the golden chersonese and the way thither-第24节

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like　our　rule；　form　a　respectable　class　of　merchants　here；　as　in　all
the　great　trading　cities　of　the　East。　The　Javanese　are　numerous；　and
make　good　servants　and　sailors。　Some　of　the　small　merchants　and　many　of
the　clerks　are　Portuguese　immigrants　from　Malacca；　and　traders　from
Borneo；　Sumatra；　Celebes；　Bali；　and　other　islands　of　the　Malay
Archipelago　are　scattered　among　the　throng。　The　washermen　and　grooms
are　nearly　all　Bengalees。　Jews　and　Arabs　make　money　and　keep　it；　and
are；　as　everywhere；　shrewd　and　keen；　and　only　meet　their　equals　among
the　Chinese。　Among　the　twelve　thousand　natives　of　India　who　have　been
attracted　to　Singapore；　and　among　all　the　mingled　foreign
nationalities；　the　Klings　from　the　Coromandel　coast；　besides　being　the
most　numerous　of　all　next　to　the　Chinese；　are　the　most　attractive　in
appearance；　and　as　there　is　no　check　on　the　immigration　of　their　women；
one　sees　the　unveiled　Kling　beauties　in　great　numbers。*　
＇*The　Singapore　census　returns　for　1881　are　by　no　means　〃dry　reading；〃
and　they　give　a　very　imposing　idea　of　the　importance　of　the　island。　It
is　interesting　to　note　that　of　the　434　enumerators　employed　only　seven
were　Europeans！

The　number　of　houses　on　the　island　is　20；462；　the　total　population　is
139；208　souls；　viz。；　105；423　males　and　33；785　females。　The　total
increase　in　ten　years　is　divided　as　follows：

　　　　　Europeans　and　Americans　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　823
　　　　　Eurasians　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　930
　　　　　_Chinese_　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　32；194
　　　　　Malays　and　other　natives　of　the　Archipelago　　　　　　6；954
　　　　　Tamils　and　other　natives　of　India　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　637
　　　　　Other　nationalities　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　559

Among　these　〃other　nationalities〃　the　great　increase　has　been　among　the
Arabs；　who　have　nearly　doubled　their　numbers。　Among　the　〃Malays　and
other　natives　of　the　Archipelago〃　are　included；　Achinese；　Boyanese；
Bugis；　Dyaks；　Jawi…Pekans；　and　Manilamen。

The　European　resident　population；　exclusive　of　the　soldiers；　is　only
1；283。　_The　Chinese　population　is_　86；766；　the　Malay；　22；114；　the
Tamil；　10；475；　the　Javanese；　5；881；　and　the　Eurasian；　3；091。　In　the
very　small　European　population　19　nationalities　are　included；　the
Germans　numerically　following　the　British。　Of　15；368　domestic　servants；
only　844　are　women。＇

These　Klings　are　active　and　industrious；　but　they　lack　fibre
apparently；　and　that　quick…sightedness　for　opportunities　which　makes
the　Chinese　the　most　successful　of　all　emigrants。　Not　a　Malay　or　a
Kling　has　raised　himself　either　as　a　merchant　or　in　any　other　capacity
to　wealth　or　distinction　in　the　colony。　The　Klings　make　splendid
boatmen；　they　drive　gharries；　run　as　syces；　lend　small　sums　of　money　at
usurious　interest；　sell　fruit；　keep　small　shops；　carry　〃chit　books；〃
and　make　themselves　as　generally　useful　as　their　mediocre　abilities
allow。　They　are　said　to　be　a　harmless　people　so　far　as　deeds　go。　They
neither　fight；　organize；　nor　get　into　police　rows；　but　they　quarrel
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；
a