the golden chersonese and the way thither-第57节

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and　settle　there。　When　off　duty　they　wear　turbans　and　robes　nearly　as
white　as　snow；　and　look　both　classical　and　colossal。　They　get　on
admirably　with　the　Malays；　but　look　down　on　the　Chinese；　who　are　much
afraid　of　them。　One　sees　a　single　Sikh　driving　four　or　five　Chinamen　in
front　of　him；　having　knotted　their　pigtails　together　for　reins。　I　have
been　awoke　each　night　by　the　clank　which　attends　the　change　of　guard；
and　as　the　moonlight　flashes　on　the　bayonets；　I　realize　that　I　am　in
Perak。

The　air　is　so　bracing　here　and　the　nights　so　cool；　that　I　have　been　out
by　seven　each　morning；　and　have　been　into　Taipeng　in　the　evening。　This
morning　I　went　to　see　the　hospital；　mainly　used　by　the　Sikhs；　who；
though　very　docile　patients；　are　most　troublesome　in　other　ways；　owing
to　religious　prejudices；　which　render　it　nearly　impossible　to　cook　for
them。　There　was　one　wretched　Chinaman　there；　horribly　mangled。　He　was
stealing　a　boat　on　one　of　the　many　creeks；　when　an　alligator　got　hold
of　him；　and　tore　both　legs；　one　arm；　and　his　back　in　such　a　way　that　it
is　wonderful　that　he　lives。　The　apothecary　is　a　young　Madrassee。　One　or
two　cases　of　that　terrible　disease　known　in　Japan　as　Kakke；　and
elsewhere　as　Beri…Beri；　have　just　appeared。*　We　walked　also　to　a　clear
mountain　torrent　which　comes　thundering　down　among　great　boulders　and
dense　tropical　vegetation　at　the　foot　of　the　mountains；　as　clear　and
cold　as　if　it　were　a　Highland　stream　dashing　through　the　purple
heather。　　
＇*Since　my　visit　there　have　been　three　fatal　outbreaks　of　this　epidemic；
three　thousand　deaths　having　occurred　among　the　neighboring　miners　and
coolies。　So　firmly　did　the　disease　appear　to　have　established　itself；
that　a　large　permanent　hospital　was　erected　by　the　joint　efforts　of　the
chief　mining　adventurers　and　the　Government；　but　it　has　now　been　taken
over　altogether　by　the　Government；　and　is　supported　by　an　annual　tax　of
a　dollar；　levied　upon　every　adult　Chinaman。　Extensive　hospital
accommodation　and　sufficient　medical　attendance　have　also　been　provided
in　other　stricken　localities。　In　the　jail；　where　the　disease　was　very
fatal；　it　has　nearly　died　out；　in　consequence；　it　is　believed；　of
supplying　the　prisoners　with　a　larger　quantity　of　nitrogenous　food。　It
has　been　proposed　to　compel　the　employers　of　mining　coolies　to　do　the
same　thing；　for　the　ravages　of　the　disease　are　actually　affecting　the
prosperity　of　Larut。＇

There　are　〃trumpeter　beetles〃　here；　with　bright　green　bodies　and
membranous…looking　transparent　wings；　four　inches　across；　which　make
noise　enough　for　a　creature　the　size　of　a　horse。　Two　were　in　the　house
tonight；　and　you　could　scarcely　hear　anyone　speak。　But　there　is　a
blessed　respite　from　mosquitoes。

Major　Swinburne　and　Captain　Walker　have　dined　here；　and　we　had　a　simple
dinner　of　roast　mutton；　the　first　that　I　have　tasted　for　ten　months。　It
is　a　great　treat。　One　becomes　tired　of　made　dishes；　consisting　chiefly
of　impoverished　fowls；　disguised　in　about　twenty　different　ways。

When　I　left　Malacca；　Captain　Shaw　said：　〃When　you　see　Paul　Swinburne
you'll　see　a　man　you'll　not　see　twice　in　a　lifetime；〃　so　yesterday；
when　a　tall；　slender；　aristocratic…looking　man；　who　scarcely　looks
severable　from　the　door…steps　of　a　Pall　Mall　club；　strode　down　the　room
and　addressed　me　abruptly　with　the　words：　〃The　sooner　you　go　away　again
the　better；　there's　nothing　to　see；　nothing　to　do；　and　nothing　to
learn；〃　I　was　naturally　much　interested。　He　has　a　dash　of　acquired
eccentricity　of　tone　and　manner；　is　very　proud；　but；　unlike　some　proud
people；　appreciates　the　co…humanity　of　his　inferiors；　is　a　brilliant
talker；　dashing　over　art；　literature；　politics；　society；　tells　stories
brilliantly；　never　flags；　is　totally　regardless　of　〃the　equities　of
conversation；〃　and　is　much　beloved　by　the　Sikhs；　to　whom　he　is　just。

At　Pinang　I　heard　an　anecdote　of　him　which　is　quite　credible。　The
regent　（it　is　said）　wanted　him　to　use　the　Sikhs　to　catch　a　female
runaway　slave；　and　on　his　refusing；　the　Rajah　made　use　of　a　very
opprobrious　epithet；　on　which　he　drew　himself　up；　saying：　〃You　are　a
man　of　high　birth　in　your　country；　but　I'm　a　man　of　high　birth　in　mine；
and；　so　long　as　I　bear　Queen　Victoria's　commission；　I　refuse　to　accept
insult。　I　take　no　future　orders　from　your　highness。〃　Nor；　it　is　said；
has　he。

My　human　surroundings　have　an　unusual　amount　of　piquancy。　　Mr。　Maxwell
is　very　pleasant；　strong；　both　physically　and　mentally；　clever　and
upright；　educated　at　Oxford　and　Lincoln's　Inn；　but　brought　up　in　the
Straits　Settlements；　of　which　his　father　was　chief…justice。　He　is　able；
combative；　dogmatic；　well…read　and　well…informed；　expresses　himself
incisively；　is　self…reliant；　strong…willed；　thoroughly　just；　thoroughly
a　gentleman；　and　has　immense　energy　and　business　capacity；　and　a　large
amount　of　governing　power。　He；　too；　likes　talking；　and　talks　well；　but
with　much　perfectly　good…natured　vehemence。　He　is　a　man　on　whose　word
one　may　implicitly　rely。　Brought　up　among　Malays；　and　speaking　their
language　idiomatically；　he　not　only　likes　them；　but　takes　the　trouble
to　understand　them　and　enter　into　their　ideas　and　feelings。　He　studies
their　literature；　superstitions；　and　customs　carefully；　and　has　made
some　valuable　notes　upon　them。　I　should　think　that　few　people
understand　the　Malays　better　than　he　does。　He　dislikes　the　Chinese。　I
have　the　very　pleasant　feeling　regarding　him　that　he　is　the　right　man
in　the　right　place；　and　that　his　work　is　useful；　conscientious；　and
admirable。　　As　Assistant　Resident　he　is　virtually　dictator　of　Larut；
only　subject　to　Mr。　Low's　interference。　He　is　a　judge；　and　can　inflict
the　penalty　of　death；　the　Regent's　signature；　however；　being　required
for　the　death…warrant。　He　rules　the　Chinese　rigidly。

Captain　Walker　is　a　new　comer；　and　does　not　know　more　about　Perak　than
I　do。

At　this　dinner　of　four　there　was　as　much　noise　as　twenty　stupid　people
would　make！　Something　brought　up　the　dead　lock　in　Victoria；　which
excited　violent　feeling　for　some　reason　not　obvious。　Captain　Walker
threw　off　his　somewhat　suave　A。D。C。　manner；　and　looked　dangerous；　Mr。
Maxwell　fought　for　victory；　and　Major　Swinburne　to　beat　Mr。　　Maxwell；
and　the　row　was　deafening。　I　doubt　whether　such　an　argument　could　have
been　got　up　in　moist；　hot　Singapore；　or　steamy　Malacca！　An　energetic
difference　seems　of　daily　occurrence；　and　possibly　is　an　essential
ingredient　of　friendship。　That　it　should　be　possible　shows　what　an
invigorating　climate　this　must　be。　Major　Swinburne；　in　an　aggravating
tone；　begins　upon　some　peculiarity　or　foible；　real　or　supposed；　of　his
friend；　with　a　deluge　or　sarcasm；　mimicry；　ridicule；　and　invective；
torments　him　mercilessly；　and　without　giving　him　time　to　reply；
disappears；　saying；　Parthian…like；　〃Now；　my　dear　fellow；　its　no　use
resenting　it；　you　haven't　such　a　friend　as　me　in　the　worldyou　know　if
it　were　not　for　me　you'd　be　absolutely　intolerable！〃　All　this　is　very
amusing。　How　many　differing　characters　are　required　to　make　up　even　the
world　that　I　know！

It　is　strange　to　be　in　a　house　in　which　there　are　no　pets；　for　a　small
Malay　bear　which　lives　at　the　back　can　scarcely　be　called　one。
Sometimes　in　the　evening　a　wild　animal　called　a　lemur　rushes　wildly
through　the　house　and　out　at　the　front　veranda。　I　am　always　afraid　of
being　startled　by　his　tearing　through　my　room　in　the　depths　of　the
night；　for　here；　as　in　many　other　houses；　instead　of　doors　there　are
screens　raised　a　foot　from　the　ground。

This　morning　I　got　up　before　daylight；　and　went　up　a　hill　which　is
being　cleared；　to　enjoy　the　sunrise；　the　loveliest　time　of　the　tropic
day。　It　was　all　dew　and　rose　color；　with　a　delicious　freshness　in　the
air；　prolonged　unusually；　because　the　sun　was　so　slow　to　climb　above
the　eastern　mountain　tops。　Then　there　was　a　sudden　glory；　and　birds；
beasts；　and　insects　broke　into　a　vociferous　chorus；　the　tuneless　hymn
which　ascends　daily　without　a　discord。　There　are　sumptuously　colored
sunsets　to　be　seen　from　this　elevation；　but　one　has　no　time　to　enjoy
them；　and　they　make　one　long　for　the　lingering　gold　and　purple　of　more
northern　latitudes。　I　have　really　been　industrious　since　I　came　here；
both　in　writing　to　you；　and　in　〃reading　up〃　the　native　states　in　blue
books；　etc。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XIX

The　Chinese　in　Larut〃Monkey　Cups〃Chinese　HospitalityA　Sikh　Belle


BRITISH　RESIDENCY；　LARUT。

I　am　remaining　here　for　another　day　or　two；　so　have　time　to　tell　you　a
little　about　the　surroundings。

Larut　province　is　a　strip　of　land　about　seventy　miles　long；　and　from
twenty…five　to　forty…five　broad。　It　was　little　known；　and　almost
unexplored　till　1848；　when　a　Malay；　while　bathing；　found　some　coarse；
black　sand；　which；　on　being　assayed；　proved　to　be　tin。　He　obtained
twenty　Chinese　coolies；　opened　a　mine　which　turned　out　lucrative；　and
the　Chinese　at　home　hearing　that　money　was　to　be　made；　flocked　into
Larut；　but　after　some　years　took　to　quarreling　about　the　ownership　of
mines；　and　eventually　to　a　war　between　the　two　leading　clans；　which
threatened　to　be　a　war　of　extermination；　and　resulted　in　British
interference；　and　the　appointment　of　a　Resident；　and　then　Chinese