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can be put up for 5 pounds。 Land can be had for three years free of
charge。 It is then granted in perpetuity for a dollar an acre； and
there is a tax of 2…1/2 per cent。 on exported produce。 These
arrangements are not regarded as altogether satisfactory； and will
probably be improved upon。 Tell some of our friends who have sons with
practical good sense； but more muscle than brains； that there are
openings in the jungles of Perak！ Good sense； perseverance；
steadiness； and a degree of knowledge of planting； are； however；
preliminary requisites。
The two 〃prospectors〃 look as if they had heard couleur de rose
reports； and had not 〃struck ile。〃 Possibly they expected to find
hotels and macadamized roads。 Roads must precede planting； I think；
unless there are available lands near the rivers。
I have mentioned slavery and debt…slavery more than once。 The latter
is a great curse in Perak； and being a part of 〃Malay custom〃 which our
treaties bind us to respect； it is very difficult to deal with。 In the
little States of Sungei Ujong and Selangor； with their handful of
Malays； it has been abolished with comparative ease。 In Perak； with its
comparatively large Malay population； about four thousand are slaves；
and the case seems full of complications。
Undoubtedly the existence of slavery has been one cause of the decay of
the native States； and of the exodus of Malays into the British
settlements。 Some people palliate the system； and speak of it as 〃a
mild form of domestic servitude；〃 but Mr。 Birch； the late murdered
Resident； wrote of it in these strong terms： 〃I believe that the system
as practiced in Perak at the present time involves evils and cruelties
which are unknown to any but those who have actually lived in these
States。〃
From the moment a man or woman becomes a debtor； he or she； if unable
to pay； may be taken up by the creditor； and may be treated as a slave；
being made to work in any way that the creditor chooses； the debtor's
earnings belonging to the creditor； who allows no credit toward the
reduction of the debt。 To make the hardship greater； if a relative or
friend comes forward to pay the debt； the creditor has the right to
refuse payment； and to keep his slave； whose only hope of bettering
himself is in getting his owner to accept payment for him from a third
party； so that he may become the slave of the person who has ransomed
him。
But there are worse evils still； for in cases where a married man
contracts a debt； his wife and existing children； those who may
hereafter be born； and their descendants； pass into slavery； and all；
male and female； are compelled as slaves to work for their master； who
in very many cases compels the women and girls to live a life of
degradation for his benefit； and even the wives of a creditor are well
satisfied to receive the earnings of these poor creatures。 If a debt be
contracted by an unmarried man or woman； and he or she marry
afterwards； the person so taken in marriage and all the offspring
become slave debtors。 The worst features of the system are seen where a
Rajah is the creditor； for he is the last man to be willing to receive
payment of a debt and free the debtor； for the number of his followers；
even if they are but women and girls； increases his consequence； and
debtors when once taken into a Rajah's household are looked upon as
being as much a part of his property as his cattle or elephants。 Mr。
Swettenham； the Assistant Colonial Secretary of the Straits
Settlements； writes that 〃in Perak the cruelties exercised toward
debtors are even exclaimed at by Malays in the other States。〃* In
Selangor； where it is said that slavery has been quietly abolished；
only five years ago the second son of that quiet…looking Abdul Samat
killed three slave debtors for no other reason than that he willed it；
and when two girls and a boy； slave debtors of the Sultan's； ran away；
this same bloodthirsty son caught them； took the boy into a field； and
had him krissed。 His wife； saying she was going to bathe in the Langat
river； told the two girls to follow her to a log which lay in the water
a few yards from her house； where they were seized； and a boy follower
of her husband took them successively by the hair and held their heads
under the water with his foot till they were dead； when their corpses
were left upon the slimy bank。 The Sultan； to do him justice； was very
angry when his son went to him and said； 〃I have thrown away those
children who ran away。〃
＇*For Mr。 Swettenham's _Report on Slavery in the Native States_； see
Appendix B。＇
In Perak it has been the custom to hunt and capture the Jakun women and
make them and their children slaves。
Instances of cruelty have greatly diminished since British influence
has entered Perak； and I should think that Mr。 Low will ere long
mature a scheme for the emancipation of all persons held in bondage。* I
heard of a curious case this morning。 The aunt of a Malay policeman in
Larut； passing near a village； met an acquaintance； and taking a stone
from the roadside sat down upon it while she stopped to talk； and on
getting up forgot to remove it。 An hour later a village child tripped
over the stone and slightly cut its forehead。 The placing the stone in
the pathway was traced to the woman； who was arrested and sentenced to
pay a fine of 25； and being unable to pay it she and her children
became slave…debtors to the father of the child which had been hurt。 In
this case； though Captain Speedy lent the policeman money wherewith to
pay his aunt's fine； the creditor repeatedly refused to receive it；
preferring to exercise his prerogative of holding the family as his
rightful slaves。
＇*Such a scheme is now under consideration。 See Appendix C。＇
Slavery and polygamy； the usual accompaniments of Islamism； go far to
account for the decay of these States。
I wish it were possible to know to what extent the Malays are a
〃religious〃 people as Moslems。 That they are bigots and have
successfully resisted all attempts to convert them to Christianity
there is no doubt； as well as that they are ignorant and grossly
superstitious。 Their prayers； so far as I can hear anything about them；
consist mainly of reiterated confessions of belief in the Divine unity；
and of simple appeals for mercy now and at the last day。
The pilgrimage to Mecca is made not only once； but twice and thrice by
those who can afford it； and at much cost earthen jars containing water
from the holy well of Zem…zem； the well said to have been shown to
Hagar in the wilderness； are brought home by the pilgrims for
themselves and their friends for use in the hour of death； when Eblis；
the devil； is supposed to stand by offering a bowl of the purest water
with which to tempt the soul to abjure its faith in the unity of God。
One of the declarations most commonly used is； 〃There is no God but God
alone； whose covenant is truth and whose servant is victorious。 There
is no God but God without a partner。 His is the kingdom； to Him be
praise； and He over all things is Almighty。〃 There is a grand ring of
Old Testament truth about these words； though of a melancholy half
truth only。
The men