the golden chersonese and the way thither-第66部分

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LETTER　XXIII

〃Gang　Murders〃Malay　NicknamesA　Persecuted　InfantThe　Last　of　the
Golden　Chersonese


MR。　JUSTICE　WOOD'S；　THE　PEAK；　PINANG；　February　24。

However　kind　and　hospitable　people　are；　the　process　of　〃breaking　in〃　to
conventionalities　again　is　always　a　severe　one；　and　I　never　feel　well
except　in　the　quiet　and　freedom　of　the　wilds；　though　in　the　abstract
nothing　can　be　more　healthy　than　the　climate　of　this　lofty　Peak。　The
mercury　has　been　down　at　68　degrees　for　two　nights；　and　blankets　have
been　a　comfort！

Shortly　after　finishing　my　last　letter　I　left　Taipeng　with　Mr。　Maxwell；
calling　on　our　way　to　the　coast　at　Permatang；　to　inquire　if　there　were
any　scent　of　the　murderers　of　the　revenue　officer；　but　there　was　none。
The　inspector　said　that　he　had　seen　many　murdered　bodies；　but　never　one
so　frightfully　mutilated。　These　Chinese　〃gang…murders〃　are　nearly
always　committed　for　gain；　and　the　Chinese　delight　in　cruel　hackings
and　purposeless　mutilations。　The　Malay　assassinations　are　nearly　all
affairs　of　jealousya　single　stab　and　no　more。

The　last　part　of　the　drive　on　a　road　causewayed　through　the　endless
mangrove　swamp　impresses　the　imagination　strongly　by　its　dolefulness。
Here　are　hundreds　of　square　miles　all　along　the　coast　nothing　but　swamp
and　slime；　loaded　with　rank　and　useless　vegetation；　which　has　not　even
beauty　to　justify　its　existence；　teeming　with　alligators；　serpents；　and
other　vengeful　creatures。　There　is　a　mournfulness　in　seeing　the　pointed
fruit　of　the　mangrove　drop　down　through　the　still　air　into　the　slime
beneath；　with　the　rootlet　already　formed　of　that　which　never　fails　to
become　a　tree。

A　Sikh　guard　of　honor　of　fifty　men　in　scarlet　uniforms　lined　the　way　to
the　boat　as　a　farewell　to　Major　Swinburne；　whose　feet　they　had　embraced
and　kissed　with　every　Oriental　demonstration　of　woe　two　hours　before。
We　asked　him　what　his　farewells　were；　and　he　says　that　he　said；　〃You
are　a　lot　of　unmitigated　scoundrels；　half　of　you　deserve　hanging；　but
keep　out　of　scrapes　if　you　can　till　I　come　back；　that　I　may　have　the
pleasure　of　hanging　you　myself。〃　He　really　likes　them　though；　and
called　after　Captain　Walker；　who　is　to　act　as　his　substitute；　〃Now；　old
man；　don't　knock　those　fellows　about！〃　The　chief　dread　of　the　〃fellows〃
is　that　they　will　be　at　the　mercy　of　an　interpreter　under　the　new
regime。　The　Malays　give　sobriquets　to　all　Europeans；　founded　upon　their
physical　or　mental　idiosyncrasies。　Thus　they　call　Major　Swinburne　〃The
Mad　One〃　and　〃The　Outspoken　One。〃　Captain　Walker　they　have　already
dubbed　〃The　Black　Panther。〃　They　call　Mr。　Maxwell　〃The　Cat…eyed　One；〃
and　〃The　Tiger　Cub。〃

Just　before　sailing　I　had　the　satisfaction　of　getting　this　telegram
from　Kwala　Kangsa：　〃Eblis　is　a　little　better　this　morning。　He　has　eaten
two　grasshoppers　and　has　taken　his　milk　without　trouble；　but　he　is　very
weak。〃*　
＇*Those　of　my　readers　who　have　become　interested　in　this　most　bewitching
ape　will　be　sorry　to　hear　that；　after　recovering　and　thriving　for　a
considerable　time；　he　died；　to　the　great　grief　of　his　friends。＇

We　embarked　at　5：30　P。M。　along　with　a　swarm　of　mosquitoes；　and　after　a
beautiful　night　anchored　at　Georgetown　at　2　A。M。；　but　it　was　a
ludicrously　uncomfortable　voyage。　An　English　would…be　lady；　i。e。；　a
〃fine　lady；〃　a　product　of　imperfect　civilization　with　which　I　have
little　sympathy；　had　demanded　rather　than　asked　for　a　passage　in　the
Kinta；　and　this　involved　not　only　a　baby；　but　an　ayah　and　man…servant。
The　little　cabin　of　the　launch　can　hold　two　on　two　coaches；　but　the
lady；　after　appropriating　one；　filled　up　most　of　the　other　with　bags
and　impediments　of　various　kinds。　The　floor　was　covered　with　luggage；
among　which　the　ayah　and　infant　slept；　and　the　man　sat　inside　on　the
lowest　rung　of　the　ladder。　Thus　there　were　five　human　beings；　a　host　of
mosquitoes；　and　a　lamp　in　the　stifling　den；　in　which　the　mercury　stood
all　night　at　88　degrees。　Then　a　whole　bottle　of　milk　was　spilt　and
turned　sour；　a　vial　of　brandy　was　broken　and　gave　off　its　disgusting
fumes；　and　the　infant　screamed　with　a　ferocious　persistency；　which
contrasted　with　the　patient　wistfulness　of　the　sick　Eblis　and　his
gentle　murmur　of　〃ouf！　ouf！〃　Before　we　anchored　the　lady　asked　me　to　go
and　wake　the　gentlemen　and　get　a　teaspoonful　of　brandy　for　her；　at
which　request；　though　made　with　all　due　gravity；　they　laughed　so
tremendously　that　I　was　hardly　able　to　go　back　to　her　with　it。　Major
Swinburne；　who　professes　to　be　a　woman　and　child　hater；　was　quite
irrepressible；　and　whenever　the　infant　cried　outrageously；　called　to
his　servant；　〃Wring　that　brat's　neck；〃　the　servant；　of　course；　knowing
not　a　word　of　English；　and　at　2　A。M。；　when　there　was　chocolate　on　deck；
and　the　unfortunate　baby　was　roaring　and　kicking；　he　called　down　to　me；
〃Will　you　come　and　drink　some　chocolate　to　King　Herod's　memory？〃　Mr。
Maxwell；　who　has　four　children；　did　not　behave　much　better；　and　it　was
a　great　exertion　to　me；　by　overdone　courtesy　and　desperate　attempts　at
conversation；　to　keep　the　mother　as　far　as　possible　from　hearing　what
was　going　on！

At　6　A。M。；　in　the　glory　of　the　tropic　sunrise；　Mr。　Maxwell　and　I　landed
in　Province　Wellesley；　under　the　magnificent　casuarina　trees　which
droop　in　mournful　grace　over　the　sandy　shore。　The　somberness　of　the
interminable　groves　of　cocoa…palms　on　the　one　side　of　the　Strait；　the
brightness　of　the　sun…kissed　peaks　on　the　other；　and　the　deep　shadows
on　the　amber　water；　were　all　beautiful。　Truly　in　the　tropics　〃the
outgoings　of　the　morning　rejoice。〃

We　found　Mrs。　Isemonger　away；　no　one　knew　where；　so　we　broke　open　the
tea…chest；　and　got　some　breakfast；　at　the　end　of　which　she　returned；
and　we　had　a　very　pleasant　morning。　At　noon　a　six…oared　gig；　which　was
the　last　of　the　〃Government　facilities；〃　took　us　over　to　Georgetown；
spending　an　hour　in　crossing　against　an　unfavorable　tide；　under　a
blazing　sun。　This　was　the　last　of　the　Malay　Peninsula。


S。S。　Malwa；　February　25。We　sailed　from　Pinang　in　glorious　sunshine　at
an　early　hour　this　afternoon；　and　have　exchanged　the　sparkling　calms　of
the　Malacca　Straits　for　the　indolent　roll　of　the　Bay　of　Bengal。　The
steamer's　head　points　northwest。　In　the　far　distance　the　hills　of　the
Peninsula　lie　like　mists　upon　a　reddening　sky。　My　tropic　dream　is
fading　and　the　〃Golden　Chersonese〃　is　already　a　memory。

I。　L。　B。



APPENDIX　A

Residents。

A　policy　of　advice；　and　that　alone；　was　contemplated　by　the　Colonial
Office；　but　without　its　orders　or　even　cognizance　affairs　were　such
that　the　government　of　those　Malayan　States　to　which　Residents　have
been　accredited　has　been　from　the　first　exercised　by　the　Residents
themselves；　mainly　because　neither　in　Perak；　Selangor；　or　Sungei　Ujong
has　there　ever　been　a　ruler　powerful　enough　to　carry　out　such　an
officer's　advice；　the　Rajahs　and　other　petty　chiefs　being　able　to　set
him　at　defiance。　Advice　would　be　given　that　peace　and　order　should　be
preserved；　justice　administered　without　regard　to　the　rank　of　the
criminal；　the　collection　of　revenue　placed　upon　a　satisfactory　footing；
and　good　administration　generally　secured；　but　had　any　reigning　prince
attempted　to　carry　out　these　recommendations　he　would　have　been
overborne　by　the　Rajahs；　whose　revenues　depended　on　the　very　practices
which　the　Resident　denounced；　and　by　the　piratical　bands　whose　source
of　livelihood　was　the　weakness　and　mal…administration　of　the　rulers。
The　Pangkor　Treaty　contained　the　words　that　the　Resident's　advice
〃_must　be　acted　upon_；〃　and　consequently　the　Residents　have　taken　the
direction　of　public　affairs；　organizing　armed　forces；　imposing　taxes；
taking　into　their　own　hands　the　collection　of　the　revenues；　receiving
all　complaints；　executing　justice；　punishing　evil…doers；　apprehending
criminals；　and　repressing　armed　gangs　of　robbers。　These　officers　are；
in　fact；　far　more　the　agents　of　the　Governor　of　the　Straits　Settlements
than　the　advisers　of　the　native　princes；　and　though　paid　out　of　native
revenues　are　the　virtual　rulers　of　the　country　in　all　matters；　except
those　which　relate　to　Malay　religion　and　custom。　As　stated　by　Lord
Carnarvon；　〃Their　special　objects　should　be　the　maintenance　of　peace
and　law；　the　initiation　of　a　sound　system　of　taxation；　with　the
consequent　development　of　the　general　resources　of　the　country；　and　the
supervision　of　the　collection　of　the　revenue　so　as　to　insure　the
receipt　of　funds　necessary　to　carry　out　the　principal　engagements　of
the　Government；　and　to　pay　for　the　cost　of　British　officers　and
whatever　establishments　may　be　found　necessary　to　support　them。〃　Lord
Carnarvon　in　the　same　dispatch　states：　〃Neither　annexation　nor　the
government　of　the　country　by　British　officers　in　the　name　of　the　Sultan
＇a　measure　very　little　removed　from　annexation＇　could　be　allowed；〃　and
elsewhere　he　says：　〃It　should　be　our　present　policy　to　find　and　train
up　some　chief　or　chiefs　of　sufficient　capacity　and　enlightenment　to
appreciate　the　advantages　of　a　civilized　government；　and　to　render　some
effectual　assistance　in　the　government　of　the　country。〃

The　treaty　of　Pangkor　provides　〃that　the　Resident's　advice　must　be
asked　and　acted　upon　（in　Perak）　on　all　questions　other　than　those
relating　to　Malay　religion　and　custom；　and　that　the　collection　and
control　of　all　revenue　and　the　general　administration　of　the　country
must　be　regulated　under　the　advice　of　these　Residents。〃　It　was　on　the
same　terms　that　Residents　were　appointed　at　Selangor　and　Sungei　Ujong。



APPENDIX　B

Slavery　in　the　Malay　States。

Langat；　30th　June；　1875。

SirWhen　on　board　the　Colonial　steamer　Pluto　last　week；　accompanying
His　Excellency　the　Governor　in　a　tour　to　some　of　the　native　States；　His
Excellency　made　inquiry　of　me　with　regard　to　the　present　state　of
debt…slavery　in　the　Peninsula。

This　was　a　subject　so　large　and　important　as　hardly　to　admit　of
thorough　explanation　in　a　conversation；　I　therefore　asked　His
Excellency's　leave　to　report　upon　it。

I　now　beg　to　give　you　a　detailed　account　of　the　circumstances　of
debt…slavery　as　known　to　me　personally。

In　treating　the　question　under　its　present　conditionI　mean　under
Malay　ruleit　is　necessary　to　consider　the　all…b