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！
was a shrug； and 〃The rascals were served right。〃＇
The oaths are equally inscrutable； and probably no oath； however
terrible in formula； would restrain a Chinese coolie witness from
telling a lie； if he thought it would be to his advantage。*
＇*Sir Benson Maxwell； late Chief Justice of the Straits Settlements； to
whose kindness I am much indebted； wrote to me lately thus： 〃In China I
believe an oath is rarely taken； when it is； it is in the form of an
imprecation。 The witness cuts off a cock's head； and prays that he may
be so treated if he speaks falsely。〃 〃Would you cut off a cock's head to
that？〃 I once asked a Chinese witness who had made a statement which I
did not believe。 〃I would cut off an elephant's head to it；〃 he replied。
In the Colonial courts； Chinamen are sworn by burning a piece of paper
on which is written some imprecation on themselves if they do not speak
the truth。＇
I went to see the jail； a tolerable buildinga barred cage below； and
a long room abovestanding in a graveled courtyard； surrounded by a
high wall。 Formerly there were no prisons； and criminals were punished
on the spot； either by being krissed； shot； or flogged。 Here they have
a liberal diet of rice and salt fish； and 〃hard labor〃 is only mild
work on the roads。 The prisoners； forty…two adult men； were drawn up in
a row； and Mr。 Syers called the roll； telling the crime of each man；
and his conduct in prison； and most of those who had conducted
themselves well were to be recommended to the Sultan for remission of
part of their sentences。 〃Flog them if they are lazy；〃 the Resident
often said； but Mr。 Syers says that he never punishes them except under
aggravated circumstances。 The prisoners are nearly all Chinamen； and
their crimes are mostly murder； gang…robbery； assault； and theft。
About half of them were in chains。 There is an unusual mortality in the
prison； attributed； though possibly not _attributable_； to the enforced
disuse of opium。 We went also to the hospital； mainly used by the
police； a long airy shed； with a broad shelf on each side。 Mr。 Klyne；
the apothecary； a half…caste； has a good many Malay dispensary
patients。
On our return； four Malay women； including the Imaum's wife； came to
see me。 Each one would have made a picturesque picture； but they had no
manners； and seized on my hands； which are coarsened； reddened； and
swelled from heat and mosquito bites； all exclaiming； 〃chanti！
chanti！〃pretty！ pretty！ I wondered at their bad taste； specially as
they had very small and pretty hands themselves； with almond…shaped
nails。
In the evening the 〃establishment〃 dined at the Residency。 After
dinner； as we sat in the darkness in the veranda； maddened by mosquito
bites； about 9：30； the bugle at the fort sounded the 〃alarm；〃 which was
followed in a few seconds by the drum beating 〃to quarters；〃 and in
less than five minutes every approach to the Residency was held by men
with fixed bayonets； and fourteen rounds of ball…cartridges each in
their belts； and every road round Klang was being patrolled by pickets。
I knew instinctively that it was 〃humbug；〃 arranged to show the
celerity with which the little army could be turned out； and shortly an
orderly arrived with a note〃False alarm；〃 but Klang never subsided
all night； and the Klings beat their tom…toms till daylight。 I am
writing at dawn now； in order that my letter may 〃catch the mail。〃
I。 L。 B。
LETTER XVI
A Yachting VoyageThe Destruction of SelangorVarieties of
SlimeSwamp FeverAn Unprosperous RegionA 〃Deadly…Lively〃
MorningA Waif and StrayThe Superintendent of Police
STEAM…LAUNCH 〃ABDULSAMAT〃 February 7。
You will certainly think； from the dates of my letters； that I am
usually at sea。 The Resident； his daughter； Mrs。 Daly； Mr。 Hawley； a
revenue officer； and I； left Klang this morning at eight for a two
days' voyage in this bit of a thing。 Blessed be 〃the belt of calms！〃
There was the usual pomp of a body…guard； some of whom are in
attendance； and a military display on the pier； well drilled； and well
officered in quiet； capable； admirable； unobtrusive Mr。 Syers； but
gentle Mrs。 Douglas； devoted to her helpless daughter； standing above
the jetty； a lone woman in forlorn； decayed Klang； haunts me as a
vision of sadness； as I think of her sorrow and her dignified
hospitality in the midst of it。
Now； at half…past eleven； we are aground with an ebb…tide on the bar of
the Selangor river； so I may write a little； though I should like to be
asleep。
Bernam River； Selangor； February 8th。〃Chi…laka！〃 （worthless
good…for…nothing wretch）； 〃Bodo！〃 （fool）。 I hear these words repeated
incessantly in tones of thunder and fury； with accompaniments which
need not be dwelt upon。 The Malays are a revengeful people。 If any
official in British service were to knock them about and insult them；
one can only say what has been said to me since I came to the native
States： 〃Well； some dayall I can say is； God help him！〃 But then if
an official were to be krissed； no matter how deservedly in Malay
estimation； a gunboat would be sent up the river to 〃punish；〃 and would
kill； burn； and destroy； there would be a 〃little war；〃 and a heavy war
indemnity； and the true bearings of the case would be lost forever。
Yesterday； after a detention on the bar； we steamed up the broad； muddy
Selangor river； margined by bubbling slime； on which alligators were
basking in the torrid sun； to Selangor。 Here the Dutch had a fort on
the top of the hill。 We destroyed it in August； 1871。 Some Chinese
whose connection with Selangor is not traceable； after murdering nearly
everybody on board a Pinang…owned junk； took the vessel to Selangor。 We
demanded that the native chiefs should give up the pirates； and they
gave up nine readily； but refused the tenth； against whom 〃it does not
appear that there was any proof；〃 and drew their krises on our police
when they tried to arrest the man in defiance of them。 The （acting）
Governor of the Straits Settlements； instead of representing to the
Sultan the misconduct； actual or supposed； of his officers； sent a
war…ship to seize and punish them。 This attempt was resented by the
Selangor chiefs； and they fired on those who made it。 The Rinaldo
destroyed the town in consequence； and killed many of its inhabitants。
When the Viceroy； a brother of the Sultan of Kedah； retook Selangor two
years afterward； he found that what had been a populous and thriving
place was almost deserted； the few hovels which remained were in ruins；
the plantations were overgrown with rank jungle growths； and their
owners had fled； the mines in the interior were deserted； and the roads
and jungle paths were infested by bands of half…starved robbers。*
＇*This account of Selangor does not rest on local hearsay； but on the
authority of two of the leading officials of the Colonial Government。＇
Selangor is a most wretched placeworse than Klang。 On one side of the
river there is a fishing village of mat and attap hovels on stilts
raised a few feet above the slime of a mangrove swamp； and on the other
an expanse of slime； with larger houses on stilts； and an attempt at a
street of Chinese shops； and