clothing；　or　rather　drapery；　is
a　mystery；　for　it　covers　and　drapes　perfectly；　yet　has　no　_make_；　far
less　fit；　and　leaves　every　graceful　movement　unimpeded。　It　seems　to
consist　of　ten　wide　yards　of　soft　white　muslin　or　soft　red　material；　so
ingeniously　disposed　as　to　drape　the　bust　and　lower　limbs；　and　form　a
girdle　at　the　same　time。　One　shoulder　and　arm　are　usually　left　bare。
The　part　which　may　be　called　a　petticoatthough　the　word　is　a　slur
upon　the　graceful　draperyis　short；　and　shows　the　finely　turned
ankles；　high　insteps；　and　small　feet。　These　women　are　tall；　and
straight　as　arrows；　their　limbs　are　long　and　rounded；　their　appearance
is　timid；　one　might　almost　say　modest；　and　their　walk　is　the　poetry　of
movement。　A　tall；　graceful　Kling　woman；　draped　as　I　have　described；
gliding　along　the　pavement；　her　statuesque　figure　the　perfection　of
graceful　ease；　a　dark　pitcher　on　her　head；　just　touched　by　the
beautiful　hand；　showing　the　finely　moulded　arm；　is　a　beautiful　object；
classical　in　form；　exquisite　in　movement；　and　artistic　in　coloring；　a
creation　of　the　tropic　sun。　　What　thinks　she；　I　wonder；　if　she　thinks
at　all；　of　the　pale　European；　paler　for　want　of　exercise　and　engrossing
occupation；　who　steps　out　of　her　carriage　in　front　of　her；　an
ungraceful　heap　of　poufs　and　frills；　tottering　painfully　on　high　heels；
in　tight　boots；　her　figure　distorted　into　the　shape　of　a　Japanese　sake
bottle；　every　movement　a　struggle　or　a　jerk；　the　clothing　utterly
unsuited　to　this　or　any　climate；　impeding　motion；　and　affecting　health；
comfort；　and　beauty　alike？

It　is　all　fascinating。　Here　is　none　of　the　indolence　and　apathy　which
one　associates　with　Oriental　life；　and　which　I　have　seen　in　Polynesia。
These　yellow；　brown；　tawny；　swarthy；　olive…tinted　men　are　all　intent　on
gain；　busy；　industrious；　frugal；　striving；　and；　no　matter　what　their
creed　is；　all　paying　homage　to　Daikoku。　In　spite　of　the　activity；
rapidity；　and　earnestness；　the　movements　of　all　but　the　Chinese　are
graceful；　gliding；　stealthy；　the　swarthy　faces　have　no　expression　that
I　can　read；　and　the　dark；　liquid　eyes　are　no　more　intelligible　to　me
than　the　eyes　of　oxen。　It　is　the　〃Asian　mystery〃　all　over。

It　is　only　the　European　part　of　Singapore　which　is　dull　and　sleepy
looking。　No　life　and　movement　congregate　round　the　shops。　The
merchants；　hidden　away　behind　jalousies　in　their　offices；　or　dashing
down　the　streets　in　covered　buggies；　make　but　a　poor　show。　Their　houses
are　mostly　pale；　roomy；　detached　bungalows；　almost　altogether　hidden　by
the　bountiful　vegetation　of　the　climate。　In　these　their　wives；　growing
paler　every　week；　lead　half…expiring　lives；　kept　alive　by　the　efforts
of　ubiquitous　〃punkah…wallahs；〃　writing　for　the　mail；　the　one　active
occupation。　At　a　given　hour　they　emerge；　and　drive　in　given　directions；
specially　round　the　esplanade；　where　for　two　hours　at　a　time　a　double
row　of　handsome　and　showy　equipages　moves　continuously　in　opposite
directions。　The　number　of　carriages　and　the　style　of　dress　of　their
occupants　are　surprising；　and　yet　people　say　that　large　fortunes　are
not　made　now…a…days　in　Singapore！　Besides　the　daily　drive；　the　ladies；
the　officers；　and　any　men　who　may　be　described　as　of　〃no　occupation；〃
divert　themselves　with　kettle…drums；　dances；　lawn　tennis；　and　various
other　devices　for　killing　time；　and　this　with　the　mercury　at　80
degrees！　Just　now　the　Maharajah　of　Johore；　sovereign　of　a　small　state
on　the　nearest　part　of　the　mainland；　a　man　much　petted　and　decorated　by
the　British　Government　for　unswerving　fidelity　to　British　interests；
has　a　house　here；　and　his　receptions　and　dinner　parties　vary　the
monotonous　round　of　gayeties。

The　native　streets　monopolize　the　picturesqueness　of　Singapore　with
their　bizarre　crowds；　but　more　interesting　still　are　the　bazaars　or
continuous　rows　of　open　shops　which　create　for　themselves　a　perpetual
twilight　by　hanging　tatties　or　other　screens　outside　the　sidewalks；
forming　long　shady　alleys；　in　which　crowds　of　buyers　and　sellers
chaffer　over　their　goods；　the　Chinese　shopkeepers　asking　a　little　more
than　they　mean　to　take；　and　the　Klings　always　asking　double。　The　bustle
and　noise　of　this　quarter　are　considerable；　and　the　vociferation
mingles　with　the　ringing　of　bells　and　the　rapid　beating　of　drums　and
tom…tomsan　intensely　heathenish　sound。　And　heathenish　this　great　city
is。　Chinese　joss…houses；　Hindu　temples；　and　Mohammedan　mosques　almost
jostle　each　other；　and　the　indescribable　clamor　of　the　temples　and　the
din　of　the　joss…houses　are　faintly　pierced　by　the　shrill　cry　from　the
minarets　calling　the　faithful　to　prayer；　and　proclaiming　the　divine
unity　and　the　mission　of　Mahomet　in　one　breath。

How　I　wish　I　could　convey　an　idea；　however　faint；　of　this　huge；
mingled；　colored；　busy；　Oriental　population；　of　the　old　Kling　and
Chinese　bazaars；　of　the　itinerant　sellers　of　seaweed　jelly；　water；
vegetables；　soup；　fruit；　and　cooked　fish；　whose　unintelligible　street
cries　are　heard　above　the　din　of　the　crowds　of　coolies；　boatmen；　and
gharriemen　waiting　for　hire；　of　the　far…stretching　suburbs　of　Malay　and
Chinese　cottages；　of　the　sheet　of　water；　by　no　means　clean；　round　which
hundreds　of　Bengalis　are　to　be　seen　at　all　hours　of　daylight
unmercifully　beating　on　great　stones　the　delicate　laces；　gauzy　silks；
and　elaborate　flouncings　of　the　European　ladies；　of　the　ceaseless　rush
and　hum　of　industry；　and　of　the　resistless；　overpowering；　astonishing
Chinese　element；　which　is　gradually　turning　Singapore　into　a　Chinese
city！　I　must　conclude　abruptly；　or　lose　the　mail。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　VIII

St。　Andrew's　CathedralSingapore　Harbor　ScenesChinese
PreponderanceFirst　Impressions　of　MalaccaA　Town　〃Out　of　the
Running〃


S。S。　〃RAINBOW；〃　MALACCA　ROADS；　January　20。

Yesterday　I　attended　morning　service　in　St。　Andrew's；　a　fine　colonial
cathedral；　prettily　situated　on　a　broad　grass　lawn　among　clumps　of
trees　near　the　sea。　There　is　some　stained　glass　in　the　apse；　but　in　the
other　windows；　including　those　in　the　clerestory；　Venetian　shutters
take　the　place　of　glass；　as　in　all　the　European　houses。　There　are
thirty…two　punkahs；　and　the　Indians　who　worked　them；　anyone　of　whom
might　have　been　the　model　of　the　Mercury　of　the　Naples　Museum；　sat　or
squatted　outside　the　church。　The　service　was　simple　and　the　music　very
good；　but　in　the　Te　Deum；　just　as　the　verse　〃Thou　art　the　King　of
Glory；　O　Christ；〃　I　caught　sight　of　the　bronze　faces　of　these　〃punkah…
wallahs；〃　mostly　bigoted　Mussulmen；　and　was　overwhelmed　by　the
realization　of　the　small　progress　which　Christianity　has　made　upon　the
earth　in　nineteen　centuries。　A　Singhalese　D。D。　preached　an　able　sermon。
Just　before　the　communion　we　were　called　out；　as　the　Rainbow　was　about
to　sail；　and　a　harbor　boat；　manned　by　six　splendid　Klings；　put　us　on
board。

The　Rainbow　is　a　very　small　vessel；　her　captain　half　Portuguese　and
half　Malay；　her　crew　Chinese；　and　her　cabin　passengers　were　all　Chinese
merchants。　Her　engineer　is　a　Welshman；　a　kindly　soul；　who　assured　Mr。
；　when　he　commended　me　to　his　care；　that　〃he　was　a　family　man；　and
that　nothing　gave　him　greater　pleasure　than　seeing　that　ladies　were
comfortable；〃　and　I　owe　to　his　good　offices　the　very　small　modicum　of
comfort　that　I　had。　Waiting　on　the　little　bridge　was　far　from　being
wearisome；　there　was　such　a　fascination　in　watching　the　costumed　and
manifold　life　of　the　harbor；　the　black…hulled；　sullen…looking　steamers
from　Europe　discharging　cargo　into　lighters；　Malay　prahus　of　all　sizes
but　one　form；　sharp　at　both　ends；　and　with　eyes　on　their　bows；　like　the
Cantonese　and　Cochin　China　boats；　reeling　as　though　they　would　upset
under　large　mat　sails；　and　rowing…boats　rowed　by　handsome；　statuesque
Klings。　A　steamer　from　Jeddah　was　discharging　six　hundred　pilgrims　in
most　picturesque　costumes；　and　there　were　boats　with　men　in　crimson
turbans　and　graceful　robes　of　pure　white　muslin；　and　others　a　mass　of
blue　umbrellas；　while　some　contained　Brahmins　with　the　mark　of　caste
set　conspicuously　on　their　foreheads；　all　moving　in　a　veil　of　gold　in
the　setting　of　a　heavy　fringe　of　cocoa…palms。

We　sailed　at　four；　with　a　strong　favorable　breeze；　and　the　sea　was
really　delightful　as　we　passed　among　green　islets　clothed　down　to　the
water's　edge　with　dense　tropical　vegetation；　right　out　into　the　open
water　of　the　Straits　of　Malacca；　a　burning；　waveless　sea；　into　which
the　sun　was　descending　in　mingled　flame　and　blood。　Then；　dinner　for
three；　consisting　of　an　excellent　curry；　was　spread　on　the　top　of　the
cabin；　and　eaten　by　the　captain；　engineer；　and　myself；　after　which　the
engineer　took　me　below　to　arrange　for　my　comfort；　and　as　it　was
obviously　impossible　for　me　to　sleep　in　a　very　dirty　and　very　small
hole；　tenanted　by　cockroaches　disproportionately　large；　and　with　a
temperature　of　eighty…eight　degrees；　he　took　a　mattress　and　pillows
upon　the　bridge；　told　me　his　history；　and　that　of　his　colored　wife　and
sixteen　children　under　seventeen；　of　his　pay　of　35　pounds　a　month；　lent
me　a　box　of　matches；　and　vanished　into　the　lower　regions　with　the
consoling　words；　〃If　you　want　anything　in　the　night；　just　call
'Engineer'　down　the　engine　skylight。〃　It　does　one's　heart　good　to　meet
with　such　a　countryman。

The　Rainbow　is　one　of　the　many　tokens　of　preponderating　Chinese
influence　in　the　Straits　of　Malacca。