the golden chersonese and the way thither-第43部分

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waveless　sea；　we　reached　dreary；　decayed　Klang　in　the　evening。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XV

Tiger　MosquitoesInsect　TormentsA　Hadji's　FateMalay　CustomOaths
and　LiesA　False　Alarm


THE　RESIDENCY；　KLANG；　February　7。

I　have　had　two　days　of　supposed　quiet　here　after　the　charming
expedition　to　Langat。　The　climate　seems　very　healthy。　The　mercury　has
been　87　degrees　daily；　but　then　it　falls　to　74　degrees　at　night。　The
barometer；　as　is　usual　so　near　the　equator；　varies　only　a　few　tenths　of
an　inch　during　the　year。　The　rainfall　is　about　130　inches　annually。　　It
is　most　abundant　in　January；　February　and　March；　and　at　the　change　of
the　monsoon；　and　there　is　enough　all　the　year　round　to　keep　vegetation
in　beauty。　Here；　on　uninteresting　cleared　land　with　a　featureless
foreground　and　level　mangrove　swamps　for　the　middle　distance；　it　must
be　terribly　monotonous　to　have　no　change　of　seasons；　no　hope　of　the
mercury　falling　below　80　degrees　in　the　daytime；　or　of　a　bracing　wind；
or　of　any　marked　climatic　changes　for　better　or　worse　all　life　through。

The　mosquitoes　are　awful；　but　after　a　few　months　of　more　or　less
suffering　the　people　who　live　here　become　inoculated　by　the　poison；　and
are　more　bothered　than　hurt　by　the　bites。　I　am　almost　succumbing　to
them。　The　ordinary　pests　are　bad　enough；　for　just　when　the　evenings
become　cool；　and　sitting　on　the　veranda　would　be　enjoyable；　they　begin
their　foray；　and　specially　attack　the　feet　and　ankles；　but　the　tiger
mosquitoes　of　this　region　bite　all　day；　and　they　do　embitter　life。　In
the　evening　all　the　gentlemen　put　on　sarongs　over　their　trousers　to
protect　themselves；　and　ladies　are　provided　with　sarongs　which　we　draw
over　our　feet　and　dresses；　but　these　wretches　bite　through　two　〃ply〃　of
silk　or　cotton；　and；　in　spite　of　all　precautions；　I　am　dreadfully
bitten　on　my　ankles；　feet；　and　arms；　which　are　so　swollen　that　I　can
hardly　draw　on　my　sleeves；　and　for　two　days　stockings　have　been　an
impossibility；　and　I　have　had　to　sew　up　my　feet　daily　in　linen！　The
swellings　from　the　bites　have　become　confluent；　and　are　scarlet　with
inflammation。　It　is　truly　humiliating　that　〃the　crown　of　things〃　cannot
defend　himself　against　these　minute　enemies；　and　should　be　made　as
miserable　as　I　am　just　now。

But　it　is　a　most　healthy　climate；　and　when　I　write　of　mosquitoes；　land
leeches；　centipedes　and　snakes；　I　have　said　my　say　as　to　its　evils。　I
will　now　confess　that　I　was　bitten　by　a　centipede　in　my　bath…house　in
Sungei　Ujong；　but　I　at　once　cut　the　bite　deeply　with　a　penknife；
squeezed　it；　and　poured　ammonia　recklessly　over　it；　and　in　a　few　hours
the　pain　and　swelling　went　off。

I　had　been　to　the　fort；　the　large　barrack　of　the　military　police；　and
Mr。　Syers　showed　me　many　things。　In　the　first　place；　a　snake　about
eight　feet　long　was　let　out　and　killed。　The　Malays　call　this　a
〃two…headed〃　snake；　and　there　is　enough　to　give　rise　to　the　ignorant
statement；　for　after　the　proper　head　was　dead　the　tail　stood　up　and
moved　forward。　The　skin　of　this　reptile　was　marked　throughout　with
broad　bands　of　black　and　white　alternately。　There　was　an　ill…favored
skull　of　a　crocodile　hanging　up　to　dry；　with　teeth　three　inches　long。
One　day　lately　a　poor　Hadji　was　carried　off　by　one；　and　shortly
afterwards　this　monster　was　caught；　and　on　opening　it　they　found　the
skull　of　the　Hadji；　part　of　his　body；　a　bit　of　his　clothing；　and　part
of　a　goat。　I　brought　away　as　spoils　tiger's　teeth　and　claws；
crocodile's　teeth；　bear's　teeth；　etc。

I　went　also　to　the　Government　offices。　The　skin　of　a　superb　tiger；
which　was　killed　close　to　Klang　after　it　had　devoured　six　men；
decorated　the　entrance。　I　heard　two　cases　tried　before　the　Resident。
The　first　criminal　was　a　Malay；　who　was　〃in　trouble〃　for　the　very
British　crime　of　nearly　beating　his　wife　to　death。　She　said　she　did　not
want　to　prosecute　him；　but　to　get　a　divorce。　She　was　told　to　apply　to
the　Imaum；　and　the　man　was　bound　over　to　keep　the　peace　for　six　months。
The　next　case　was　a　very　common　one　here；　and　the　court　was　crowded
with　Chinese　onlookers。　A　Chinaman　had　bought　a　girl　（very　nice…looking
she　was）；　and　now　a　man　wants　to　marry　her；　upon　which　her　owner
produces　a　promissory　note　from　her；　and　demands　165　as　her　price！　　It
was　impossible　to　make　him　understand　that　the　transaction　is　utterly
illegal　and　immoral。　The　Resident　addressed　some　very　strong　and　just
words　to　this　man　in　reprobation　of　his　conduct；　which　were　translated
for　the　benefit　of　the　crowd。

I　cannot　elicit　anything　very　definite；　here　or　elsewhere；　about　the
legal　system　under　which　criminals　are　tried　in　these　States。
Apparently；　murder；　robbery；　forgery；　and　violent　assault　come　under
English　criminal　law；　and　must　be　equally　punishable　whether　committed
by　a　Briton；　a　Chinaman；　or　a　Malay。　But　then　nobody；　except　a
Christian；　can　be　punished　for　bigamy。　So　criminal　law　even　undergoes
modification　by　local　custom；　and　the　four　wives　of　the　Mussulman；　and
the　subordinate　wives　of　the　Chinaman；　have　an　equal　claim　to
recognition　with　the　one　wife　of　the　Englishman。　Even　Mohammedan　law；
by　which　the　Malays　profess　to　be　ruled；　is　modified　by　Malay　custom；
which　asserts　itself　specially　in　connection　with　marriage；　its
frequent　attendant　repudiation；　and　inheritance。

The　〃Malay　custom〃　（adat　Malayu）　seems　to　have　been　originally　a　just
and　equitable　code；　though　ofttimes　severe　in　its　punishments；　as　you
will　see　if　you　can　get　Newbold's　_Malacca_；　and　was　probably　suited　to
the　people；　but　it　has　undergone　such　clippings　and　emendations　by　the
successive　Rajahs　or　Sultans　of　these　native　States；　that　the　custom
now　in　force　bears　a　very　faint　resemblance　to　the　original　adat。　It　is
said；　indeed；　that　each　alteration　has　been　for　the　worse；　and　that　now
any　chief　who　introduces　anything　of　his　own　will；　justifies　it　as
〃adat　Malayu。〃　Mr。　Swettenham；　the　Assistant　Colonial　Secretary；　says
that　the　few　upright　Rajahs　who　exist　say　that　there　is　no　longer　any
〃adat　Malayu；〃　but　that　everything　is　done　by　〃adat　Suka　hate；〃　i。e。；
the　custom　by　which　a　man　can　best　suit　his　own　inclination。

So　it　seems　that　a　most　queerly　muddled　system　of　law　prevails　under
our　flag；　Mohammedan　law；　modified　by　degenerate　and　evil　custom；　and
to　some　extent　by　the　discretion　of　the　residents；　existing　alongside
of　fragments　of　English　criminal　law；　or　more　perhaps　correctly　of
〃justice's　justice；〃　the　Resident's　notions　of　〃equity；〃　overriding　all
else。*　Surely；　as　we　have　practically　acquired　those　States；　and　are
responsible　for　their　good　government；　we　ought　to　give　them　the
blessing　of　a　simple　code　of　law；　of　which　the　residents　shall　be　only
the　responsible　interpreters；　modified　by　the　true　〃Malay　custom〃　of
course；　but　under　the　same　conditions　which　are　giving　such　growing
satisfaction　to　the　peoples　of　India　and　Ceylon。　　
＇*A　Colonial　friend　tells　me　that　he　asked　an　English　magistrate　in　one
of　the　native　States；　by　what　lawEnglish；　Colonial；　or　Malayhe　had
sentenced　some　culprits　to　three　years'　imprisonment；　and　that　the　reply
was　a　shrug；　and　〃The　rascals　were　served　right。〃＇

The　oaths　are　equally　inscrutable；　and　probably　no　oath；　however
terrible　in　formula；　would　restrain　a　Chinese　coolie　witness　from
telling　a　lie；　if　he　thought　it　would　be　to　his　advantage。*　
＇*Sir　Benson　Maxwell；　late　Chief　Justice　of　the　Straits　Settlements；　to
whose　kindness　I　am　much　indebted；　wrote　to　me　lately　thus：　〃In　China　I
believe　an　oath　is　rarely　taken；　when　it　is；　it　is　in　the　form　of　an
imprecation。　The　witness　cuts　off　a　cock's　head；　and　prays　that　he　may
be　so　treated　if　he　speaks　falsely。〃　〃Would　you　cut　off　a　cock's　head　to
that？〃　I　once　asked　a　Chinese　witness　who　had　made　a　statement　which　I
did　not　believe。　〃I　would　cut　off　an　elephant's　head　to　it；〃　he　replied。
In　the　Colonial　courts；　Chinamen　are　sworn　by　burning　a　piece　of　paper
on　which　is　written　some　imprecation　on　themselves　if　they　do　not　speak
the　truth。＇

I　went　to　see　the　jail；　a　tolerable　buildinga　barred　cage　below；　and
a　long　room　abovestanding　in　a　graveled　courtyard；　surrounded　by　a
high　wall。　Formerly　there　were　no　prisons；　and　criminals　were　punished
on　the　spot；　either　by　being　krissed；　shot；　or　flogged。　Here　they　have
a　liberal　diet　of　rice　and　salt　fish；　and　〃hard　labor〃　is　only　mild
work　on　the　roads。　The　prisoners；　forty…two　adult　men；　were　drawn　up　in
a　row；　and　Mr。　Syers　called　the　roll；　telling　the　crime　of　each　man；
and　his　conduct　in　prison；　and　most　of　those　who　had　conducted
themselves　well　were　to　be　recommended　to　the　Sultan　for　remission　of
part　of　their　sentences。　〃Flog　them　if　they　are　lazy；〃　the　Resident
often　said；　but　Mr。　Syers　says　that　he　never　punishes　them　except　under
aggravated　circumstances。　The　prisoners　are　nearly　all　Chinamen；　and
their　crimes　are　mostly　murder；　gang…robbery；　assault；　and　theft。
About　half　of　them　were　in　chains。　There　is　an　unusual　mortality　in　the
prison；　attributed；　though　possibly　not　_attributable_；　to　the　enforced
disuse　of　opium。　We　went　also　to　the　hospital；　mainly　used　by　the
police；　a　long　airy　shed；　with　a　broad　shelf　on　each　side。　Mr。　Klyne；
the　apothecary；　a　half…caste；　has　a　good　many　Malay　dispensary
patients。

On　our　return；　four　Malay　women；　including　the　Imaum's　wife；　came　to
see　me。　Each　one　would　have　made　a　picturesque　picture；　but　they　had　no
manners；　and　seized　on　my　hands；　which　are　coarsened；　reddened；　and
swelled　from　heat　and　mosquito　bites；　all　exclaiming；　〃chanti！
chanti！〃pretty！　pretty！　I　wondered　at　their　bad　taste；　specially　as
they　had　very　small　and　pretty　hands　themselves；　with　almond…shaped
nails。

In　the　evening　the　〃establishment〃　dined　at　the　Residency。　　After
dinner；　as　we　sat　in　the　darkness　in　the　veranda；　maddened　by　mosquito
bites；　about　9：30；　the　bugle　at　the　fort　sounded　the　〃alarm；〃　which　was
followed　in　a　few　seconds　by　the　drum　beating　〃to　quarters；〃　and　in
less　than　five　minutes　every　approach　to　the　Residency　was　held　by　men
with　fixed　bayonets；　and　fourteen　rounds　of　ball…cartridges　each　in
their　belts；　and　every　road　round　Klang　was　being　patrolled　by　pickets。
I　knew　instinctively　that　it　was　〃humbug；〃　arranged　to　show　the