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 fungi； mosses； ferns； trailers； lilies； nibongs； reeds； canes；
rattans； a dense and lavish undergrowth； in which reptiles； large and
small； riot most congenially； and in which broods of mosquitoes are
hourly hatched； to the misery of man and beast。 Occasionally a small
and comparatively cleared spot appears； with a crowded cluster of
graves； with a pawn…shaped stone at the head of each； and the beautiful
Frangipani；* the 〃Temple Flower〃 of Singhalese Buddhism； but the 〃Grave
Flower〃 of Malay Mohammedanism； sheds its ethereal fragrance among the
tombs。 The dead lie lonely in the forest shade； under the feathery
palm…fronds； but the living are not far to seek。
＇*Plumieria sp。＇
It is strange that I should have written thus far and have said nothing
at all about the people from whom this Peninsula derives its name； who
have cost us not a little blood and some treasure； with whom our
relations are by no means well defined or satisfactory； and who； though
not the actual aborigines of the country； have at least that claim to
be considered its rightful owners which comes from long centuries of
possession。 In truth； between English rule； the solid tokens of Dutch
possession； the quiet and indolent Portuguese； the splendid memories of
Francis Xavier； and the numerical preponderance； success； and wealth of
the Chinese； I had absolutely forgotten the Malays； even though a dark…
skinned military policeman； with a gliding； snake…like step； whom I
know to be a Malay； brings my afternoon tea to the Stadthaus！ Of them I
may write more hereafter。 They are symbolized to people's minds in
general by the dagger called a kris； and by the peculiar form of frenzy
which has given rise to the phrase 〃running amuck。〃
The great cocoa groves are by no means solitary； for they contain the
kampongs； or small raised villages of the Malays。 Though the Malay
builds his dismal little mosques on the outskirts of Malacca； he shuns
the town； and prefers a life of freedom in his native jungles； or on
the mysterious rivers which lose themselves among the mangrove swamps。
So in the neighborhood of Malacca these kampongs are scattered through
the perpetual twilight of the forest。 They do not build the houses
very close together； and whether of rich or poor； the architecture is
the same。 Each dwelling is of planed wood or plaited palm leaves； the
roof is high and steep； the eaves are deep； and the whole rests on a
gridiron platform； supported on posts from five to ten feet high； and
approached by a ladder in the poorer houses； and a flight of steps in
the richer。 In the ordinary houses mats are laid here and there over
the gridiron； besides the sleeping mats； and this plan of an open
floor； though trying to unaccustomed Europeans； has various advantages。
As； for instance； it insures ventilation； and all debris can be thrown
through it； to be consumed by the fire which is lighted every evening
beneath the house to smoke away the mosquitoes。 A baboon； trained to
climb the cocoa palms and throw down the nuts； is an inmate of most of
the houses。
The people lead strange and uneventful lives。 The men are not inclined
to much effort except in fishing or hunting； and； where they possess
rice land； in ploughing for rice。 They are said to be quiet；
temperate； jealous； suspicious； some say treacherous； and most bigoted
Mussulmen。 The women are very small； keep their dwellings very tidy；
and weave mats and baskets from reeds and palm leaves。 They are clothed
in cotton or silk from the ankles to the throat； and the men； even in
the undress of their own homes； usually wear the sarong； a picturesque
tightish petticoat； consisting of a wide piece of stuff kept on by a
very ingenious knot。 They are not savages in the ordinary sense； for
they have a complete civilization of their own； and their legal system
is derived from the Koran。
They are dark brown； with rather low foreheads； dark and somewhat
expressionless eyes； high cheek bones； flattish noses with broad
nostrils； and wide mouths with thick lips。 Their hair is black；
straight and shining； and the women dress it in a plain knot at the
back of the head。 To my thinking； both sexes are decidedly ugly； and
there is a coldness and aloofness of manner about them which chills one
even where they are on friendly terms with Europeans； as the people
whom we visited were with Mrs。 Biggs。
The women were lounging about the houses； some cleaning fish； others
pounding rice； but they do not care for work； and the little money
which they need for buying clothes they can make by selling mats； or
jungle fruits。 Their lower garment； or sarong； reaching from the waist
to the ankles； is usually of red cotton of a small check； with stripes
in the front； above which is worn a loose sleeved garment； called a
kabaya； reaching to the knees； and clasped in front with silver or
gold； and frequently with diamond ornaments。 They also wear gold or
silver pins in their hair； and the sarong is girt or held up by a clasp
of enormous size； and often of exquisite work