the golden chersonese and the way thither-第20节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Spaniards；　and　Germans；　smoking　and　dozing　with　their　feet　upon　tables
or　on　aught　else　which　raised　them　to　the　level　of　their　heads；　while
men　in　linen　suits　and　pith　helmets　dashed　about　in　buggies　and
gharries；　and　French　officers　and　soldiers　lounged　weariedly　along　all
the　roads。　There　was　not　a　native　to　be　seen！　A　little　later　there　was
not　a　European　to　be　seen！　There　was　a　universal　siesta　behind　closed
jalousies；　and　Saigon　was　abandoned　to　Chinamen　and　leggy　dogs。　Then
came　the　cool　of　the　afternoon；　i。e。；　the　mercury；　with　evident
reluctance；　dawdled　down　to　84　degrees；　military　bands　performed；　the
Europeans　emerged；　smoking　as　in　the　morning；　to　play　billiards　or
ecarte；　or　sip　absinthe　at　their　cafes；　then　came　the　mosquitoes　and
dinner；　after　which　I　was　told　that　card…parties　were　made　up；　and　that
the　residents　played　till　near　midnight。　Thus　from　observation　and
hearsay；　I　gathered　that　the　life　of　a　European　Saigonese　was　made　up
of　business　in　baju　and　pyjamas　with　cheroot　in　mouth　from　6　to　9：30
A。M。；　then　the　bath；　the　toilette；　and　the　breakfast　of　claret　and
curry；　next　the　sleeping；　smoking；　and　lounging　till　tiffin；　after
tiffin　a　little　more　work；　then　the　band；　billiards；　ecarte；　absinthe；
smoking；　dinner；　and　card…parties；　varied　by　official　entertainments。

Rejecting　a　guide；　I　walked　about　Saigon；　saw　its　streets；　cafes；　fruit
markets；　bazaars；　barracks；　a　botanic　or　acclimatization　garden；　of
which　tigers　were　the　chief　feature；　got　out　upon　the　wide；　level
roads；　bordered　with　large　trees；　which　run　out　into　the　country　for
miles　in　perfectly　straight　lines；　saw　the　handsome　bungalows　of　the
residents；　who　surround　themselves　with　many　of　the　luxuries　of　Paris；
went　over　a　beautiful　convent；　where　the　sisters　who　educate　native
girl　children　received　me　with　kindly　courtesy；　and　eventually　driving
in　a　gharrie　far　beyond　the　town；　and　then　dismissing　it；　I　got　into　a
labyrinth　of　lanes；　each　with　a　high　hedge　of　cactus；　and　without
knowing　it　found　that　I　was　in　a　native　village；　Choquan；　a　village　in
which　every　house　seems　to　be　surrounded　and　hidden　by　high　walls　of　a
most　malevolent　and　obnoxious　cactus；　so　as　to　insure　absolute　privacy
to　its　proprietor。　Each　dwelling　is　under　the　shade　of　pommeloe；
orange；　and　bamboo。　By　dint　of　much　peeping；　and　many　pricks　which　have
since　inflamed；　I　saw　that　the　poorer　houses　were　built　of　unplaned
planks　or　split　bamboo；　thatched　with　palm　leaves；　with　deep　verandas；
furnished　with　broad　matted　benches　with　curious；　round　bamboo　pillows。
On　these　men；　scarcely　to　be　called　clothed；　were　lying；　smoking　or
chewing　the　betel…nut；　and　all　had　teapots　in　covered　baskets　within
convenient　reach。　　The　better　houses　are　built　of　an　ornamental
framework　of　carved　wood；　the　floor　of　which　is　raised　about　three　feet
from　the　ground　on　brick　pillars。　The　roofs　of　these　are　rather　steep；
and　are　mostly　tiled；　and　have　deep　eaves；　but　do　not　as　elsewhere　form
the　cover　of　the　veranda。　　While　I　was　looking　through　the　cactus
screen　of　one　of　these　houses；　a　man　came　out　with　a　number　of　low
caste；　leggy；　flop…eared；　mangy　dogs；　who　attacked　me　in　a　cowardly
bullying　fashion；　yelping；　barking；　and　making　surreptitious　snaps　at
my　feet。　Their　owner　called　them　off；　however；　and　pelted　them　so
successfully　that　some　ran　away　whimpering；　and　two　pretended　（as　dogs
will）　to　have　broken　legs。　This　man　carried　a　cocoa…nut；　and　on　my
indicating　that　I　was　thirsty；　he　hesitated；　and　then　turning　back；
signed　to　me　to　follow　him　into　his　house。　　This　was　rare　luck！

Within　the　cactus　screen；　which　is　fully　ten　feet　high；　there　is　a
graveled　area；　on　which　the　neat…looking　house　stands；　and　growing　out
of　the　very　thirsty　ground　are　cocoa　palms；　bananas；　bread　fruit；　and
papayas。　There　are　verandas　on　each　side　of　the　doorway　with　stone
benches；　the　doorway　and　window　frames　are　hung　with　〃portieres〃　of
split　reeds；　and　a　ladder　does　duty　for　door　steps。　The　interior　is
very　dark；　and　divided　into　several　apartments。　　As　soon　as　I　entered
there　was　a　rush　as　if　of　bats　into　the　darkness；　but　on　being
reassured；　about　twenty　women　and　boy　and　girl　children　appeared；　and
contemplated　me　with　an　apathetic　stare　of　extreme　solemnity。　Remember
the　mercury　was　92　degrees；　so　the　women　may　be　excused　for　having
nothing　more　than　petticoats　or　loose　trousers　on　in　the　privacy　of
their　home；　the　children　for　being　in　a　state　of　nudity；　and　the　man
for　being　clothed　in　a　loin　cloth！　As　I　grew　used　to　the　darkness　I　saw
a　toothless　old　woman　smoking　in　a　corner；　fanned　by　two　girls；　who；　I
believe；　are　domestic　slaves。　Near　one　of　the　window　openings　a　young
woman　was　lounging；　and　two　others　were　attentively　removing　vermin
from　her　luxuriant　but　ill…kept　hair。　Mats　and　bamboo　pillows　covered
the　floors；　and　most　of　the　inmates　had　been　rudely　disturbed　in　a
siesta。

I　was　evidently　in　the　principal　apartment；　for　the　walls　were
decorated　with　Chinese　marine　pictures；　among　which　were　two　glaring
daubs　of　a　Madonna　and　an　Ecce　Homo。　There　was　also　a　rude　crucifix；
from　which　I　gather　that　this　is　a　Roman　Catholic　family。　There　were
two　teapots　of　tea　on　a　chair；　a　big　tub　of　pommeloes　on　the　floor；　and
a　glazed　red　earthenware　bowl　full　of　ripe　bananas　on　another　chair。　　A
sort　of　sickle；　a　gun；　and　some　bullock　gear　hung　against　the　wall。　In
the　middle　of　the　room　there　was　a　sort　of　trap　in　the　floor；　and　there
was　the　same　in　two　other　apartments。　Through　this　all　rubbish　is
conveniently　dropped。　A　woman　brought　in　a　cocoa…nut；　and　poured　the
milk　into　a　gourd　calabash；　and　the　man　handed　me　the　dish　of　bananas；
so　I　had　an　epicurean　repast；　and　realized　that　I　was　in　Cochin　China！
They　were　courteous　people；　and　not　only　refused　the　quarter　dollar
which　I　pressed　upon　them；　but　gave　me　a　handkerchief　full　of　bananas
when　I　left　them；　being　pleased；　however；　to　accept　a　puggree。

The　neat　gravel　area；　the　covered　walls；　and　neatly　tiled　roof；　the
lattice　work；　the　boards　suspended　from　the　door…posts；　with　（as　I
have　since　learned）　texts　from　the　Chinese　Classics　in　gold　upon　them；
and　the　large　establishment；　show　that　the　family　belongs　to　the　upper
class　of　Anamites；　and　leave　one　quite　unprepared　for　the　reeking；
festering　heap　of　garbage　below　the　house；　the　foul；　fetid　air；　and
swarming　vermin　of　the　interior；　and　the　unwashedness　of　the　inmates。　I
bowed　myself　out；　the　gate　was　barred　behind　me；　and　in　two　minutes　I
had　lost　what　I　supposed　to　be　my　way；　and　having　left　the　maze　of
cactus…walled　paths　behind；　was　entangled　in　a　maze　of　narrow　village
paths　through　palms　and　bananas；　flowering　trees　covered　with　creepers
and　orchids；　and　a　wonderful　profusion　of　small　and　great　ferns。
Getting　back　into　the　cactus　hidden　village　I　found　groups　of　pretty；
dark…skinned　children；　quite　naked；　playing　in　the　deep　dust；　while
some　no　bigger　were　lounging　in　the　shade　smoking　cigars；　lazily
watching　the　clouds　of　smoke　which　they　puffed　out　from　their　chubby
cheeks。

Finding　my　own　footsteps　in　the　deep　dust；　I　got　back　to　a　pathway　with
a　monstrous　bamboo　hedge　on　one　side；　and　a　rice…field　on　the　other；　in
which　was　a　slimy　looking　pond　with　a　margin　of　pink　water…lilies；　in
which　a　number　of　pink　buffaloes　of　large　size　were　wallowing　with　much
noise　and　rough　play；　plastering　their　sensitive　hides　with　mud　as　a
protection　against　mosquitoes。

With　some　difficulty；　by　some　very　queer　paths　and　with　much
zigzagging；　I　at　last　reached　Cholen；*　a　native　town；　said　to　be　three
or　eight　miles　from　Saigon；　and　was　so　exhausted　by　the　fatigue　of　the
long　walk　in　such　a　ferocious　temperature　that　I　sat　by　the　roadside　on
a　stump　under　a　huge　tropical　tree；　considering　the　ways　of　ants　and
Anamites。　Children　with　brown　chubby　faces　which　had　never　been　washed
since　birth；　and；　according　to　all　accounts；　will　never　be　washed　till
death；　stood　in　a　row；　staring　the　stare　of　apathy；　with　a　quiet
confidence。　They　had　no　clothes　on；　and　I　admired　their　well…made　forms
and　freedom　from　skin　disease。　The　Mongolian　face　is　pleasant　in
childhood。　A　horde　of　pariah　dogs　in　the　mad　excitement　of　a　free
fight；　passed；　covering　me　with　dust。　（By　the　way；　I　am　told　that
hydrophobia　is　unknown　in　Cochin　China。）　Then　some　French　artillerymen；
who　politely　raised　their　caps；　then　a　quantity　of　market　girls；
dressed　like　the　same　class　in　China；　but　instead　of　being　bare…headed；
they　wore　basket　hats；　made　of　dried　leaves；　fully　twenty…four　inches
in　diameter；　by　six　in　depth。　These　girls　walked　well；　and　looked
happy。　Then　a　train　of　Anamese　carts　passed；　empty；　the　solid　wooden
wheels　creaking　frightfully　round　the　ungreased　axles；　each　cart　being
drawn　by　two　buffaloes；　each　pair　being　attached　to　the　cart　in　front
by　a　rope　through　the　nostrils；　so　that　one　driver　sufficed　for　eleven
carts。　The　native　men　could　not　be　said　to　be　clothed；　but；　as　I
remarked　before；　the　mercury　was　above　90　degrees。　They　were；　however；
protected　both　against　sun　and　rain　by　hats　over　three　feet　in
diameter；　very　conical；　peaked　at　the　top；　coming　down　umbrella　fashion
over　the　shoulders；　and　w