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Tauists； Romanists； and Mohammedans 〃enjoy great quietness。〃*
＇*By the census of 1881 the resident European population of the
Settlement of Malacca consists of 23 males and 9 females； a 〃grand〃
total of 32！ The Eurasian population； mainly of Portuguese mixed blood；
is 2；213。 The Chinese numbers 19；741； 4；020 being females。 The Malay
population is 67；488； the females being 2；000 in excess of the males；
the Tamils or Klings are 1；781； the Arabs 227； the Aborigines of the
Peninsula 308； the Javanese 399； the Boyanese 212； and the Jawi…Pekans
867。 Besides these there are stray Achinese； Africans； Anamese；
Bengalis； Bugis； Dyaks； Manilamen； Siamese； and Singhalese； numbering
174。 The total population of the territory is 93；579； viz。； 52；059 males
and 41；520 females； an increase in ten years of 15；823。 The decrease in
the number of resident Europeans is 31。9 per cent。 In 〃natives of India〃
42 per cent。； and in 〃other nationalities〃 48。9 per cent。 On the other
hand the Chinese population has increased by 6；259 or 46。4 per cent。；
and the Malays by 11；264； or 19。3 per cent。 The town of Malacca contains
5；538 houses； and the country districts 11；177。 The area of the
settlement is 640 square miles； and the density of the population 146 to
the square mile； only twelve of the population are lunatics。＇
Of the population of the town the majority are said to be Chinese； and
still their crowded junks are rolling down on the north…east monsoon。
As I remarked before； the coasting trade of the Straits of Malacca is
in their hands； and to such an extent have they absorbed the trade of
this colony； that I am told there is not a resident British merchant in
Malacca。 And it is not； as elsewhere； that they come； make money； and
then return to settle in China； but they come here with their wives and
families； buy or build these handsome houses； as well as large
bungalows in the neighboring cocoa…groves； own most of the plantations
up the country； and have obtained the finest site on the hill behind
the town for their stately tombs。 Every afternoon their carriages roll
out into the country； conveying them to their substantial bungalows to
smoke and gamble。 They have fabulous riches in diamonds； pearls；
sapphires； rubies； and emeralds。 They love Malacca； and take a pride in
beautifying it。 They have fashioned their dwellings upon the model of
those in Canton； but whereas cogent reasons compel the rich Chinaman at
home to conceal the evidences of his wealth； he glories in displaying
it under the security of British rule。 The upper class of the Chinese
merchants live in immense houses within walled gardens。 The wives of
all are secluded； and inhabit the back regions and have no share in the
remarkably 〃good time〃 which the men seem to have。 Along with their
industrious habits and their character for fair trading； the Chinese
have brought to Malacca gambling and opium…smoking。 One…seventh of the
whole quantity of opium exported from India to China is intercepted and
consumed in the Straits Settlements； and the Malacca Government makes a
large revenue from it。 The Chinaman who 〃farms the opium〃i。e。； who
purchases from the Government the exclusive right to sell itpays for
his monopoly about 50 pounds per day。 It must be remembered； however；
that every man who smokes opium is not what we understand by an
〃opium…smoker；〃 and that between the man who takes his daily pipe of
opium after his supper； and the unhappy opium…slave who reduces himself
to imbecility in such dens as I saw in Canton； there is just as much
difference as there is in England between the 〃moderate drinker〃 and
the 〃habitual drunkard。〃 Slavery is prohibited in Malacca； and slaves
from the neighboring State fly for freedom to the shelter of the
British flag； but there is reason to suppose that the numerous women in
the households of the Chinese merchants； though called servants； are
persons who have been purchased in China； and are actually held in
bondage。 Apart from these exceptions； the Chinese population is a
valuable one； and is； in its upper classes； singularly public…spirited；
law…abiding； and strongly attached to British rule。
I saw no shops except those for the sale of fish； fruit； and coarse
native pottery； but doubtless most things which are suited to the wants
of the mixed population can be had in the bazaars。 As we drove out of
the town the houses became fewer and the trees denser； with mosques
here and there among them； and in a few minutes we were in the great
dark forest of cocoa； betel； and sago palms； awfully solemn and
oppressive in the hot stillness of the evening。 Every sight was new；
for though I have seen the cocoa…palm before； the palm…fringes of the
coral islands； with their feathery plumes have little kinship with the
dark； crowded cocoa…forests of Malacca； with their endless vistas and
mysterious gloom。 These forests are intersected by narrow； muddy
streams； suggestive of alligators； up which you can go in canoes if you
lie down； and are content with the yet darker shade produced by the
nipah； a species of stemless palm； of which the poorer natives make
their houses； and whose magnificent fronds are often from twenty to
twenty…two feet in length。 The soft carriage road passes through an
avenue of trees of great girth and a huge spread of foliage； bearing
glorious yellow blossoms of delicious fragrance。 Jungles of sugar…cane
often form the foreground of dense masses of palms； then a jungle of
pine…apples surprises one； then a mass of lianas； knotted and tangled；
with stems like great cables； and red blossoms as large as breakfast
cups。 The huge trees which border the road have their stems and
branches nearly hidden by orchids and epiphyteschiefly that lovely
and delicate one whose likeness to a hovering dove won for it the name
of the 〃Flower of the Holy Ghost；〃 an orchid （Peristeria elata） which
lives but for a day； but in its brief life fills the air with
fragrance。 Then the trees change； the long tresses of an
autumn…flowering orchid fall from their branches over the road； dead
trees appear transformed into living beauty by multitudes of ferns；
among which the dark…green shining fronds of the Asplenium nidus；
measuring four feet in length； specially delight the eye； huge
tamarinds and mimosa add the grace of their feathery foliage； the
banana unfolds its gigantic fronds above its golden fruitage； clumps of
the betel or areca palms； with their slender and absolutely straight
shafts； make the cocoa…palms look like clumsy giants； the gutta…percha；
india rubber； and other varieties of ficus； increase the forest gloom
by the brown velvety undersides of their shining dark…green leafage；
then comes the cashew…nut tree； with its immense spread of branches；
and its fruit an apple with a nut below； and the beautiful bread…fruit；
with its green 〃cantalupe melons；〃 nearly ripe； and the gigantic jak
and durion； and fifty others； children of tropic heat and moisture； in
all the promise of perpetual spring； and the fulfillment of endless
summer； the beauty of blossom and the bounteousness of an unfailing
fruitage crowning them through all the year。 At their feet is a tangle
of