the golden chersonese and the way thither-第46节

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a　mere　figure…head　prince。　He　is　a　Hadji；　and　was　dressed　in　a　turban
made　of　many　yards　of　priceless　silk　muslin；　embroidered　in　silk；　a
white　baju；　and　a　long　white　sarong；　and　full　white　trousersa
beautiful　dress　for　an　Oriental。　　He　shook　hands　with　me。　I　wish　that
these　people　would　not　adopt　our　salutations；　their　own　are　so　much
more　appropriate　to　their　character。

The　yacht　is　now　lying　at　anchor　in　a　deep　coffee…colored　stream；　near
a　picturesque　Malay　village　on　stilts；　surrounded　by　very　extensive
groves　of　palms。　Several　rivers　intersect　each　other　in　this
neighborhood；　flowing　through　dense　jungles　and　mangrove　swamps。　The
sun　is　still　high。　The　four　white　men　and　the　Rajah　Moussa　have　gone
ashore　snipe　shooting；　the　Malays　on　board　are　sleeping；　and　I　am
enjoying　a　delicious　solitude。


February　4；　4　P。M。We　are　steaming　over　the　incandescent　sapphire　sea；
among　the　mangrove…bordered　islands　which　fringe　the　Selangor　coast；
under　a　blazing　sun；　with　the　mercury　88　degrees　in　the　shade；　but　the
heat；　though　fierce；　is　not　oppressive；　and　I　have　had　a　delightful
day。　　The　men　returned　when　they　could　no　longer　see　to　shoot　snipes；
with　a　well　filled　bag；　and　after　sunset　we　dropped　down　to　Bukit　Jugra
or　Langat。　Most　of　the　river　was　as　black　as　night　with　the　heavy
shadows　of　the　forest；　but　along　the　middle　there　was　a　lane　of
lemon…colored　water；　the　exquisite　reflection　of　a　lemon…colored　sky。
The　Resident　and　Mr。　Daly　went　down　to　the　coast　in　the　yacht　to　avoid
the　mosquitoes　of　the　interior；　but　I　with　Omar；　one　of　the　〃body
guard；〃　half　Malay　half　Kling；　as　my　attendant；　and　Mr。　Syers；　landed；
to　remain　at　the　magistrate's　bungalow。　It　was　a　lovely　walk　up　the
hill　through　the　palms　and　bananas；　and　the　bayonets　of　our　escort
gleamed　in　the　intense　moonlight；　not　with　anything　alarming　about　them
either；　for　an　escort　is　only　necessary　because　the　place　is　so
infested　by　tigers。　The　bungalow　is　large　but　rambling；　and　my　room　was
one　built　out　at　the　end；　with　six　windows　with　solid　shutters；　of
which　Mr。　　Ferney　closed　all　but　two；　and　half　closed　those；　because　of
a　tiger　which　is　infesting　the　immediate　neighborhood　of　the　house；　and
whose　growling；　they　say；　is　most　annoying。　　He　killed　a　heifer
belonging　to　the　Sultan　two　nights　ago；　and　last　night　the　sentry　got　a
shot　at　him　from　the　veranda　outside　my　room　as　he　was　engaged　in　most
undignified　depredations　upon　the　hen　house。

There　was　a　grand　excitement　yesterday　morning。　A　tigress　was　snared　in
a　pitfall　and　was　shot。　Her　corpse　was　brought　to　the　bungalow　warm　and
limp。　She　measured　eight　feet　two　inches　from　her　nose　to　her　tail；　and
her　tail　was　two　feet　six　inches　long。　She　had　whelps；　and　they　must　be
starving　in　the　jungle　tonight。　Her　beautiful　skin　is　hanging　up。　All
the　neighborhood；　Chinese　and　Malay；　turned　out。　Some　danced；　and　the
Sultan　beat　gongs。　Everybody　seized　upon　a　bit　of　the　beast。　The　Sultan
claimed　the　liver；　which；　when　dried　and　powdered；　is　worth　twice　its
weight　in　gold；　as　a　medicine。　The　blood　was　taken；　and　I　saw　the
Chinamen　drying　it　in　the　sun　on　small　slabs；　it　is　an　invaluable
tonic！　The　eyes；　which　were　of　immense　size；　were　eagerly　scrambled
for；　that　the　hard　parts　in　the　centre；　which　are　valuable　charms；
might　be　set　in　gold　as　rings。　It　was　sad　to　see　the　terrible　〃glaring
eyeballs〃　of　the　jungle　so　dim　and　stiff。　The　bones　were　taken　to　be
boiled　down　to　a　jelly；　which；　when　some　mysterious　drug　has　been
added；　is　a　grand　tonic。　The　gall　is　most　precious；　and　the　flesh　was
all　taken；　but　for　what　purpose　I　don't　know。　A　steak　of　it　was　stewed；
and　I　tasted　it；　and　found　it　in　flavor　much　like　the　meat　of　an
ancient　and　overworked　draught　ox；　but　Mr。　Ferney　thought　it　like　good
veal。　At　dinner　the　whole　talk　was　of　the　wild　beasts　of　the　jungle；
and；　as　we　were　all　but　among　them；　it　was　very　fascinating。　I　wanted
to　go　out　by　moonlight；　but　Mr。　　Ferney　said　that　it　was　not　safe；
because　of　tigers；　and　even　the　Malays　there　don't　go　out　after
nightfall。

Mr。　Ferney　has　given　me　a　stick　with　a　snake…mark　on　it；　which　was
given　to　him　as　a　thing　of　great　value。　The　Malay　donor　said　that
anyone　carrying　it　would　become　invulnerable　and　invisible；　and　that　if
you　were　to　beat　anyone　with　it；　the　beaten　man　would　manifest　all　the
symptoms　of　snake　poisoning！　Mr。　Ferney　has　also　given　me　a　kris。　When
I　showed　it　to　Omar　this　morning；　he　passed　it　across　his　face　and
smelt　it；　and　then　said；　〃This　kris　goodhas　ate　a　man。〃

I　could　not　sleep　much；　there　were　such　strange　noises；　and　the　sentry
made　the　veranda　creak　all　night　outside　my　room；　but　this　is　a
splendid　climate；　and　one　is　refreshed　and　ready　to　rise　with　the　sun
after　very　little　sleep。　The　tropic　mornings　are　glorious。　There　is
such　an　abrupt　and　vociferous　awakening　of　nature；　all　dew…bathed　and
vigorous。　The　rose…flushed　sky　looks　cool；　the　air　feels　cool；　one
longs　to　protract　the　delicious　time。　Then　with　a　suddenness　akin　to
that　of　his　setting；　the　sun　wheels　above　the　horizon；　and　is　high　in
the　heavens　in　no　time；　truly　〃coming　forth　as　a　bridegroom　out　of　his
chamber；　and　rejoicing　as　a　giant　to　run　his　course；〃　and　as　truly
〃There　is　nothing　hid　from　the　heat　thereof；〃　for　hardly　is　he　visible
than　the　heat　becomes　tremendous。　But　tropical　trees　and　flowers；
instead　of　drooping　and　withering　under　the　solar　fury；　rejoice　in　it。

This　morning　was　splendid。　The　great　banana　fronds　under　the　still；
blue　sky　looked　truly　tropical　The　mercury　was　82　degrees　at　7　A。M。　The
〃tiger　mosquitoes；〃　day　torments；　large　mosquitoes　with　striped　legs；　a
loud　metallic　hum；　and　a　plethora　of　venom；　were　in　full　fury　from
daylight。　　Ammonia　does　not　relieve　their　bites　as　it　does　those　of　the
night　mosquitoes；　and　I　am　covered　with　inflamed　and　confluent　lumps　as
large　as　the　half　of　a　bantam's　egg。　But　these　and　other　drawbacks；　I
know　from　experience；　will　soon　be　forgotten；　and　I　shall　remember　only
the　beauty；　the　glory；　and　the　intense　enjoyment　of　this　day。

Quite　early　the　Rajah　Moussa　arrived　in　a　baju　of　rich；　gold…colored
silk；　which　suited　his　swarthy　complexion。　He　sat　in　the　room
pretending　to　look　over　the　Graphic；　but　in　reality　watching　me；　as　I
wrote　to　you；　just　as　I　should　watch　an　ouf。　　At　last　he　asked　how　many
Japanese　I　had　killed！！！！

The　succession　is　here　hereditary　in　the　male　line；　and　this　Rajah
Moussa　is　the　Sultan's　eldest　son。　The　Sultan　receives　2；000　pounds　a
year　out　of　the　revenue；　and　this　Rajah　960　pounds。

The　Resident　arrived　at　nine；　wearing　a　very　fine　dress　sword；　and　gold
epaulettes　on　his　linen　coat；　and　under　a　broiling　sun　we　all　walked
through　a　cleared　part　of　the　jungle；　through　palms　and　bananas；　to　the
reception　at　the　Sultan's；　which　was　the　〃motive〃　of　our　visit。　The
Sultan；　Abdulsamat；　has　three　houses　in　a　beautiful　situation；　at　the
end　of　a　beautiful　valley。　They　are　in　the　purest　style　of　Malay
architecture；　and　not　a　Western　idea　appears　anywhere。　The　wood　of
which　they　are　built　is　a　rich　brown　red。　The　roofs　are　very　high　and
steep；　but　somewhat　curved。　The　architecture　is　simple；　appropriate；
and　beautiful　The　dwelling　consists　of　the　Sultan's　house；　a　broad；
open　passage；　and　then　the　women's　house　or　harem。　　At　the　end　of　the
above　passage　is　the　audience…hall；　and　the　front　entrance　to　the
Sultan's　house　is　through　a　large　porch　which　forms　a　convenient
reception　room　on　occasions　like　that　of　yesterday。

From　this　back　passage　or　court　a　ladder；　with　rungs　about　two　feet
apart；　leads　into　the　Sultan's　house；　and　a　step…ladder　into　the
women's　house。　Two　small　boys；　entirely　naked；　were　incongruous　objects
sitting　at　the　foot　of　the　ladder。　Here　we　waited　for　him；　two　files　of
policemen　being　drawn　up　as　a　guard　of　honor。　He　came　out　of　the
women's　house　very　actively；　shook　hands　with　each　of　us　（obnoxious
custom！）；　and　passed　through　the　lines　of　police　round　to　the　other
side　of　his　house　into　the　porch；　the　floor　of　which　was　covered　with
fine　matting　nearly　concealed　by　handsome　Persian　rugs。

The　Sultan　sat　on　a　high…backed；　carved　chair　or　throne。　　All　the　other
chairs　were　plain。　The　Resident　sat　on　his　right；　I　on　his　left；　and　on
my　left　the　Rajah　Moussa；　with　other　sons　of　the　sultan；　and　some
native　princes。　Mr。　　Syers　acted　as　interpreter。　Outside　there　were
double　lines　of　military　police；　and　the　bright　adjacent　slopes　were
covered　with　the　Sultan's　followers　and　other　Malays。　The　balcony　of
the　audience…hall；　which　has　a　handsome　balustrade；　was　full　of　Malay
followers　in　bright　reds　and　cool　white。　It　was　all　beautiful；　and　the
palms　rustled　in　the　soft　air；　and　bright　birds　and　butterflies　flew
overhead；　rejoicing　in　mere　existence。

If　Abdulsamat　were　not　Sultan；　I　should　pick　him　out　as　the　most
prepossessing　Malay　that　I　have　seen。　He　is　an　elderly　man；　with
iron…gray　hair；　a　high　and　prominent　brow；　large；　prominent；　dark；
eyes；　a　well…formed　nose；　and　a　good　mouth。　The　face　is　bright；　kindly；
and　fairly　intelligent。　　He　is　about　the　middle　height。　His　dress
became　him　well；　and　he　looked　comfortable　in　it　though　he　had　not　worn
it　befor