Clarke was very fortunate in his selection of the Sultan's first
adviser； for Mr。 Davidson； according to all accounts； had an intimate
knowledge of the Malays； as well as a wise consideration for them； he
had a calm temper and much good sense； and is held in honorable
remembrance； not only for official efficiency but for having gained the
sincere regard of the people of Selangor。 His legal training and high
reputation in the colonial courts were of great value in the settlement
of the many difficult questions which arose during his brief
administration。 He was succeeded in 1876 by Mr。 Bloomfield Douglas； who
has held the office of Resident for six years。
The revenue of Selangor amounted in 1881 to 47；045 pounds； derived
mainly from the export duty on tin； the import duty on opium； and the
letting of opium and other licenses and farms。 The expenditure was
46；876 pounds； the heaviest items being for 〃establishments；〃
〃pensions；〃 and 〃works and buildings。〃 The outlook for Selangor appears
to be a peaceful one； and it is to be hoped that； under the energetic
administration of Sir F。 A。 Weld； its capabilities will be developed
and its anomalies of law and taxation reformed； and that both Malays
and foreigners may experience those advantages of good order and
security which result from a just rule。
LETTER XIV
The S。S。 RainbowSunset at MalaccaA Night at SeaThe Residency at
KlangOur 〃Next…of…Kin〃The Decay of KlangA Remarkable
ChinamanTheatrical MagnificenceMisdeed of a 〃Rogue Elephant〃〃A
Cobra！ A Cobra！〃
S。S。 〃RAINBOW；〃 MALACCA ROADS； February 1； 5 P。M。
I am once again on board this quaint little Chinese steamer； which is
rolling on a lazy ground…swell on the heated； shallow sea。 We were to
have sailed at four P。M。； but mat…sailed boats； with cargoes of
Chinese； Malays； fowls； pine…apples； and sugar…cane； kept coming off
and delaying us。 The little steamer has long ago submerged her
load…line； and is only about ten inches above the water； and still they
load； and still the mat…sailed boats and eight…paddled boats； with two
red…clothed men facing forward on each thwart； are disgorging men and
goods into the overladen craft。 A hundred and thirty men； mostly
Chinese； with a sprinkling of Javanese and Malays； are huddled on the
little deck； with goats and buffaloes； and forty coops of fowls and
ducks； the fowls and ducks cackling and quacking； and the Chinese
clattering at the top of their voicessuch a Babel！
An hour later； 〃Easy ahead；〃 shouts the Portuguese…Malay captain； for
the Rainbow is only licensed for one hundred passengers； and the water
runs in at the scuppers as she rolls； but five of the mat…sailed boats
have hooked on。 〃Run ahead！ full speed！〃 the captain shouts in
English； he dances with excitement； and screams in Malay； the Chinamen
are climbing up the stern； over the bulwarks； everywhere； fairly
boarding us； and with about a hundred and fifty souls on board； and not
a white man or a Christian among them； we steam away over the gaudy
water into the gaudy sunset； and beautiful； dreamy； tropical Malacca；
with its palm…fringed shores； and its colored streets； and Mount Ophir
with its golden history； and the stately Stadthaus； whose ancient rooms
have come to seem almost like my property； are passing into memories。 A
gory ball drops suddenly from a gory sky into a flaming sea； and
〃With one stride comes the dark。〃
There is no place for me except on this little bridge； on which the
captain and I have just had an excellent dinner； with hen…coops for
seats。 These noisy fowls are now quiet in the darkness； but the noisier
Chinese are still bawling at the top of their voices。 It is too dark
for another line。
British Residency； Klang Selangor。You will not know where Klang is；
and I think you won't find it in any atlas or encyclopedia。 Indeed； I
almost doubt whether you will find Selangor； the Malay State of which
Klang is； after a fashion； the capital。 At present I can tell you very
little。
Selangor is bounded on the north by the 〃protected〃 State of Perak；
which became notorious in England a few years ago for a 〃little war；〃
in which we inflicted a very heavy chastisement on the Malays for the
assassination of Mr。 Birch； the British Resident。 It has on its south
and southeast Sungei Ujong； Jelabu； and Pahang； but its boundaries in
these directions are ill…defined。 The Strait of Malacca bounds it on
the west； and its coast…line is about a hundred and twenty miles long。
From its slightly vague interior boundary to the coast； it is supposed
to preserve a tolerably uniform depth of from fifty to sixty miles。
Klang is on the Klang river； in lat。 3 degrees 3' N。； and long。 101
degrees 29' 30〃 E。 I call it 〃the Capital after a fashion；〃 because the
Resident and his myrmidons live here； and because vessels which draw
thirteen feet of water can go no higher； but the true capital； created
by the enterprise of Chinamen； is thirty…six miles farther inland； the
tin…mining settlement of Kwala Lumpor。 Selangor thrives； if it does
thrive； which I greatly doubt； on tin and gutta； but Klang is a most
misthriven； decayed； dejected； miserable…looking place。* The nominal
ruler of Selangor is Sultan Abdul Samat； but he hybernates on a pension
at Langat； a long way off； and must be nearly obliterated； I think。
＇*Kwala Lumpor is now the most important mining entrepot in Selangor；
and in 1880 the British Resident and his staff were removed thither。＇
It is a great change from Malacca in every respect。 I left it with
intense regret。 Hospitality； kindness； most genial intercourse； and its
own semi…mediaeval and tropical fascinations； made it one of the
brightest among the many bright spots of my wanderings。 Mr。 Hayward
took me to the Rainbow in a six…oared boat； manned by six policemen；
completing the list of 〃Government facilities〃 as far as Malacca is
concerned。 The mercury was 90 degrees in my little cabin or den； and it
swarmed not only with mosquitoes； but with cockroaches； which； in the
dim light； looked as large as mice。 Of course； no one sleeps below in
the tropics who can avoid it； so as the deck was thick with Chinamen； I
had my mattress laid on a bench on the bridge； which was only occupied
by two Malay look…out men。 There is not very much comfort when one
leaves the beaten tracks of travel； but any loss is far more than made
up for by the intense enjoyment。
It was a delightful night。 The moon was only a hemisphere； yet I think
she gave more light than ours at the full。 The night was so exquisite
that I was content to rest without sleeping； the Babel noises of fowls
and men had ceased； and there were only quiet sounds of rippling water；
and the occasional cry of a sea…bird as we slipped through the waveless
sea。 When the moon set； the sky was wonderful with its tropic purple
and its pavement and dust of stars。 I have become quite fond of the
Southern Cross； and don't wonder that the early navigators prostrated
themselves on deck when they first saw it。 It is not an imposing
constellation； but it is on a part of the sky which is not crowded with
stars； and it always lies aslant and obvious。 It has become to me as
much a friend as is the Plough of the northern regions。
At daybreak the next morning we were steaming up the Klang river； whose
low shores are entirely mangrove swamps； and when the sun was high and
hot we anchored in front of the village of Klang； where a large fort on
an eminence； with grass embankments in which guns are mounted； is the
first prominent object。 Above this is a large wooden bungalow with an
attap roof； which is the British Residency。 There was no air； and the
British ensign in front of the house hung limp on the flag…staff。 Below
there is a village； with clusters of Chinese houses on the ground； and
Malay houses on stilts； standing singly； with one or two Government
offices bulking largely among them。 A substantial flight of stone steps
leads from the river to a skeleton jetty with an attap roof； and near
it a number of attap…roofed boats were lying； loaded with slabs of tin
from the diggings in the interior； to be transhipped to Pinang。 A
dainty steam…launch； the Abdulsamat； nominally the Sultan's yacht；
flying a large red and yellow flag； was also lying in the river。
Mr。 Bloomfield Douglas； the Resident； a tall； vigorous； elderly man；
with white hair； a florid complexion； and a strong voice heard
everywhere in authoritative tones； met me with a four…oared boat； and a
buggy with a good Australian horse brought me here。 From this house
there is a large but not a beautiful view of river windings； rolling
jungle； and blue hills。 The lower part of the house； which is supported
on pillars； is mainly open； and is used for billiard…room； church；
lounging…room； afternoon tea…room； and audience…room； but I see nothing
of the friendly； easy…going to and fro of Chinese and Malays； which
was a pleasant feature of the Residency in Sungei Ujong。 In fact； there
is here much of the appearance of an armed post amidst a hostile
population。 In front of the Residency there is a six…pounder flanked by
two piles of shot。 Behind it there is a guard…room； with racks of
rifles and bayonets for the Resident's body…guard of twelve men； and
quarters for the married soldiers； for soldiers they are； though they
are called policemen。 A gong hangs in front of the porch on which to
sound the alarm； and a hundred men fully armed can turn out at five
minutes' notice。
The family consists of the Resident； his wife； a dignified and gracious
woman； with a sweet but plaintive expression of countenance； and an
afflicted daughter； on whom her mother attends with a loving； vigilant；
and ceaseless devotion of a most pathetic kind。 The circle is completed
by a handsome black monkey tied to a post； and an ape which they call
an ouf； from the solitary monosyllable which it utters； but which I
believe to be the 〃agile gibbon；〃 a creature so delicate that it has
never yet survived a voyage to England。
It is a beautiful creature。 I could 〃put off〃 hours of time with it。 It
walks on its hind legs with a curious human walk； hanging its long arms
down by its sides like B…。 It will walk quietl