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Old Testament truth about these words； though of a melancholy half
truth only。
The men who make the Mecca pilgrimage are not regarded by the English
who know them as a 〃holy lot〃； in fact； they are said to lead idle
lives； and to 〃live like leeches on the toil of their fellow…men；〃
inciting the people 〃to revolt or to make amok。〃 Doubtless it adds to a
man's consequence for life to be privileged to wear the Arab costume
and to be styled Tuan hadji。 Yet they may have been stirred to devotion
and contrition at the time as they circled the Kaabeh reciting such
special prayers as； 〃O God； I extend my hands to Thee； great is my
longing towards Thee。 Oh accept Thou my supplications； remove my
hindrances； pity my humiliation； and mercifully grant me Thy pardon；〃
and 〃O my God； verily I take refuge with Thee from idolatry； and
disobedience； and every hypocrisy； and from evil conversation； and evil
thoughts concerning property； and children； and family；〃 or； 〃O God； I
beg of Thee that faith which shall not fall away； and that certainty
which shall not perish； and the good aid of Thy prophet Mohammedmay
God bless and preserve him！ O God； shade me with Thy shadow in that day
when there is no shade but Thy shadow； and cause me to drink from the
cup of Thy apostle Mohammedmay God bless him and preserve him！ that
pleasant draught after which is no thirst to all eternity。 O Lord of
honor and glory。〃*
＇*I have preferred to give； instead of the translation of these prayers
which I obtained in Malacca； one introduced by Canon Tristram into a
delightful paper on Mecca in the _Sunday at Home_ for February； 1883。＇
As I write； I look down upon Taipeng on 〃a people wholly given to
idolatry。〃 This is emphatically 〃The dark Peninsula；〃 though both
Protestants and Romanists have made attempts to win the Malays to
Christianity。 It may be that the relentless crusade waged by the
Portuguese against Islamism has made the opposition to the Cross more
sullen and bigoted than it would otherwise have been。 Christian
missionary effort is now chiefly among the Chinese； and by means of
admirable girls' schools in Singapore； Malacca； and Pinang。
In Taipeng five dialects of Chinese are spoken； and Chinamen constantly
communicate with each other in Malay； because they can't understand
each other's Chinese。 They must spend large sums on opium； for the
right to sell it has been let for 4；000 pounds a year！
Mr。 Maxwell tells me that the Malay proverbs are remarkably numerous
and interesting。 To me the interest of them lies chiefly in their
resemblance to the ideas gathered up in the proverbs of ourselves and
the Japanese。*
＇*Mr。 Maxwell has since published a paper on Malay proverbs in the
Transactions of the Straits branch of the Royal Asiatic Society。 I have
not been able to obtain it； but I understand that it contains a very
copious and valuable collection of Malay proverbial philosophy。＇
Thus； 〃Out of the frying…pan into the fire〃 is； 〃Freed from the mouth
of the alligator to fall into the tiger's jaws。〃 〃It's an ill wind that
blows nobody good；〃 is； 〃When the junk is wrecked the shark gets his
fill。〃 〃The creel tells the basket it is coarsely plaited〃 is
equivalent to 〃The kettle calling the pot black。〃 〃For dread of the
ghost to clasp the corpse；〃 has a grim irony about it that I like。
Certain Scriptural proverbial phrases have their Malay counterparts。
Thus； the impossibility of the Ethiopian changing his skin or the
leopard his spots is represented by 〃Though you may feed a jungle…fowl
off a gold plate； it will make for the jungle all the same。〃 〃Casting
pearls before swine〃 by 〃What is the use of the peacock strutting in
the jungle？〃 〃Can these stones become bread？〃 by 〃Can the earth become
grain？〃 〃Neither can salt water yield sweet；〃 by a very elaborate
axiom； 〃You may plant the bitter cucumber in a bed of sago； manure it
with honey； water it with molasses； and train it over sugar cane； but
it will be the bitter cucumber still；〃 and 〃Clear water cannot be drawn
from a muddy fountain。〃
Some of their sayings are characteristic。 In allusion to the sport of
cock…fighting； a coward is called 〃a duck with spurs。〃 A treacherous
person is said to 〃sit like a cat； but leap like a tiger；〃 and of a
chatterer it is said； 〃The tortoise produces a myriad eggs and no one
knows it； the hen lays one and tells the whole word。〃 〃Grinding pepper
for a bird on the wing〃 is regarded as equivalent to 〃First catch you
hare before you cook it。〃 〃To plant sugar…cane on the lips〃 is to be
〃All things to all men。〃 Fatalism is expressed by a saying； 〃Even the
fish which inhabit the seventh depth of the sea sooner or later enter
the net。〃 〃Now it is wet； now it is fine；〃 is a common way of saying
that a day of revenge is not far off。 Secrecy is enjoined by the
cynical axiom； 〃If you have rice； hide it under the unhusked grain。〃
〃The last degree of stinginess is not to disturb the mildew；〃 is a neat
axiom； and 〃The plantain does not bear fruit twice；〃 tells that the
Malays have an inkling that 〃There is a tide in the affairs of men；〃
etc。
I have found it very interesting to be the guest of a man who studies
the Malays as sympathetically as Mr。 Maxwell does。 I hope he will not
get promotion too soon！*
＇*As I copy this letter I hear that Mr。 Maxwell has been removed to a
higher and more highly paid post； but that he leaves the Malays with
very sincere regret； and that they deeply deplore his loss； because they
not only liked but trusted him。 During the time in which he was
Assistant Resident； and living in the midst of a large Chinese
population； it was necessary to be very firm； and at times almost
severely firm； but the Chinese have shown their appreciation of official
rectitude by presenting him with a gorgeous umbrella of red silk；
embroidered with gold； which they call 〃A ten…thousand…man umbrella；〃
i。e。； an offering from a community which is not only unanimous in making
it； but counts at least that number of persons。＇
I。 L。 B。
LETTER XXIII
〃Gang Murders〃Malay NicknamesA Persecuted InfantThe Last of the
Golden Chersonese
MR。 JUSTICE WOOD'S； THE PEAK； PINANG； February 24。
However kind and hospitable people are； the process of 〃breaking in〃 to
conventionalities again is always a severe one； and I never feel well
except in the quiet and freedom of the wilds； though in the abstract
nothing can be more healthy than the climate of this lofty Peak。 The
mercury has been down at 68 degrees for two nights； and blankets have
been a comfort！
Shortly after finishing my last letter I left Taipeng with Mr。 Maxwell；
calling on our way to the coast at Permatang； to inquire if there were
any scent of the murderers of the revenue officer； but there was none。
The inspector said that he had seen many murdered bodies； but never one
so frightfully mutilated。 These Chinese 〃gang…murders〃 are nearly
always committed for gain； and the Chinese delight in cruel hackings
and purposeless mutilations。 The Malay assassinations are nearly all
affairs of jealousya single stab and no more。
The last part of the drive on a road causewayed through the endless
mangrove swamp impr