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Full text of "Six months among the Malays, and a year in China"

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SIX MONTHS 



AMONG THE MALAYS; 



AND 



A TEAR IN CHINA. 



BY 



DR. YVAN, 



PHYSICIAN TO THE SCIENTIFIC MISSION SENT BY FRANCE TO CHINA, &c. 1 

■I 

AUTHOR OF { 

" ROMANCE OF TRAVEL." I 

J 



WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 



LONDON: 

JAMES BLACKWOOD, PATERKOSTER ROW. 



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MDCCCLV. ^ 



DSbov 
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CONTENTS. 



SIX MONTHS AMONG THE MALAYS. 

Chapter Page 

I. Malacca 1 

II. Singapore * 59 

III. Paulo Pinang 147 

IV. Basilan 201 

V. Holo or Soulou 226 

VI. Return to Basilan 260 

A YEAR IN CHINA. 

VII. Macao and its Environs 277 



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SIX MONTHS 
AMONG THE MALAYS. 



CHAPTER I. 

MALACCA. 

We had scarcely anchored in the Straits of Ma- 
lacca, when our ship (the Syren) was surrounded 
by a crowd of light Malay vessels called pirogues : 
these little Indian boats are formed from the 
trunk of a tree, and their crew consisted of small, 
thin men, well formed, but completely yellow : 
with the exception of a very scanty garment 
covering the upper part of the thighs, and passing 
over the hips, these children of the sea are entire- 
ly naked ; their harsh, black hair, is either cover- 
ed with a simple handkerchief, or a bamboo hat 
as large as a parasol, and their countenances de- 
note great resolution and intelligence ; although 
the eyes are small, there is a quick, bold expres- 
sion about them, which at once prepossesses one 
in their favour. I could not help feeling a strong 
sympathy for these brave Malays, who have been 
represented by some nations, as a malicious and 
deceitful race of beings. When visiting the Cape 
of Good Hope, and Bourbon, I had frequently 

B 



THE MALAYS. 



seen some of tlieir tribe ; but at Cape Town, these 
descendants of the exiles of Java, have, for the 
most part, become civilized work-people, and no 
longer retain any traces of the bold pii^ates who 
were their forefathers ; while at St. Denis, where 
the unhappy Malays have been reduced to a mis- 
erable state of slavery by the plantei^s of Bom^bon, 
they wore a sad and gloomy aspect, like that of a 
caged lion. I had precisely that knowledge of 
the Malay which the keeper of a menagerie has 
of a wild animal, understanding his nature about 
as well as a ft-equenter of the Jar din des Flantes 
may do an exotic, and it gave me infinite plea- 
sure to have an opportunity of seeing him fi'ee 
and unfettered in the midst of his own splendid 

country. 

When they came near the ship, our visitors 
offered us fruits, vegetables, birds, and various cu- 
riosities for sale ; indeed, the Malays are, in a man- 
ner, the merchants of this part of the world, and 
often make long voyages in search of purchasers 
for the cocoa-nuts and bananas which they possess 
in such abundance ; the love of gain, in these 
courafj-eous men, being always allied with that of 
adventure and enterprise ; their ideas with regard 
to property are very peculiar, as they consider 
it le^atimately acquired, if purcluised at the price 
of dan<^'-er. On permitting these wandering tra- 
ders to climl.) on board our vessel, the deck was 
immediately crowded, and resembled a village on 
a market day ; to some of the ship's crew, who 
had long been deprived of fi-esli viands, they 
offered all the delicious fi*uits of the tropics, and 
to others, some jacquirs and duriclus, of which 
1 shall ha\'e occasion to speak by and by, and 



BIEDS OF MALACCA. 3 

which the sailors, for some unknown reason, called 
Jesuit's bread. They had also some beautiful 
paroquets in pretty cages made of rushes, most 
elegant little prisons resembling fairy dungeons, 
having no aperture for the captive to escape. 
These lovely birds, which were not larger than a 
sparrow, were of a bright emerald-green colom^ ; 
some had wings shaded with rose-pink, while 
others bore in front a sort of blue star, like lapis- 
lazuli, which looked like a mystic sign, marking 
them as inliabitants of the ethereal rec^ions. As 
I gazed with admiration on their sportiveness 
and beauty, I could almost have shared in the 
poetic creed of the Indians, who believe that the 
souls of children assume the bright plumage of 
birds, and under that disguise dwell for ever 
among the living. The pretty paroquets were 
accompanied by a talking parrot, the plumage 
of which was of the glossiest black ; on the head 
were two excrescences, of a pale yellow shade, 
which projected at the lateral parts and surround- 
ed the beak, which was also yellow, with a sort 
of shining hood. Although in captivity, these 
birds chattered and skipped about incessantly, 
and did not seem to pine after liberty, whilst 
breathing their native air. How often liave I 
seen these winged children of Malacca behind the 
glass windows of the Parisian bird-sellers, where, 
alas ! they were melancholy and morose, scarcely 
quitting the perch upon which they were seated, 
to take their food. And how often have I heard 
the remark — " They are very pretty, but inani- 
mate, and uninteresting I" In reality, the poor 
captives were neither sad, nor stupid, but the cold 
atmosphere chilled their buoyant spirits. 

B 2 



4 CITY OF aiALACCA : 

We were thus occupied in making observations 
on all these novel and interesting objects, when 
we were informed that it would be necessary to 
remain two days at Malacca. Xavier Reymond, 
De Montigny, and myself, immediately went on 
board a Malay vessel, manned by four natives, 
with whom the light pirogue seemed literally to 
fly over the calm waters. On advancing up the 
Straits, we observed on the left hand a row of 
houses built on stakes, which had a most cui-ious 
appearance, and looked exactly as if they were 
walking into the sea. These buildings have but 
one story, and the roof is sloping, like that of a 
castle built with cards, while a number of light 
boats are moored to the stakes which support 
them above the water. A yellow and muddy 
river divides Malacca into two parts, united by a 
bridge ; on the left side is situated the official 
town, where most of the English authorities re- 
side, and on the right is the commercial quarter 
— pirogTies, Malay vessels, and Chinese junks, 
bearing a strildng resemblance to the antedilu- 
\T.an arks of Noah, are anchored in the little 
creek into wliich the river empties itself We 
landed on the official side, where there is an 
eminence nearly covered with trees, in the centre 
of which is the governor's palace, overlooking a 
large cluster of European houses, which stretch 
alonsf the sea-shore, and form a most charmini^ 
picture, shaded by cocoa-trees, and laved by the 
limpid waters of the Straits. In days of yore, 
when the Portuguese were all-j)0werl"ul here, this 
part of Malacca was ])rotected by a fort, and s\u'- 
rounded with a strong wall, while a very tine 
church rose in the centre of it ; but at the present 



ITS ARCHITECTURE. O 

day, tliese once-splendid buildings are but a mass 
of ruins — the fort is dismantled, the walls de- 
stroyed, and a mean-looking chapel replaces the 
noble edifice erected by the Portuguese ; nothing 
is left of the holy temple but a part of the 
entrance which borders on the sea — the fa9ade has 
given way, the strong roots of the banyan have 
destroyed the cement which united the stones, 
and the pillars formed by the branches of that 
splendid tree have replaced those of gi-anite; We 
spent some time in examining, with somewhat 
melancholy feelings, these vestiges of ancient 
grandeur, and then, crossing the bridge which 
separates the two parts of the town, found our- 
selves in the commercial quarters. The street we 
now entered consists of houses one-story high, 
which, though they have a tolerably respectable 
appearance, are rather fantastical-looking ; a sort 
of fence is formed by the roof which advances 
towards the fa9ade, and this is invariably used 
as a shelter for certain massive pieces of house- 
hold goods, which we shall speak of presently ; 
mysterious-looking characters, intermixed with 
gilding and arabesque work, are inscribed on the 
entrance-door, as well as upon the heavy articles 
of foi-nitm^e we have named ; upon the latter are 
seated a number of men engaged in smoking, they 
are as yellow as a jonquil, with shaven heads, on 
the crown of which is a single tuft of hak de- 
scending in a long queue to the calf of the leg ; 
projecting temples, oblique eyes, and nostrils much 
dilated, are the characteristic features of these 
sinoTilar beinojs, whose dress is not the least ex- 
traordinary part of their appearance. The head 
is left quite bare, and protected from the rays of 



6 CHINESE EMIGRANTS. 

the sun by a fan ; a kind of loose vest of white 
silk or cotton reaches to the middle of the thigli, 
and is fastened above the collar-bone by a button 
on the right shoulder ; the pantaloons, also white, 
are attached to the person by blue ribands ; the 
legs are encased in cotton stockings ; and the 
costume is completed by black satin shoes, with 
felt soles two inches thick. 

Such are the Chinese who reside in these low 
and gaudily-ornamented houses, and the large 
pieces of fm-niture covered with gilding, to which 
we have before alluded, are the coffins which they 
prepare for their last long rest. Thus, while the 
liigher orders of these people present, in our eyes, 
so strange an aspect, they at the same time illus- 
trate, most forcibly, one universal and character- 
istic trait of their race, which is not less remark- 
able than their customs and dress. I mean, their 
perfect indifference to the idea of death. To us, 
westerns, the sight of a tomb is sad and gloomy, 
and forces upon us the iiTCsistable question, " Wliy 
should we thus torment and harass om'selves about 
the business of this life, since we camiot, in the 
end, escape death V To the Chinese, who is less 
skilled in mystic doctrine, it merely whispers, 
" Work and strive, that thou may est possess, for 
death lies here.'' 

Leaving this street, we turn into one inliabited 
by Malays ; the houses are all built on stakes, 
similar to those we have seen in the Straits, but 
instead of ])rojecting into the water, these are 
situated in the' midst of large gardens, covered by 
the thick-leaved branches of the oimnr/ou start ner 
and durian, and surrounded by palm-treos, wliose 
tufted foliage is like a palLsade of upright lances. 



THE ELEPHANTS. 7 

The inhabitants of these houses re-called to our 
minds the wandering visitors we had welcomed 
on board the Syren ; however, we were glad to 
observe that they had made certain indispensable 
additions to the very primitive costume of our old 
friends, inasmuch as they wore large pantaloons 
and a belt, through the middle of which was 
passed a native weapon of defence, called a kriss. 
In ranging through this singular place, we ob- 
served, here and there, a few European houses, 
which were almost lost in the crowd of Malay and 
Clunese habitations. The shops in the commer- 
cial part were well furnished with eatables, almost 
entu-ely unknown to us ; among the rest, a sort 
of jelly, which is here called agar-agar, sao-fru, 
san-tra-cfioj, and many others, which we shall 
have plenty of time to study in China. Elephants 
are sometimes seen gravely parading the streets, 
and when in the humour for fr'olic, they will 
harmlessly salute the passer by with their trunks. 
We met very few women during our walk, and 
the Portuguese whom we saw with their faces 
uncovered, were absolutely frightful ; they go 
with their heads bare, and wear a carpet-like 
garment, which sits quite close, and delineates 
their spare figures distinctly ; over tliis vestment 
is worn a sort of pellisse, which reaches to the 
knees, and covers the shoulders ; the Mussulman 
women are generally veiled, if, indeed, that term 
can be applied to the cmious manner in which 
they conceal their whole figm^es fr^om the curious 
gaze ; they throw their dresses over their heads, 
in a style which reminded me of the charming 
description of Virginia sheltering herself from the 
storm J then, extending their arms something in 



8 THE HOTEL : 

the form of a cross, they bring the lower part of 
the dress on a level with tlieir eyes, so as to leave 
only a slit t'hi'ough which they are just able to 
see. In this strange disguise, these women re- 
semble those immense bats, wliich have formed 
the subject for so much popular superstition — the 
fearfully-celebrated vampkes which inhabit the 
forests of America. 

It is easy to see, at a glance, that the influence 
of Em'opean civilization is nearly extinct here — 
the Portuguese, Dutch, and English, have from 
time to time, ruled these people by force of arms ; 
but the aboriginal manners and opinions predo- 
minate, at the root, and will, for many a long 
day, render them rebellious to any new form of 
govermnent. 

Having taken a bird's-eye peep at the place, 
we began to think about finding an hotel, or some 
place where we could dine comfortably, and re- 
main all night, and some Malays pointed out to 
us a handsome European house, where they said 
we should be treated like princes. So we repaired 
thither, and knocked at the door, which was 
opened by an old Malay woman, who ushered us 
into the presence of the proprietor. Whitlier we 
would also introduce the reader. The room we 
now enter is of vast size, and well supplied Avitli 
easy chairs, and Indian rush couches. On one of 
these is seated, in state, the master of tlie house, 
actively employed in fanning himself with a screen 
made of i)alm leaves, which example is energeti- 
cally followed by all his family, consisting of his 
wife, a boy, and three daughters. Our host is a 
man of about fifty -eight, short, stout, and black, 
and his costume partiikes of the Em-opean style. 



HOW FURNISHED. 9 

that is to say, lie wears a jacket and white panta- 
loons. His wife is a large woman, of rather fair 
complexion, wearing a kind of short chemise, 
which flows loosely over her petticoats, and the 
tlu-ee daughters, little tawny creatm^es of from 
fifteen to eighteen, are attired in a similar man- 
ner. On onr entrance, oiu* host rises, and ad- 
di'esses us in Portuguese : — " Gentlemen, to what 
am I indebted for the honour of this visit V 

" We have been told,'' answered our friend, 
De Montigny, " that we could obtain lodgings for 
the night in your house.'' 

" Certainly," replied the worthy man ; " and 
I am bold enough to say that no one else in all 
Malacca will be able to make you so comfortable 
as I can : if you will have the goodness to follow 
me, I will conduct you to your apartment ;" 
and he took us into an immense room, perfectly 
destitute of furnitiu^e. 

" Ah ! this will do," said I ; " when you have 
provided us with three beds, and some chairs, etc. 
we shall be very comfortable here." 

" Three beds and chairs 1" cried our host, open- 
ing his eyes very wide ; " then have you not 
brought any ?" 

" Certainly not," was our reply. The honest 
Portuguese reflected for a few minutes, and half 
talking to himself, remarked that a single night 
was not of very long duration, that a bed was not 
actually necessary to sleep, and finally proposed 
that we should pm^chase three mats to lie down 
upon. 

" Oh ! don't talk about sleeping on mats," 
interrupted De Montigny ; " could you not lend 
us a wrapper of some sort ?" 



10 HOW TO GET A DINNER. 

" For more than a year I have been thinking 
of purchasing something of that kind for my 
daughter's bed, and also for that of my little son, 
who sleeps alone ; but as yet, I have not done 
so, and my own couch is the only one thus fur- 
nished/' 

" Upon my word,'' exclaimed De Montigny, 
" there is something about you which fascinates 
me, and let your accommodation be what it may, 
we will certainly remain here. As you very 
justly observed, one night is soon over ; so get us 
something to eat, and we will wave the questions 
of beds." 

" To eat I" exclaimed the Portuguese, in great 
astonishment — " you want something to eat ! 
But it is impossible I" 

" What do you mean ? Impossible ! Do you 
never eat then V 

" I certainly do eat," he replied, in a crest- 
fallen manner, " because I cannot live without 
it — but you " 

" Oh, I suppose you think we are angels !" I 
replied, somewhat exasperated. 

^' Oh, my God ! far from it," exclaimed the 
poor man ; " but, my friends, if I gave you any- 
thing to eat, you would require a plate, a glass, 
a fork, and I know not what else ; perhaps, even 
a napkin each ; and before I could procm'e all 
these tilings, I should have to go and beg of all 
my neighbours — in sliort, you could not have your 
dinner before midnight. Now, listen to me, and 
as I am a man of some experience, take my advice 
— go and walk about near the Governor's palace ; 
should you meet him, he will, in all ]>robability, 
invite you to dinner, and this, I assure you, is 



AN OFFER OF SERVICE. 11 

your only chance of anything to eat this even- 



ing " 



This was the finishing stroke — mirth overcame 
bad humom-, and shaking the honest old fellow 
by the hand, we took om- departm^e. The Ma- 
lays, who had accompanied us, were awaiting 
om- reappearance at the gate, and finding that we 
had not met with what we wanted, proposed con- 
ducting us to several other Portuguese and Dutch 
houses, where the scene we had just acted would 
probably have been repeated, with divers varia- 
tions. We inquired of some of our guides if they 
could give us shelter, but these faithful believers 
in the Koran, recoiled with horror from the pro - 
position, and mm-mm^ed something to themselves, 
in which we caught the word " Christian,'' not 
very politely mentioned. We were now quite at 
a loss how to act, and were half in the mind to 
try the stratagem recommended to us by the Por- 
tuguese, when a youth, dressed in the European 
costume of a mariner, with a glazed hat, and 
blue shirt, stepped up, and addressing us in bad 
English, said, " Gentlemen, you are probably in 
search of lodgings, and very likely have but a 
slight chance of dining this evening, or even of 
slee]3ing with a roof over yom- heads." 

We replied that this was exactly our condi- 
tion, and inquired if he could render us any 
assistance. 

" Most assmedly I can,'' he replied, drawing 
himself up with an important air. 

" Can you really give us lodgings for the 
night ?" we inquired. 

" I should think so, indeed — I am a sailor on 
board Captain Martin's vessel, which goes from 



12 A SHARP BARGAIN. 

Baliia to Baukok, but am a native of Malacca ; 
my name is Melo, and my ancestors have resided 
here for more than three hundred years. I will 
now conduct you to my mother." 

We ventured to inquire as to whether he was 
quite certain that the lady in question could give 
us lodgings, and likewise provide us with a 
dinner. 

" Cooking your dinner is certainly more diffi- 
cult than giving you beds ; but it is not impossible, 
provided you will comply with one triiiing ar- 
rangement.'' 

We eagerly inquired what this might be. 

" Merely, that you must pay for your dinner 
in advance — the truth is, we have everything 
here but money, and those scoundi^els, the Chi- 
nese, will not let us have anytliing on credit." 

We asked our friend how much he would 
charge us, but he only replied that his mother 
would arrange all that, and we therefore quietly 
followed him to her residence, which was biult of 
stone, but had a very ^vl•etched appearance, the 
roof being constructed with palm-leaves, and the 
walls tottering with age. We entered a low, but 
tolerably neat-looking room, with a narrow table 
limning the whole length of it, and two benches 
placed at the sides. This mode of arrangement, 
so common in small inns all over the world, in- 
spired us with the hope that Mr. Melo's mother 
wjis a lady of exj)erience, and that she would be 
able to make good what her son had promised. 
We pjissed tln-ough this apartment into another, in 
wliicli were two women, dressed in the Malay 
style, with the national a])ron, over which floated 
the pellisse worn by the Portuguese ; one of them 



THE ENVIRONS OF THE CITY. 1 3 

was very old and hideous, the other rather young- 
er, but likewise extremely plain ; with the elder 
of them Melo rapidly exchanged a few words in 
the Malay tongue, and the result of their conver- 
sation was, that he demanded of us three Spanish 
piastres, assm^ing us that we should dine as luxu- 
riously as the sultan. After receiving the money 
our friend proposed that as we had now a prospect 
of dinner, we should take a short stroll in order to 
promote an appetite for it, which judicious advice 
we hastened to follow. 

On gazing over the immense plain on which 
the City of Malacca is built, where the prospect 
is clear and uninterrupted, and where nothing 
meets the eye but millions of cocoa-trees, whose 
elegant columns seem proudly conscious of their 
coronets of verdure, it is impossible not to feel 
that we are looking upon one of those favoured 
lands in which human labour is supeiiluous, and 
on treading its rich and verdant soil every step 
confirms the feeling. 

On leaving the city we found om^selves in a 
beautiful kind of orchard, in the midst of which 
rose numerous small habitations, half hidden with 
countless specimens of the vegetable kingdom, 
bending with the weight of their delicious fruits 
— nowhere could the hand of man be traced be- 
neath these cupolas, and while feasting the eyes 
on this lovely scene, one might almost fancy one- 
self gazing on the fertile home of a people against 
whom the gates of our ten^estrial Paradise had 
not yet closed. The lower part of the dwelling 
is used as a shelter for large numbers of the pret- 
ty little Indian boats, by means of which consi- 
derable commerce is carried on in this country, 



1 4? TREES AND PLANTS. 

and a covered balcony forming a kind of veran- 
dah which is approached by a staircase placed on 
the outside, completely sm^rounds the house. 

In this balcony, a woman and two men are 
stationed, the former occupied in weaving a thick 
mat constructed from the gi-een leaves just fallen 
from the palm tree, while the men, with the as- 
sistance of a little iron instrument, are extracting 
the kernel from the cocoa-nut ; some pretty little 
Malay fowls, smaller than ours, are scratching 
about on the gTound, their plumage is brilliantly 
variegated, and their eggs are the colour of nankin. 
In one part, exposed to the rays of the sun and 
covered with a quantity of manm-e, we observe a 
number of cocoa-plants, which are beginning to 
shoot out — the cotyledonous leaf is completely 
developed, and the little stalk has already burst 
forth. 

There are many opportunities, in this country, for 
studying the various phenomena of germination, 
but of these the traveller can take but a cursory 
view ; we may count more than twenty different 
species of trees in the small space which sm^rounds 
this hmnble dwelling — among them, the raan- 
guier, engenia, duvian, ramhoutan, garcinia- 
Tiiangoustan, jiapayer, jacquier, chospiros, long- 
hang, and many others, whicli I omit, lest my 
description should become wearisome. All these 
trees are in full bearing, and the fruits produced 
in this favoured land are sweet and high-tiavoiu*- 
ed, bearing no resemblance to those of America, 
which are generally sharp and acid in taste. 

Whilst walking about we discover one miser- 
able-looking house built of stone, which contrasts 
forcibly with the pleasiint aspect of the Malay 



A CHINESE SHOPKEEPER. 15 

dwellings ; from it tliere issues an old Portuguese 
woman, covered with rags, and grumbling as she 
walks ; in her hand she holds a copper coin smaller 
than our farthing ; if we follow this poor creature 
we shall find that she repairs to a shop by the 
way side, kept by a Chinese : this wi'etched, 
plank-built hovel contains a small store of wine 
and other things of a similar kind, with a few 
heaps of rice and all-spice ; a very fine fish ex- 
posed for sale upon a tottering table, constitutes 
the principal shew of the place. The old woman, 
with a crabbed expression of face, ofiers her tiny 
coin to the Chinese, who receives it with the 
peculiarly gracious smile of his class, and in ex- 
change for it, presents her with a piece of the im- 
mense fish, as large as his hand. This old woman 
is, in all probability, descended from the ancient 
conquerors of the place — perhaps her name may 
be Albaquerque, Songa, or Vasco ; in her youth 
she formed one of the aristocracy of her country, 
but in her old age she finds herself neglected, 
miserable, and degraded. The subtle Chinese is 
most likely some poor devil from Fo-kien, who 
came to Malacca without a half-penny, and with 
no resource but the persevering, enterprising spirit 
of his race : by means of industry and persever- 
ance, he has managed to set up this miserable 
shop, and he may now consider his fortune as 
made — he will work upon the Malays with all 
the obsequious arts of mercantile cunning, until he 
transfers a small fortune from their pockets to his 
own ; with this he will live in tranquil comfort 
at Malacca, and be respectably interred in his 
predestined bmying-place. Here, as in many 
other parts of the world, the powerfrd conqueror, 



1 6 KITCHEN PIRATES, 

the hauglity aristocrat, gi'adually disappears, and 
yields up his place to the sons of labovu\ We ap- 
proached the old woman and offered lier some 
money, at the sight of which she rul)bed her eyes, 
looked cautiously round her, and overwhelming 
us with benedictions for the gift she accepted, set 
off as fast as her legs would cany her. 

A moment afterwards we saw the youncrer of 
om* hostesses advancino; towards us, utterinsf loud 
exclamations, and beckoning to us to make haste 
and come to her — on doing so, she gave us the 
lamentable information that a party of pirates 
had attacked om* dinner, and were, at that very 
moment, actually devoming it. After all we had 
suffered on the subject, this intelligence wi-ung 
fi'om us an agonised cry of horror. " But how 
did it happen V we all inquired in a bi-eath ; 
" Why did yom* son allow them to touch our 
dinner ?" 

" What ! my son !" exclaimed the old woman ; 
" do you mean the rascal who conducted you ? 
*' Did that scamp tell you he was my son ? You 
were wise people to believe him, and give him a 
demi-piastre for bringing you to my house !" 

In spite of our distress we could not help laugh- 
ing, and retraced om- steps with great precipita- 
tion, feeling convinced that we should find our 
guide among the marauders ; but he was not 
there, and the master and mates of the sloop 
Victorious were the pei-petrators of the illegal 
act ; they were a little confused on our entrance, 
but the spokesman of the party, recovering his 
self-possession, gave us the follo^ving ex})lanati(m. 
" The inliabitants of tliis country are, you must 
know, the greatest liars in the world : when we 



A MALACCA DINNER. 17 

entered this room, to which we were attracted by 
the odour of cooking, these old creatures told us 
they were preparing dinner for some Frenchmen ; 
of com^se we did not believe them, and under the 
impression that it was for the Portuguese or Eng- 
lish that the frying-pan was in use, sat down to 
dinner. It is very unfortunate, but these old 
witches have only told the truth once in their 
lives, and that once, to us. The best thing you 
can do, is to sit down, and try to dine off the 
remains.'' 

We were about to follow this advice, when a 
sign from one of the old women induced us to 
change om^ minds, and following her into a little 
garden thickly shaded by trees, we found a very 
respectable dimier served under an' orange tree ; 
it was composed of a curried chicken, a fine fish, 
tomatoes, and some bread ; for two piastres extra, 
we procured some wine, which at the distance of 
three thousand five hundred leagues from France^ 
passed very well for Bordeaux ; on the whole, we 
dined very merrily, making a vow, that should 
we ever revisit Malacca (where I have since been 
three times) we would never lose sight of our din- 
ner, after once having a prospect of obtaining it. 

We took leave of our hostess at night-fall, and 
bent our steps towards the streets inhabited by 
the Chinese. The shops and houses of these inde- 
fatigable people, presented to our view a most 
remarkable and unexpected cowp d'oeil, being all 
illuminated by immense lanterns, made of silken 
stuff, upon which were painted flowers, birds, and 
various fabulous animals. Upon some of these 
light-looking globes are inscribed certain charac- 
ters, indicating the name and profession of the 

c 



18 MALAY ARTIFICERS. 

'Owner of the house ; but although these streets 
are brilliantly lighted, they seem almost deserted, 
for we scarcely met any one, except now and then 
some benighted Malay returning homewards, or 
perhaps a pedlar, with his wares fastened to the 
end of a bamboo. Our attention was arrested by 
some very bright lights, which seemed to issue 
from a particular quarter of the town, and which, 
we were told, proceeded fi^om a street exclusively 
occupied by Chinese blacksmiths. The blade of 
the kHss, the celebrated cmwpilan, and the iron 
spears so much in favour among the Malays, are 
manufactured by these clever artisans : they are 
naked from the thigh to the foot, and fi'om the 
crown of the head to the waist, and work with 
greatest assiduity, and in perfect silence, wliile the 
glimmer from the flame and red-hot iron, throws 
a bright light over their gold-colom-ed skins. In 
the Slalay streets none of this bustle is visible, 
the houses are perfectly quiet, and not a soimd is 
to be heard, except perhaps a few notes of some 
monotonous song, proceeding from one of the 
perfumed dwelling's, probably the voice of some 
young girl, endeavom-ing to charm away the 
tnnui of her lord and master. 

In one of these streets we met our old friend 
Melo, who, with the most innocent air in the 
world, asked us how we had enjoyed our dinner. 
On receiving a satisfactory reply, that delectable 
young gentleman oifered to take us to one of the 
Malay houses, whither we accompanied him. As- 
cending the wooden staircase which terminates in 
the verandah, we found the whole family reclining 
on mats ; they seemed a little surprised at oirr some- 
what abrupt entry, but after a few words of explanu- 



A FAMILY PARTY. 19 

tion from our guide, hastened to light a sort of 
lamp placed in a large glass filled with cocoa-nut 
oil, and we thus made acquaintance with the 
countenances of these good people. The father of 
the family would, at Malacca, be considered rather 
above the middle size, and a beard and moustaches 
frosted by time, gave an expression of dignity to his 
features, which were rendered rather remarkable 
by a very peculiar expression about the eyes, 
while an aquiline nose gave him a very different 
appearance from the Malays in general : his dress 
too was extremely dissimilar from theirs, consist- 
ing of a turban, very wide pantaloons, and a kind 
of long printed dressing-gown. His wife was 
decidedly a Malay by birth, with -lips stained by 
the betel-nut, and perfectly black teeth, besides, 
she wore the national costume, and a vest which 
covered the shoulders. The two daughters, who 
had much more delicate features than their 
mother, and were not so sallow in complexion, 
were attired in the same manner, the only differ- 
ence in their dress being that they did not wear a 
vest, but left the shoulders, neck, and arms unco- 
vered. 

We had scarcely seated om-selves on the mats 
which were placed on the ground, when the mas- 
ter of the house entered into conversation with us, 
and began to descant on his origin ; from what he 
said, it appeared that he was descended, by his 
father's side, fi^om a celebrated Mussulman who 
came from Arabia more than one hundred years 
ago, with the view of propagating his religion 
among the Malays. The old Mussulman gave us 
this information, in order that we might not only 
be aware of his high origin, but also of tlie fact 

C2 



20 MALACCA CONFECTIONARY. 

that lie enjoyed gi-eat ecclesiastical reputation — 
for our parts, the intelligence was principally in- 
teresting to us, because it explained the mystery 
of his having an acquiline nose, and large black 
eye, exactly parallel. 

While we were conversing with the father the 
two young girls took on their laps a small tea- 
tray of red lacquer- work, upon which were placed 
some copper cups something hke those in which 
the village barbers keep their wash-balls. After 
mixing up several substances in each, they wi'apped 
them up in gi-een leaves, forming httle packets of 
confectionary, which they offered to us. As I 
raised mine to my lips, the mother made a hasty 
signal for me to desist, exclaiming in Portuguese, 
" Ardi ! ardi ! it will burn you \" But in spite 
of her warning I began to masticate the composi- 
tion, and having become tolerably accustomed to 
hot condiments when in Brazil and Bom-bon, the 
burning taste of the betel was not entirely new to 
me — indeed, I used to be rather fond of this astrin- 
gent drug. The young girls discovering my taste, 
offered to give me a lesson on the preparation of 
this oriental mixtm^e ; the youngest of the two 
sisters took a leaf of the betel-tree in her liand, 
then putting a small quantity of pjiste, partly 
made of lime, into the copper cup, stirred it about 
with her finger, and covered the upper part of the 
leaf with it ; after which, she put into the leaf a 
small piece of arec-nut, and a morsel of r/amhier. 
Prepared in this manner the hctcl- nut has strong 
tonic properties, and I have often found it ex- 
tremely beneficial in stomach comjilaints caused by 
tlie heat of the climate. On looking roimd the 
apartment in which we were seated, I was ex- 



A CONVERSATION ON FASHIONS. 21 

ceedingly surprised to find an engraving from the 
popular fashion-book, known by the name of the 
" Journal des Modes/' fastened against the wall — 
I started as if I had seen an apparition. 

It represented a lady of rank, with immense 
sleeves, and a bonnet of very elevated form, 
covered with gaudy bows and ribands. I could 
not help smiling as I gazed on this absurd carica- 
tm-e, and one of the young girls, who had been 
watching me with some curiosity, came up to 'me, 
and inquired whether this was the dress of the 
ladies in my country. I replied, that it was so 
ten years ago ; but that now they had altered 
the fashion. " And why have they done so V 
asked the young girl. — " Perhaps they try to 
imitate the dress of some of the foreign ladies 
who reside amongst you.'' " On the contrary," I 
replied, " my countrywomen never imitate other 
nations, but are themselves considered the models 
of fashion and elegance." ^' Then, if their dress 
is so much admired as to be copied by others, 
why do they change it f I tried to make these 
simple children of natui^e understand something 
of the caprices of fashion ; but the elder of the 
two rephed — " Surely, what was pretty yester- 
day, cannot be ugly to-day : some like a blue 
apron, others a red one ; but the article itself is 
still the same. My sister likes to have her hair 
tucked up, whilst I prefer allowing mine to fall 
about my shoulders ; but when we wear hats, 
they are exactly alike." 

As she spoke, she unfastened the coils of her 
long hair, allowing it to fall over her neck and 
shoulders, which were instantly covered with her 
black tresses. Whilst doing this, she looked like 



22 LODGINGS IN MALACCA. 

a statue of sandal-wood set in ebony ; and there 
was a peculiarly animated, ftiiry expression about 
her, as she passed her small delicate hand over her 
forehead, while the rings with which her fingers 
were ornamented, looked like polished gold upon 
unwrought masses of the same precious metal. 

We prolonged om- visit as much as possible ; 
but although it was past midnight when we re- 
gained our habitation, the Chinese lamps were 
still- bm-ning ; the greater number of the shops 
were, however, shut up, except those in the street 
inhabited by the blacksmiths ; and Melo, who, in 
his capacity of cicerone, never left us, informed 
us that these indefatigable artisans never close 
their establishments, but relieve guard exactly 
like the sailors on board ship. 

On entering the residence of our hostess, Mela 
inquired, with an authoritative air, whether our 
beds were ready ? One of the old women replied 
by taking up a large mug, in which a cotton 
match was bm^ning, and preceding us up the stair- 
case, led the way to the first floor. 

Never in my life did I see such a wretched place 
as that to which the horrible old witch conducted 
us. The floor was covered with the remains of 
all the vegetables in the creation ; old spades, and 
various dilapidated utensils were arranged along 
the walls, and through the shattered roof the 
bright rays of the moon enabled us to perceive 
four mats in the corners of the room. ]Mr. Melo 
did us the honour to share om' a]iartment, but 
we soon found, on lying down, that sleep was a 
])erfect impossibility ; swarms of rats were scom*- 
ing about the place — insects innumerable were 
flying and buzzing over our heads, and the moou- 



CHINESE RELIGIOUS RITES. 23 

beams slione as brightly above us as the mid-day 
sun in the streets of London or Paris. 

After endeavouring for some time to endure 
these annoyances, and go to sleep, I ventured to 
observe to Mr. Melo, that the apartment of his 
lady-mother appeared to me somewhat unpleasant, 
and on receiving a reply from that humourous 
individual, that he was quite of my opinion, I 
proposed that we should rise, and take a stroll 
into the town. " With all my heart,'' was his 
answer ; and we accordingly went out. 

As we were walking through the streets occu- 
pied by the Chinese, we observed several houses, 
the outer doors of which were left open, and the 
vestibules brilliantly lighted up. ' I asked Melo 
if there were a gala of some kind going on within ; 
but he repUed, that they were probably cele- 
brating one of the numerous religious rites of 
their sect. 

As we stopped for a moment on the threshhold 
of one of the houses, a young Chinese, of about 
twenty years of age, dressed in a long dark 
blue silk robe, ornamented with glass buttons, 
invited us to enter, which we did. Before a 
large image, representing one of the household 
gods of his family, he was burning perfamed 
matches placed in ashes, contained in a square 
bronze vessel, covered with arabesque work, and 
standing on four legs. Two coffins, something 
like those I have before described, as forming part 
of the furniture of the Chinese habitations, were 
placed on each side of this ancestral altar. On 
being questioned by Melo with regard to their 
contents, the young man pointed with his finger 
to one of them — " That," said he, " contains the 



24 CHINESE FILIAL PIETY. 

body of my father, and the other that of my 
mother. For more than two years I have pre- 
served these sacred relics in my house, but my 
goods have increased so much latterly, that I have 
scarcely room for them ; and to-morrow, it is my 
intention to have them conveyed to a tomb made 
for the piu'pose on the mountain/' 

In translating to me this reply, Melo accom- 
panied it with some rather amusing, but infidel 
observations — " What miserly dogs these Chinese 
are l" he exclaimed ; " they are always afraid of 
starvation, and they smoke-dry their fathers and 
mothers in this way, so that they may be available 
in case of famine : what other motive can they 
have for thus retaining them in their houses, when 
they always eject them thence when they become 
rich ! For instance, this fellow had not a single 
hal^Denny five years ago, and now he is as rich as 
a Nabob/' 

The worthy Chinese gave us an invitation to 
be present at the ceremony, which was to take 
place the following day. Upon a shrine, very 
much like those used on the Continent for the 
image of Saints, a roasted pig was placed ; others, 
less ornamented, are filled with ragouts of a very 
inviting odour, and cakes of difierent forms, 
lozenge-shaped, square, and round, all inscribed 
with mystic characteis. He also observed several 
baskets containing gilded papers, possessing some 
imaginary value, which are intended to be burnt 
on the tombs of the dead, to serve instead of 
money in the next world. The young man afber- 
waids shewed us the dress he intemled to wear, 
and also the garments of the mourners, who were 
to accompany the funeral procession. 



MALAY WARLIKE WEAPONS. 25 

After having partaken of a cup of tea with him, 
and some betel-nut, we took our departure, and 
crossing the bridge, followed a long street, border- 
ing on the sea-shore. The tide was rising, and 
there, in the deep silence of night, we heard the 
solemn voice of ocean, lulling the happy inha- 
bitants of Malacca to rest, with its melancholy 
sounds. The moon shone brightly over the waves, 
the movements of which made its rays resemble 
the shining scales of a phosphorescent fish, a light 
breeze arose, softly shaking the tops of the palm- 
trees, every leaf of which sent forth a low but 
melodious sound. How beautiful was that scene ! 
The strange aspect of everything around, and the 
spirit of poetry which breathed through, and over 
all, made me almost fancy myself dreaming, or 
living in an enchanted land, inhabited only by 
fairies and benevolent genii. 

One morning, during our stay at Malacca, the 
streets were crowded with iron-merchants, who, 
on hearing of our arrival, flocked together from 
all quarters of the colony, armed either with the 
kriss, with its fine slender blade — cam'pilans as 
long as those of Roland, and sharp spears orna- 
mented with red and black horse-tails ; some were 
almost hidden by large shields made of bufifalo- 
skin, the hide of the rhinoceros, or wood spotted 
with red and black, whilst others were armed 
with bamboo, sarbacans, bows and poisoned 
arrows. These Malays are not, however, to be 
trusted in the sale of their merchandize, being 
considered in a manner usurpers of their trade, 
and any sensible or experienced traveller will 
know better than to purchase arms of these wild 
islanders, although they may, for the moment, 



26 THE MALAY DAGGER. 

?.ppear tolerably civilized, expatiating on the 
value of their wares with that plausibility pecu- 
liar to the Indians. Like Holo and Borneo, Ma- 
lacca is one of the arsenals of the country, and the 
more enthusiastic of its inhabitants swear by 
" the blades of Malacca,'' as the heroes of M. de 
Mussot do by the sword of Toledo. 

The kriss, which is made here, is a small, 
straight, and slender weapon, contained in a 
scabbard, generally made of wood, but sometimes 
of metal, the elegance of which depends upon the 
workmanship of the blade. A real Malay kriss 
ought never to bend, and should bear the contact 
of the hardest substances, breaking only with the 
most violent efforts. In general, the flat side of 
the blade is engraved with certain mystic charac- 
ters, in which the sorcerers of the place profess 
to read the events of the present and the future. 
At one time, the Malays were the only people 
who understood the manuficture of these cele- 
brated weapons, but since Em-opean ciu-iosity has 
inquired so much into these things, the Chinese 
have taken advantage of the opportunity for ac- 
quiring wealth, and for that purpose have col- 
lected an abimdant supply of them. But, alas ! 
these instruments, like almost everything in the 
present day, are admirably counterfeited ; just in 
the same degi-ee as etruscan vases, Egyptian 
mummies, and old coins. 

The campilan bears a great resemblance to the 
sabres of our hussars, and is shaped like a long 
tliin latli, with a wooden handle, held by both 
liands, wliicli like the sword of a kniglit, is with- 
out a guard ; tlie blade is very long, and straight, 
and thin, of great strength, and should never 



THE MALAY SWOED. 27 

bend. The instrument I have described, is called 
the two-handled cam'pilan, but there are other 
varieties of this weapon, which are more easily 
wielded ; they are, however, more for ornament 
than use — the handles of some of them are of 
coarsely-carved ivory, very often bearing the re- 
semblance of some fabulous animal, such as a 
syi^en, or dragon. The blades of these campilans 
are pierced at certain distances with little holes 
filled up with pieces of copper. If we could be- 
lieve the assertions of the Malay merchants, who 
are ever greater liars than those of Paris, these 
holes denote the number of trophies possessed by 
the ancient proprietor of the sword, and also indi- 
cate the victims sacrificed by those savage war- 
riors. Thus, we may well imagine how very easy 
it is for a boasting hero to acquire great celebrity 
here. I have sometimes seen Malay lances scol- 
loped all along the edge, so that the murderous 
weapon easily penetrated the flesh and tore it to 
rags when withdrawn — an invention truly worthy 
of these blood-thirsty barbarians, amongst whom 
war and discord prevail to such a detestable ex- 
tent. The handles of all their weapons are usual- 
ly adorned with skins, the hair of which is dyed 
red — according to the assurances of the vendor, 
these are the scalps of vanquished enemies, but 
are in reality torn from the heads of asses, wild- 
cats, and horses. It is, however, true, that the 
inhabitants of Borneo, Sumatra, and Holo, very 
often keep these dreadful trophies in their tents, 
but they always preserve them with most religi- 
ous veneration among their families, and never 
part with them but by force. 

The knives and the caonpilan are the favorite 



28 MALAY ARROWS. 

arms of the Malays, and in single combat they 
disdain to use any others ; but in civil war they 
are generally armed with bows and an-ows, the 
points of which are plastered over with some 
kind of poison, which is said to be so venemous as 
to render the least wound made by it fatal. 

I confess that I have very little faith in this 
assertion, for at Malacca I frequently tried expe- 
riments on various animals with these poisoned 
arrows, and never found they took any effect. In 
my opinion, the most dangerous instrument used 
by these people, is the sarhican of bamboo, which 
is about two metres in length. By means of a 
very simple method of using these tubes, sharp 
ari'ows, which easily pierce through almost any- 
thing, are shot to an incredible distance. 

I often made use of this terrible weapon 
against some unfortunate birds — the silent mes- 
senger of death struck the ^dctim with an un- 
erring swiftness, which prevented the compan- 
ions of the latter from discovering whence the 
mm'derer had taken his fatal aim, and they were 
thus unable to fly from the destruction which 
awaited them. Some pretty white cockatoos, 
with a tuft of yellow feathers on the head, were 
the victims of my cruel amusement, upon which 
I now look back with a feeling of self-reproach, 
for I do not arrogate to myself the right of com- 
mitting wanton murders, or of playing with the 
lives of the pretty creatures with which God has 
blessed the earth ; and if those poor little crea- 
tures could hear and understand me, I should not 
only repent of my crime, but solicit their forgive- 
ness for it. 

Every Malay soldier is furnished with a shield, 



MALAY SHIELDS. 29 

made either of leather or wood, upon which he 
receives the blows of his enemies ; these move- 
able bucklers are always ornamented with some 
device, or spotted over with different colours, and 
the combatants shelter themselves behind them 
by passing the left arm through a sort of stock 
placed at the back of the shield. In all countries, 
and in all periods during the various changes of 
society, the same necessities have given birth to 
similar inventions, and the leather disk of rhino- 
ceros skin is to the poor Malay what the armour 
of Yulcan was to the demi-gods of Greece. 

My fellow-travellers were immediately attracted 
by these barbarous curiosities, and God only 
knows the prices at which they prnxhased old 
blunted pikes, pieces of leather full of holes, and 
rusty broken weapons, with which the cunning 
Malays endeavoured to fascinate the young Euro- 
peans ; at the same time dignifying every piece 
of their rubbish with a long pedigree of lies, ac- 
cording to which it had all belonged to divers 
princes and rajahs, some of whom lived in the 
time of a celebrated King of Malacca, who, more 
than one thousand years ago, had conquered the 
island of Ceylon with an army of ourang outangs. 
This wise prince was of course a much greater 
man than Napoleon, for he had so great a regard 
for the human species, that he only instructed 
animals in the ignoble profession of arms. 

I had remained quite insensible to the tide of 
eloquence around me, when a Malay youth offer- 
ed to my notice a kriss, the copper scabbard of 
which shone in the sun like a golden sceptre, and 
begged of me to purchase it. I repKed that I had 
no use for it. — " No use for it I" he repeated ; 



80 ADVICE TO TRAVELLERS. 

*' but are you not going to visit Meis, Holo, Bor- 
neo, and Bentham ?" — I answered in the affirma- 
tive.—" Well then," said the Malay, " how will 
you present yourself before the chiefs of those 
countries, if you have not at your side a hand- 
some instrument, which will at once indicate your 
rank ; you will be obliged to humble yourself in 
the dust, while, on the contrary, if you buy my 
kriss, you can hold up your head and sustain your 
dignity properly ; every one, on seeing you, will 
know at once who you are.'' And by way of 
giving me a practical illustration of his senti- 
ments, my Malay friend passed the kriss through 
the red band which fastened his pantaloons, and 
elevating his head, strutted about with his arms 
extended and his naked yellow body thrown 
back in a most amusing manner. 

He displayed so much humour and \dvacity in 
his pantomimic dignity, that I could not help 
laughing, and bought for four piasters a little 
bauble, which not a Jew in Paris would have been 
able to sell for ten francs. And here I would offer 
a word of sage advice to future travellers, and 
would recommend them, on returning from their 
travels, to purchase in Paris the kriss, carapilan, 
helmets, hookas, and nargillahs, with which 
they may wish to present their friends ; by so 
doing, they will save thefr pockets considerably, 
as they will buy the same impostures for half the 
money. 

I had scarcely completed my bargain, when I 
perceived the old Malay, of Arabian origin, to 
whose house Melo had conducted me the night 
before, coming towards me. His face, upon which 
were some European traces of nobility, formed a 



THE EEEDS OF MOUNT OPHIR. 31 

striking contrast to the round visages of his com- 
panions ; and it was easy to perceive how much 
he was revered by them, for when he approached 
me, and extended his hand, the other merchants 
immediately bowed and retired. As on the pre- 
ceding evening, he wore a long dressing-gown, 
and carried in his hand a bundle of rushes, on the 
subject of which I must say a few words. 

It is in this part of the Malay peninsula, in the 
neighbourhood of Mount Ophir, where the soil 
contains whole beds of gold and diamonds, that 
this beautiful production is gathered. No idea 
can be formed of the immense quantities of these 
beautiful rushes, which are still exported into 
Europe, although fashion now disdains the use of 
these elegant canes. Those of the old Malay were 
very round, of a reddish-brown in colour, and of 
great length. For the trifling sum of two piasters 
I bought eight, which would have charmed the 
-most enthusiastic admirer of the Indian reed. 
This pretty rush undergoes some preparation be- 
fore assuming the shining appearance with which 
it is adorned, and the process is as follows : — 
The reeds are cut, stripped of their leaves, and 
left to dry ; when this is nearly accompHshed, 
they are covered with cocoa-nut oil, and placed 
before a very hot fire, until they take the colour 
by which we know them. While being thus 
heated, they reject all the vegetable matter with 
which they are filled, and the oil, penetrating the 
soft network of their inner bark, renders them in- 
vulnerable to the attacks of insects. 

The rvish trade is one of the principal branches 
of industry with the Malays ; and there are very 
few houses in Malacca which do not contain large 



32 MALACCA BIRDS. 

quantities of these monocotyledons ; but, out of 
an immense piled-up heap, there are not many 
perfect enough to find favour in the eyes of a 
connoisseur, for — " A reed without a fault, is 
worth a golden sceptre/' 

I was fortunate enough to meet with a foreign 
missionary at Malacca, who introduced me to 
several people who kept wild animals, and were 
well acquainted with natural history. Om' fii\st 
visit was to the house of a native of Dutch origin, 
who had a collection of this kind ; he was a man 
of about fifty, very tall, and with a pale, canary- 
colom-ed complexion ; I was delighted with this 
opportunity of making further acquaintance with 
the beautiful winged inhabitants of Malacca — the 
red loriots, blue king-fishers, blue, gi'een, and yel- 
low paroquets, the toman, witli his gigantic bill, 
and many others ; but the most interesting ob- 
ject in the aviary was our host's lovely daughter, 
about foiu'teen years of age ; she was seated in a 
corner of the room, with her eyes timidly fixed 
on the ground, and a profusion of fair hair flowed 
over her shoulders. The missionary, who had 
been very much interested in all he saw, turned 
to the Dutchman, and inquired how many chil- 
dren he had, to which the latter replied, that his 
family consisted of three. 

" But I have noticed,'' said my fi'iend, " that 
only one young man accompanies your wife when 
she comes to church." 

" That is true, holy father, but it is because 
my son, Vicente de Paulo, is the only one of my 
children who is a Catholic." 

The priest in([uired, with some astonishment, 
as to what religion the others professed. The 



REASONS FOR RELIGIOUS PREFERENCE. 33 

merchant paused a few miimtes before answering 
tliis question, and then replied, " You see, father, 
there are reasons for everything — Vicente, the 
eldest of our children, is, like his parents, a Ca- 
tholic (for although Dutch, I am Catholic by my 
mother's side) and it is, of course, necessary that 
the eldest son should be of our religion ; my second 
son, John, is a Protestant, as I thought that on 
account of his embracing that faith, some of the 
English ministers here, who are very powerful, 
might probably be of use to him ; as to my 
daughter, I was in some doubt as to her ecclesi- 
astical education, but one day, as I was walking 
with a Mahometan priest, he told me that his 
religion was decidedly the proper one for a wo- 
man, and she has, therefore, embraced it/' 

Dming this speech, my worthy friend worked 
himself up into a state of holy wrath, which it 
must be confessed, was very laudable under such 
circumstances, whilst I had very great difficulty 
in keeping my countenance ; and on taking leave, 
the good priest extorted a promise from the Dutch- 
man, that John and Fatima should be sent to 
him for the purpose of being baptized, and receiv- 
ing religious instruction. 

Leaving the Dutchman's house we turned our 
steps towards the sea-shore, intending to pay a 
visit to a Portuguese who had a collection of wild 
animals. The residence of this man, whose name 
was Songa, was situated at the bottom of a large 
garden, planted with shrubs, and embellished 
with betel trees ; altogether, this little dwelling 
was not so comfortable as those of the Malays in 
general, and was built on the ground, containing 
only three Uttle rooms adjoining each other. In 

D 



34? BRUTE SAGACITY. 

the first one we entered, there was a very pretty 
little ape running about quite at liberty, which 
had no sooner caught sight of us, than it set up 
the most fearful shriek, and ran away. This little 
animal was a specimen of that kind of monkey 
^vithout a tail, which is called the hylohate, and 
bears a gi'eater resemblance to man than any other, 
except the om-ang-outang. The upper part of its 
head was quite white, and its little black body 
suiTOunded with soft wool, made it look very 
much like a yomig negro with a white wig. On 
hearing its cries, a young girl came rumiing to- 
wards it, and the ape, rushing into her arms, in- 
stantly left off crying, while she endeavoured to 
soothe it with her voice. 

Under the impression that the pretty little 
creature had quite overcome its fears, I enquired 
of the young girl, what price she would take for 
it : one might have imagined that the clever little 
ape understood the meaning of my question, for 
it immediately began to cry more violently than 
ever, and throwing its arms romid the neck of the 
young Portuguese, exhibited the most violent 
signs of despair. Probably these tokens of attach- 
ment made his mistress more unwilling than ever 
to part with him, for she turned to me and said 
in a decided tone — " I will not part witli my 
favourite for less than thirty piasters ;" and as this 
sum was rather more than the wliole estiiblish- 
ment, with all its hiliabitants was worth, I of 
course concluded that she did not wish to dispose 
of the ape, feeHng sm-e that I sliould not give 
tliat price for him. Seeing that I appeared to 
abandon my designs ui)on liim, the intelligent 
little animal began to examine me with great 



BEUTE ATTACHMENT. 35 

curiosity, and even permitted me to touch his 
soft little hand ; but every time I looked very 
steadily at him, or asked his mistress any ques- 
tion relative to himself, he instantly took the 
alarm, and sought refuge in her arms. I really 
think I never saw so interesting an animal ; 
and many a time since, have I regretted that I 
did not purchase him at the required price. 

As I was leaving the house, a young Malay came 
up and offered me two monkeys for sale, one of 
which was an hylobate, that is to say, a monkey 
without a tail, and the other (a very singular 
specimen) with a nose exactly like a dog ; both 
of these I bought ; but the hylobate was not of 
the same species as the little favourite I so much 
admired, the top of his head being black, and his 
body smTomided with a sort of fringe of coarse 
white hairs ; this pretty animal was known by 
the name of Manis among my fellow-travellers, 
and became a great favorite with two of them, 
some little girls, named Gatrielle and Olga De 
LagTen^, who treated him something like a live 
doU, and to whom he took such a strong fancy, 
that upon one occasion, when one of my com- 
panions took little Olga, who was about four 
years old, up in his arms, Manis was so enraged 
at the liberty, that he threw himself upon the 
offender, and bit him severely. 

Although the naturalists of Paris assert that the 
hylohates go on all fours, Manis, like all others 
I have seen of his kind, walked upright, balancing 
himself by carrying liis arms above his head ; he 
was remarkably agreeable and polished in his 
manners, never giving way to petulance or buf- 
foonery like other monkeys, and explaining his 

d2 



36 PRDIITIVE MAX AXD AXDIAL LIFE. 

wishes in sucli a pleasant manner, that it was 
universally acknowledged, that his name, which 
signifies " Siueet/' was extremely well suited to 
his character. 

On retm^ning to the ship, I of course took my 
two lavourites, Manis and Simon, with me, both 
of them crying di^eadfully as we left the sea-shore. 
I consoled Manis as well as I could by kind 
words, but as to Simon, his grief and despair 
was so violent that I could do nothing with liim, 
and abandoned him to his sorrow. As soon as 
we were quite out at sea, M. Fernand Delahante 
proposed that he should be set at liberty ; but 
this was no sooner done, than the poor creature, 
finding himself fi^ee, jumped into the water, and 
swam back to the sea-shore, where its old master 
had bid it a most affectionate adieu. 

In this part of the world, there seems a sort of 
primitive link existing between, and uniting man 
and the brute creation ; for the foi-mer speaks a 
language wonderfully comprehended hy the latter 
— treats them almost as fiiends and equals, and 
never, by any chance, persecutes or ill-uses them ; 
while, on the other hand, the animals seem 
perfectly to appreciate the kind treatment they 
receive from man, and submit themselves quietly 
to his authority, feeling sure, by constant ex- 
perience, that he will not abuse it. Indeed, a 
spirit, somewhat resembling that wliich must liave 
breathed over Eden, seems to cling round all the 
inhabitants of tliis lovely country, wliich presents 
to the mind a vivid type of that ha])]\y garden, 
where those tauQ-ht the lancniaji^e of nature to 
man wlio read her precepts as an open book, and 
communed with her as with his own heart. 



THE POPULATION OF MALACCA. 37 

Malacca contains about tliii'ty thousand inhabi- 
tants — Portuguese, Dutch, English, Mala}^, and 
Chinese ; the former are by far the most numerous 
of the European population, and are, principally, 
the lineal descendants of the ancient conquerors 
of Malacca. Their forefathers were the com- 
panions of Yasco de Gama and Alberquerque ; 
but, like the monuments erected by their ances- 
tors, which are now levelled to the ground in 
ruins, the modern Portuguese have sunk into a 
state of degTadation and insignificance ; indeed, 
of all the Malay population, (with whom they 
have been associated for many years) the descen- 
dants of the ancient Portuguese are not only the 
plainest in person, but also the most depraved in 
morals. It is impossible ever to mistake one of 
them for a Malay, for their countenances and 
movements are deficient in the savage energy of 
the latter, and bear more resemblance to the 
animal features of the Ethiopian race ; indeed, 
the marks of degeneracy and degradation seem 
stamped on their foreheads — poor wretches ! They 
have no knowledge of the deeds of their noble 
and glorious ancestors, for even tradition, that 
last sole consolation of fallen man, is unknown 
among them ; and though the gi-eater number of 
them bear liigh-sounding illustrious names, they 
neither know the appellations of their forefathers, 
nor anything belonging to their history. 

In the neighbourhood of Malacca, in the 
direction of Mount Ophir, is situated a little 
camp, standing in the midst of the jungles, and 
the inhabitants of this species of hamlet live in a 
state of frightfal ignorance, paying no attention 
to the cultivation of the land, or to any social 



38 MAX IX HIS DEGRADATION : 

laws, and having neither priest, cadi, judge, or 
ruler of any kind whatever — their dwellings are 
little cabins made of rushes, and thatched with 
the leaves of the American palm tree, or latanier, 
while their sole employment consists in scouring 
the forests in search of the wax produced by the 
wild bees, or in collecting the resin which drops 
from the bi-anches of the trees. I had heard a 
gi-eat deal of these people, and during om* stay at 
Malacca, a missionary priest proposed that we 
should pay them a visit ; and we moimted our 
horses, and after five houi's spent in tmversing 
rice fields, jungles, and large tracts of land covered 
with palm trees and saccharine shrubs, an*ived 
at the foot of a little hill upon which the village 
stands ; there was not the slightest indication 
that we were approaching an inhabited place, for 
the most perfect silence reigned all around, un- 
broken by a sound of any kind : not even the 
voice of a child, or the crowing of a cock ; and 
the usual familiar signs by which we generally 
recognise the presence of man, seemed totally 
unknown in this savage region, for no tnice of 
labour or cultivation could be seen, and we 
looked in vain for the white wi-eatlis of smoke 
which are the ordinaiy indications of the liumblest 
dwelling, while the rude, wandering jxaths which 
meandered through the forest, seemed rather fitted 
for the tracks of some wild animal than for the 
foot of man. 

I have iriven this sinffukir place tlie name of a 
village ; but in reality it merely consisted of a 
mass of dilapidated, wretched-louking huts, all of 
which seemed to be open to every new comer ; 
indeed their inhabitants seemed not to practise 



ITS PHYSICAL RESULTS. 39 

any kind of concealment with their neiglil^ours, 
and the miserable disorder, wliich is always the 
consequence of having " all things in common/' 
was manifest in every thing around. 

When we made our appearance, the women 
were sitting, huddled together, in front of their 
huts, most of them quite unoccupied, except in 
chewing the betel-nut, and others in nursing 
miserable-looking little infants at their breasts. 
Two or three men were lying down on one side 
of the encampment, smoking great cigars of maize, 
or masticating the betel, like the females, and the 
whole group, both men and women, were naked, 
or nearly so. The complexions of the children 
were almost white, but those of the adults black 
as night : they were all rather small, and thin in 
figure, with thick lips, large black eyes, prominent 
noses, and coarse black hair : two circumstances 
with regard to these people struck me very forci- 
bly — they all appeared to be either in a state of 
infancy, or the helplessness of old age ; the charms 
and vigour of youth seemed quite unknown 
amongst them, for, with the grown-up part of the 
group, every eye was hollow and sunken, and 
every face dry and shrivelled. There was some- 
thing very striking and distressing in this strange, 
silent tableau, as the members of it sat stupidly 
staring at us without attempting to move ; surely 
such a state of brutish ignorance and misery, in 
this beautiful tropical country, must be voluntary, 
unless indeed it clings, like a malediction to this 
unhappy race. 

Our guides, who were natives of Malacca, ad- 
dressed themselves to the women, and asked them 
several questions. — " What was the name of their 



40 IGXORAXCE. 

village ? Where were their husbands, &c." But 
their replies contained so many words which did 
not belong to the Malay language, that the 
guides were unable to comprehend them ; so the 
priest, who accompanied me, alighted from his 
horse, and approached them. He found that 
their language consisted of a mixtm-e of Malay 
and Portuguese, and held a conversation with 
them something like the following — " Are you 
Malays, or Portuguese V asked the priest. 

They smiled — ^looked at each other, and then 
rephed — " We do not know.'" 

" But where did yom- forefathei^, I mean the 
parents of yom* fathers, come from V 

" From a place down there/' they replied, 
pointing towards Malacca. 

" Who told you this V 

" We do not know.'' 

" Who lives in that hut V 
The one-eyed," answered the women. 



" And in the other V 



" The strong." 

It appeared that the men bore no other names 
but such as had been given them, on account of 
some remarkable physical quahty, and even family 
tradition, which, with the savage tribes, is gene- 
rally preserved to the last, had disappeared 
amongst them. 

" Do you understand this sign ?" inquired the 
missionary, crossing himself 

The women looked at him — laughed, and tried 
with both hands to imitate the priest. 

" Who marries you ?" he continued. 

Tliere Wiis no re])ly. The question wa.s re- 
peated both in Malay and Portuguese, but in 



THE ROMANIST MISSIONARY. 41 

vain ; the word was totally unknown amongst 
these poor wretched animals. 

During this conversation, the males of the party 
had retained their recumbent position, and had 
not appeared to take the least interest in what 
was going forward ; so we walked up to them, 
and asked several questions, to which they did 
not reply. At last the missionary pointed to the 
sky, and said to one of them — " Do you come 
from thence, or from below V stamping his foot 
on the ground. 

*' We came from the houses down there/"* an- 
swered the savage. 

'' How long ago V inquired the priest. 

But liis ideas of time were very vague and un- 
informed, for, after a moment's silence, he answer- 
ed — '' I don't know,'' with an air, which very 
plainly said, ' '■ I don't understand you." 

The missionary then told them that he would 
come and see them again ; but this made no im- 
pression whatever upon them, for they rolled 
lazily round on their sides, and took no more 
notice of us. 

We tmmed away, saddened by the revolting 
spectacle, and silently remounting our horses, took 
the road back to Malacca. 

My companion was the first to speak ; he was 
not by any means a ranter or a fanatic, but a 
well-disposed man, and a sincere Catholic at heart. 

" You see, doctor," he quietly remarked, '' what 
a mistake it is to suppose that the savage is the 
representative of man in his primitive state — on 
the contrary, he is the type of the human race in 
its most degraded condition — lost to all notions 
of morality and religion : before he becomes a 



42 A missioxary's hopes. 

savage, he must have been a civilized being, and 
such he will again become, when he returns to the 
creed whose laws he has now ceased to obey. 
Here we can bear witness to this state of abject 
degradation, because we have ourselves beheld it, 
and if we had equal opportunities of examining 
the condition of some of the tribes of Oceania 
and America, the result would be the same.'' 

I felt that I could not hold any argument Avith 
my companion, and merely expressed my concern 
for the dreadfully depraved condition of these 
miserables, who, in the space of perhaps little 
more than a century, had lost all idea of religion, 
morality, language, tradition, and indeed every 
thing relating to civilization, who had substituted 
habits of extreme and fatal idleness, for the enjoy- 
ments and comforts, which are acquired by a life 
of honest labom\ — " You have promised,'' I con- 
tinued, addressing the missionary, " to go and 
visit them again. But what good can you do 
them ? All your efforts in their behalf must be 
as ineffectual as the administering of medicine to 
a corpse." 

" You speak like a physician,'' replied the mis- 
sionary with a smile, " but men in my profession 
think differently, and will not readily admit any 
case to be hopeless. Lazarus left the tomb after 
his fi-ame had begun to decay ; nor do I despair, 
by means of perseverance and prayer, of restoring 
these poor wretches to a state of moral life, and 
leading them back again to a knowledge of their 
God, and to the laws of civilization ; and if you 
were better accpiainted with these countries, you 
would never be astonished at any wonders which 
might occur, nor tliinlv any miracle impossible. 



THE STATELY BEGGAR. 43 

This race of unhappy beings has fallen into a state 
of depravity, which seems quite to appal you, and 
would do so yet more, did you but know its ex- 
tent. You have abeady witnessed an extraordi- 
nary instance of egotistical policy in the case of 
the Dutchman, who brought up each of his three 
children in a different faith, regarding only the 
probable benefit he should thereby reap ; but his 
pei'versity is nothing to that of some, for the 

Portuguese But I beg your pardon, doctor, it 

is not for me to lay bare such dreadful scenes.'' 

On our return to Malacca, my companion was 
addressed in rather a mysterious manner by a 
young man, whose dress and bearing proclaimed 
him to be a Portuguese — he took the priest aside, 
and talked to him in a low voice. The latter 
made no reply, but put his hand into his pocket, 
and on withdrawing it, extended it to the Por- 
tuguese, and though this was very quickly done, 
I was able to perceive that the missionary bes- 
towed charity upon him, notwitlistanding his 
youthfal and vigorous appearance. I asked my 
companion how it was that this youth should con- 
descend to ask aid of others, and inquired whether 
he were not able to work. The priest informed 
me that he was of course perfectly able to do 
something for his living, but that his dignity 
would not allow him to employ himself, for it 
appeared that he was one of the aristocracy of the 
neighbourhood, and the son of an old merchant, 
who had once possessed a large fortune, but was 
now in very reduced circumstances. However, I 
could not help expressing my opinion, that it 
would have been much more to his credit to have 
obtained some useful employment, than to sit and 



44; THE ARCHBISHOP OF GOA. 

fan himself three parts of the day, and live upon 
charity. 

" But," said my friend, " so little is required 
in this country to render man comfortable, that 
beoforing is soon found to answer better than la- 
bom' ; besides, the Portuguese have no idea of 
working : when in tolerably good circmnstances, 
they manage to carry on a little commerce ; but 
should a storm arise, and the hand of charity fail, 
they have no alternative but to starve/' 

" And is it possible, that the descendants of the 
illustrious adventm^ers who once reigned over this 
country with so much power and magnificence, 
are reduced to such a precarious condition ! " I 
exclaimed. 

" With the exception of a few rather rich fami- 
lies," answered my companion, " the Poi-tuguese 
live for the present only, and have neither pros- 
pects nor resources for the morrow. The total 
absence of all authority has been their ruin, and 
both physically and morally, they are a race of 
fallen men." 

When the Dutch departed from this coimtry, 
the bonds which had previously existed between 
the priests of Malacca and the Ai'chbishop of 
Goa, were severed, and the clerical body was then 
formed of a class of men, who were mostly of 
Indian origin, and therefore, but too nearly re- 
sembled idiots. They adopted the dissolute man- 
ners of tliose by whom they were surrounded, and 
the people who ought to have been ]>r(^tected and 
instructed by them, uuliap])ily shared the ruin of 
their fall. I in(|uired whether the Archbishop of 
Goa did not still retain some authority over this 



THE ENGLISHMAN IN MALACCA. 45 

part of India, by means of which he might be able 
to remedy this state of confusion and disorder ? 

" The authority of the Archbishop/' was the 
reply, " is purely nominal. He has now no power 
whatever over his clergy, for the time has gone 
by, when the delegates of the Pope could com- 
mand the ships of His Majesty the King of Por- 
tugal, direct their movements, and explore un- 
known seas, for the purpose of spreading abroad 
the name of God, and the authority of the holy 
chm^ch. Alas ! in the present day, the fleet of 
Portugal no longer exists, and if the Archbishop 
of Goa wishes to visit Achem, Rangoun, Malacca, 
Macao, Irinor, or any other place, he cannot 
command a single vessel of any kind, not even a 
Chinese junk, or a Malay boat/' 

I quitted my agreeable companion to go and 
dine with an English gentleman, meditating by 
the way upon what I had just heard, and what I 
was about to see, and regretting most sincerely 
that the ancient authority of the chivalrous and 
adventm'ous Portuguese, should ever have given 
way to that of the merchants of London and the 
Hague. On entering the saloon, I was struck by 
its very plain and even gloomy appearance — the 
table was spread in an immense room, very plain- 
ly furnished, and with white walls ; the chairs 
were made of some kind of twisted reed, and the 
windows ornamented with bamboos ; just above 
the table, was a large puyikah, worked by Malay 
servants, by means of which the apartment was 
kept delightfully fresh and cool. I was seated 
next an old maid, of the Methodist persuasion, 
very shrivelled in appearance, and as yellow as a 
citron. This charming creature had attached 



46 THE FEMALE MISSIONARY. 

herself to the steps of a Wesleyan missionary, 
and liad come to try the effect of her fascinating 
influence on the Malays of the Peninsula. We 
were formally introduced to each other, and im- 
mediately entered into conversation, for I must 
not forget to mention, that my maiden friend 
spoke French to perfection. I was very anxious 
to know the nature of the crime with which my 
friend the missionary reproached the poor Portu- 
guese priests, and being convinced that this old 
harpy woidd not fail to exaggerate all their mis- 
deeds, introduced the subject. " I have been the 
witness of a great deal of misery to-day, madam,'' 
said I ; " for I have been visiting the wilds of a 
Portuguese colony, and never met with such in- 
stances of degradation in my life.'"' 

" That is the result of the Catholic adminLstra- 
tion,'' replied the lady, sharply ; " they prevent 
man fr'om using his reason, and endeavour to 
stifle all his natural inclinations, so that when his 
spiritual guides abandon him, he nnist of neces- 
sity fall, being unable to stand by himself 

" That is to say," I answered, with a smile ; 
" that t^ie pastors, not their flocks, are always 
at fault. I am awai'e that the Portuguese 
priests " 

" Tlie Portxiguese priests,'' interrupted the 
dame, witli a venomous little smile, " are the 
only Oatliolics possessing common sense ; wliat 
crime can be urged against them, exoe])t tliat of 
havino- failed to discover that tlie Bible forbids 
marriage amongst the clergy ; conse(|uently they 
marry, and have large families of children; and is 
not that much better than living in crime as 
many do, and are a re})roach to ci\ilization and 



CHARACTEK OF THE PORTUGUESE. 47 

the religion whose precepts they profess to teach 
and adorn V 

I replied — " In your opinion, perhaps, it may 
be better ; but when people voluntarily take a 
vow, they should keep it ; and I cannot imagine 
what answer they can make, when their conduct 
is inquired into by their spiritual chiefs." 

" Then I will tell you,'' said the lady, compla- 
cently : " to the Archbishop of Goa, who has the 
impudence to dictate to the Queen's subjects, they 
will reply, that they are answerable only to the 
Pope — to the Potentate of Rome, or his French 
envoys, they will profess submission to the autho- 
rity of Goa ; and so, as Rome is a tolerable dis- 
tance off, and the delegates of Goa never go there,, 
they will thus be able to continue to act according 
to their conscience and their will/' 

Now if this be a Methodistical calumny, I beg 
to state, that I am not responsible for it ; and if 
it be simply a falsehood, I wish it to be still more 
distinctly understood, that I merely repeat T\^hat 
I heard ; but, however the case may be, it is 
certain, that amidst this mixed population, the 
Portuguese people, whether rich or poor, clergy 
or laymen, are decidedly the plainest in person, 
the most depraved in mind. 

After the Portuguese ceased to rule in Malacca, 
their place was filled up by the Dutch ; however, 
the latter have not left behind them so many 
vestiges of their presence as their predecessors ; for 
it is a remarkable fact, that in all parts of the 
world, the Portuguese, like the grasshoppers of 
Egypt, have always been famed for their nume- 
rous posterity ; while, on the contrary, the Dutch 
race increase very slowly in tropical countries. 



48 MATRIMONIAL ALLIANCES. 

Both these colonizing nations have frequently 
contracted alliances with the tribes under their 
government, for they do not possess that hypocri- 
tical horror with w^hich the French, English, and 
Spanish, pretend to regard the Negroes and In- 
dians ; and notwithstanding the extreme and 
proverbial ugliness of one of these two races of 
men, it is certain that, long after the other ceases 
to increase, it continues to flourish most prosper- 
ously ; and the reason for this is plain enough : the 
Portuguese and Spanish have peopled Sierra Le- 
one, Manilla, Malacca, Ceylon, and Goa, with a 
class of inhabitants of African origin, whose con- 
stitutions and temperament are exactly suited to 
the blazing climate of the tropics ; while the lym- 
phatic Dutch, accustomed to fogs and gloom, can- 
not so easily accustom themselves to the change 
of atmosphere, and on account of this, there are 
very few Dutch Creoles at Malacca, and these, for 
the most part, intermarry with the Portuguese, 
who are, properly speaking, five parts Malay and 
the rest European, in their origin. However, the 
results of these marriao-es are much more satisfoc- 
tory than those produced by the Malays and Por- 
tuguese. 

I have frequently met with young girls, of 
Dutch origin, with light hair, blue eyes, and com- 
l)lexions of the most delicate fairness, while their 
dusky mothers looked, by force of contrast, like 
the mulatto women who are employed by the co- 
lony })lanters as nurses to their children. The 
souvenirs of Bourbon Avere still fresh in my mind, 
and I could not but regard these creatures, dressed 
in the Malay savvon and floating chenu^e, as the 



A Dutchman's koh-i-noir. 49 

slaves of the elegant young girls, of whom they 
were in reality the mothers. 

The Dutch do not suffer the deOTaclecl and mi- 
serable condition in which the wretched Portu- 
guese exist ; but most of them are employed in 
some branch of commerce, and carry on a trade 
with the Malays for their native produce. One 
of them, with whom I was acquainted at Malacca, 
shewed me a large diamond from Mount Ophir, 
the size of an immense nut ; it seemed to have 
been formed in the bed of a torrent, and was 
much rubbed and knocked about ; indeed, it was 
difficult, beneath its milky surface, to discover 
the brilliant featm^es of a precious stone. The 
possessor of it had pm*chased it of a Malay, at a 
very low price, and expected, in selling it again, 
to make a fortune by it ; but the more I exam- 
ined the stone, the less faith I had in its value ; 
and when the Dutchman spoke of his glowing ex- 
pectations with regard to the treasure, I certainly 
thought he ought to be an alchymist, in order to 
realize them. 

The number of the Dutch at Malacca does not 
amount to more than three or four hundred, and 
their principal mission in the country seems to be 
that of preserving a few traits of European beauty, 
by producing children rather less like apes than 
the ugly little Malays. 

The English have a garrison of sepoys at Ma- 
lacca, in excellent order, well disciplined, and 
commanded by Hindoo officers. I was one day 
passing by while these vassals of Great Britain 
were exercising, when an Englishman stepped up 
to me and said — " You are probably sm^prised, 

E 



50 " SEPOYS AT MALACCA. 

Monsieiu', at seeing a sword and epaulettes be- 
stowed on these natives V 

" Not in the least,'' I answered. " Why should 
it be so V 

" Because the thing ought not, in reality, to be 
thus, for these people are not gentlemen ; and as 
the English army acknowledges only gentlemen 
among its officers, it is absurd to make an excep- 
tion in favom* of the Hindoos/' 

" But it is necessary," said I, " that you should 
allow these poor fellows to imagine that they are 
of some importance in the Government of their 
country." 

" Ah ! exactly," answered the Englishman ; 
" a strong political interest compels us to act thus 
condescendingly towards the Bengalee, and, be- 
sides, it is a fact that the English, whether officers 
or men, are careful not to mix too much with 
them." 

There are not many Englishmen at Malaeca, 
merely about a score of officers, in various civil 
stations, and a few merchants ; but the whole 
of these live as if they intended to pass the 
whole of their lives in this country, surrounded 
by all the comfoi-ts and luxuries the place can 
afford. Their houses are handsome and airy, 
adorned with verandahs, and situated in the 
midst of beautiful gardens. Most of these 
haljitations are built on the borders of the sea, 
and when the tide is high, the water beats 
upon tlie threshold with a kind of harmonious 
murmuring. At one time there was an Anglo- 
Chinese college at Malacca, foimded both on reli- 
gious and commercial ])riuciples, like most of the 
philuntlu'opical establisluiients of the English. 



THE GOVERNOR. 51 

This college has produced some remarkable men, 
some of whom have distinguished themselves in 
managing the affairs of the country, as well as 
those of the Celestial Empire ; but in a religious 
point of view, it has been of very little use, for I 
have before spoken of the ill-success of the at- 
tempts to spread Protestantism amongst the 
Asiatics, 

The English Governor of Sincapore, Malacca, 
and Penang, is affectedly termed by his country- 
men the " Governor of the Straits," and resides 
by turns in each of the three countries over which 
he rules. At Malacca, his house is an old chateau, 
overlooking the water, and at Sincapore and 
Penang his palace is built on the most elevated 
part of the two islands, and it must be confessed, 
that the dwellings of this functionary, erected, 
like observatories, on the tops of the very highest 
points, are not bad emblems of the service he ren- 
ders his country, for the Governor of the Straits 
is a vigilant sentinel, whose office it is to give the 
cry of alarm whenever any other European power 
attempts to establish itself in this country, and to 
declare war immediately upon the least appear- 
ance of sedition at Malacca, or Java ; and when 
Spanish or Dutch vessels come within sight of 
Sincapore, Malacca, and Penang, and are per- 
ceived by the tenants of the sentry-boxes over 
which float the colours of Great Britain, there 
must be a sinking at the heart with the faithful 
servants of the two nations, for they cannot but 
expect, that the sentinel, who is ever on the 
watch, will one day surprise them off their 
guard. 

The Portuguese and Dutch, by means of con- 

e2 



52 A MALACCA BISHOP BOXXER. 

stant perseverance and energy, have accustomed 
the Malays to the Em*opean yoke, and at the 
present day the English are reaping the fruits of 
the industry of their predecessors ; but although 
three hundred years of submission to a foreign 
power have extinguished all sentiments of national 
independence in the breasts of the natives, they 
still retain both their customs and religion. 

In the gi^eat days of the Portuguese govern- 
ment, the holy Francois Xavier preached his 
celebrated sermons to the Malays, and worked 
many extraordinary miracles among them, l)ut 
prophecies and wonders were, in this case useless, 
for the people closed their eyes and ears against 
])oth ; and besides, the holy apostle of India had 
been forestalled at Malacca by active preachers, and 
the country had been conquered by a people who 
laughed to scorn all endeavours to convert these 
Gentiles to the Evangelical fiiith ; and although the 
natives were compelled to tortm^e themselves in 
many ways — and when they omitted to do this 
with the necessary fervour, were roasted before 
the fire, and rubbed with hot lard or Spanish 
wax — stiU all this was in vain, for Father Xavier 's 
miracles and sermons, blows and punishments, 
failed to produce the desired effect. 

The Dutch who succeeded the Portuguese, in- 
terfered less in this respect with their vjissals, and 
allowed them to believe whatever tliey pleased, 
but though so lenient and acconmiodating on tliis 
point, they made up for it by their violent and 
exacting conduct in other matters, in endeavom*- 
iug to ol)tain everytliing at the lowest possible 
price ; but after all, the Dutch yoke ])reased less 
lieavily upon the Malays, than that of the Portu- 



ENGLISH SUPEEMACY. 53 

guese had done. It cannot be denied that the 
Malays have much reason to bless the manner in 
which they are now governed by the English, 
whose power is so gently wielded, that the na- 
tives are completely free to do what they please, 
and consult their own wishes entirely ; and in the 
year 1852, I knew many countries in Eiu*ope 
which would have rejoiced had they been governed 
by an administration so lenient and liberal as that 
of the Malays : the religious efforts of the English 
consist merely in distributing Bibles in the Malay 
language ; the volumes are universally sought ^ 
after, but I am convinced that they are little read. 
However, it must not be supposed that the means 
employed by the Em^opeans for the conversion of 
these obstinate Mussidmen, have been so badly 
conducted, as to cause this want of success, for the 
repugnance manifested by the believers in Islam- 
ism, to the truths of Christianity, is an inherent 
trait of character, natural to the Asiatic tribes ; 
if their opinions had been based on any other 
foundation than this, the sermons of Father Xa- 
vier would have converted the most headstrong. 
The natives of Malacca are mostly labom^ers or 
artisans of some kind — either in the working of 
metals, or in making clothes ; the trade of a joiner 
is very little followed, and these three occupations 
are the only ones unmolested by the Chinese. 
The labom-ers live almost entirely in the interior, 
where the principal cultiu"e is that of rice, the 
plantations of which are at some distance from the 
town, and to this circumstance the extreme salu- 
brity of Malacca may be attributed. It is said 
that the soil of this country is poor and unpro- 
ductive ; but this is probably the result of a com- 



5i THE EICE HARVEST. 

parison between it and the provinces of Walesly, 
Penang and Sincapore. 

I was at Malacca dui'ing the time of the rice- 
harvest ; the fields were abundantly covered, and 
the slender stalk drooped with the weight of the 
full heavy grain ; the labom-ers seemed to work 
with spirit, assisted by their wives and children, 
while their yellow skins were exactly the same 
colour as the gi'ain ; at this time, there certainly 
was no appearance of infertility, and all the coun- 
try people to whom I talked, told me they were 
perfectly satisfied with the harvest. However, 
fruit and fish are much more general articles of 
food with the natives than rice, and aknost all 
their wants are supplied by the sea^ and the pro- 
duce of their orchards. There is no such thing at 
Malacca as a rich Malay, for all the inhabitants 
work for their living, if indeed, the term " work," 
can be applied to such fight occupations as theirs ; 
it is only in the countries of the Old World that 
labom* is hard and toilsome, for in the favoured 
lands of the far East, the soil abundantly repays 
the slightest attention bestowed upon it. 

The people of the coast look down with con- 
tempt upon the labom'S of the landsmen — the sea, 
which smiled on their birth, and cradled them in 
infancy upon its bosom, becomes, in after life, their 
scene of action, and they ;ii'e almost all mariners ; 
unfortunately, they are seldom satisfied with fol- 
lowing their ])rofession disinterestedly, and some- 
what deprive it of its practical sim])Hcity, by en- 
gaging in wild, lawless adventures, the aim of 
which is to find distant enemies, and victims 
whom they may rob and spoil with impunity. 
To speak correctly, the Chinese iU'e the best ofi:' 



A CHINESE CEMETERY. 55 

of any people at Malacca — the most important 
branches of trade belong to them, and many of 
them spend considerable sums in commercial ne- 
gociations in the natural produce of the country — 
the perfect liberty they enjoy in this town has 
led them to adopt it almost as their own, and 
there are several Chinese families who have re- 
sided there for more than two hundred years. 
So great, indeed, is their predilection for Malacca, 
that whenever a Chinese makes a large fortune, 
and from various circumstances prefers not re- 
tm^ning to his native country, he invariably makes 
choice of this city as his final place of residence. 
I one day asked a merchant if he could assign a 
reason for tliis universal preference — '' Oh,'' he 
replied, smiling, "it is because there is such a 
beautiful cemetery at Malacca.'' 

And it must be confessed that the Chinese 
burial place here is both very handsome and in- 
teresting, situated as it is, on the summit of a 
high hill, planted with odoriferous arbuscles. The 
tombs are in the form of a horse shoe, the interior 
part of which is covered by a tablet of granite, 
upon which the inscription is engraved, and every 
year the sons of the deceased repair hither to 
perform certain rites and ceremonies at his tomb. 
The monuments are at some distance fr-om each 
other, and each one is shaded by branches of the 
ipomea, cystus, and rose, so that it is almost 
hidden by their graceful festoons. You reach the 
foot of the hill by following the road which 
stretches along the sea-shore, which is shaded by 
cocoa trees, the leaves of which echo the plain- 
tive and sonorous mm^murs of the waves. 

After visiting the cemetery at Malacca, one 



56 THE CHINESE INHABITANTS. 

easily comprehends why the Chinese, who, when 
alive, are so fond of fine clothes, handsome houses, 
and good food, should have selected such a lovely 
situation for their last resting place. Tlie fii'st 
natives of China who arrived at Malacca, inter- 
married with the Malay women, but now, such 
alliances are never heai-d of, for the Chinese many 
only among their own tribe ; and so rigorously 
is tliis custom observed, that the wives of these 
singular men have precisely the same appearance 
as the women of Fo-Kien and Kuan-Tong, except 
that they do not follow the national fashion of 
compressing the feet. In short, they have 
founded at Malacca a sort of miniatui'e China, just 
as, in their apartments, they make a little imita- 
tion forest with dwarf trees, and the Chinese 
colony here is by no means the least interesting 
part of the country. Altogether, I have a sort 
of predilection for Malacca, and dming the four 
different times I have been there, have visited 
the same place over and over again : this prefer- 
ence is not very suiprising, for the town of 
Malacca was the first, in this country, occupied 
by Em-opeans — by the brave Portuguese, of whom 
I have, perhaps, spoken in rather disparaging 
terms, but whom I believe to possess many good 
qualities, for surely no people on eartli ever gave 
greater proofs of valour and intrepidity. For 
more than sixty years, forty thousand of them 
were able to keep at bay the whole of the neigh- 
bouring barbarous nations — the Ai'abs, Mame- 
lukes and Indians, from Onnuz to China ; and 
when we rememl)er the number of combatants, 
against whom they were engaged, we must 



PORTUGUESE MAGNANIMITY. 57 

confess that the difficulties these hardy soldiers 
had to encounter were not few. 

In 1511, Albuquerque anchored at Malacca 
for the purpose of revenging the deaths of some 
Portuguese sailors ; but, on landing, he discovered 
that one of his dearest friends, named Arunjo, 
was a prisoner in the hands of the Sultan, and 
he was hesitating whether to commence the 
attack, or not, fearing, that if he did so, he might 
endanger the life of his friend ; but the latter 
secretly found means to have the following simple, 
but noble words conveyed to him — " Think only 
of the glory and welfare of Portugal. If I am 
unable to render you assistance, and become an 
instrument in the hands of victory, at least do 
not let me stand as an obstacle in your path.'' 

The assault was commenced — the town taken, 
and for one hundred years, Malacca continued the 
most flourishing place in the whole country, 
under the skilfol government of the Poi*tuguese. 
Even now, in the comparatively silent city of 
to day, every object is a souvenii* of former times ; 
the fort, which then protected the town and is 
now almost in ruins, once resisted the united 
attack of Patana, Achem, and Sumatra ; the 
delapidated enclosure has saved from death many 
of these brave adventurers — these glorious christ- 
ian demigods, of whom the Indians were wont 
to say — " They are something more than men ; 
but, fortunately, God has created but few of 
them, as he has done of lions and tigers, and 
therefore they will not be able to destroy the 
whole human race.'" 

The thresholds of the now deserted houses have 
been trodden by the rajahs of the country, reduced 



58 THE DUTCH MODE OF CONQUEST. 

to the condition of humble vassals, and have 
yielded entrance to all the rich merchants of 
India, while the solitary streets have once re- 
sounded with the noise of the hea^y tons of gold 
which have rolled over their pavements ; every 
stone, indeed, carries its own peculiar interest 
along with it, for the wall of which it foi'med a 
part, was raised at the command of Albuquerque, 
and has listened to the holy sermons of Francois 
Xavier. 

The Portuguese kept possession of Malacca 
from 1511 to 1641 ; at that time, the Dutch mer- 
chants managed to corrupt the fidelity of the 
governor, and the miserable wretch yielded up 
the town into theii* hands. The Portuguese troops, 
who had no suspicion of the treason that was 
going on, flew to arms on the approach of the 
Dutch, and made a brave resistance, but were 
overpowered ; during the action, the perfidious 
Dutchmen treated the miserable wi-etch who had 
assisted them as might be expected, for they 
stabbed him to avoid paying the five hundi-ed thou- 
sand pounds they had promised him. When the 
principal actor in this ignominious victory found 
himself in the presence of the Portuguese forces, 
he insolently demanded of them — " When will 
your nation regain possession of this country V — 
" When your sins are greater than oui"s," was 
the simple reply of the Portuguese. 

At the present time, the merchants of the 
Hague have disappeared, and those of Londc>n 
have taken their ])lace at Malacca, but the expia- 
tion of Portugal is not yet at iui end 



;!':i* 



m- 



. 54'l'lliilll''~''J 



■'ill 













59 



CHAPTER II. 



SINCAPOEE. 



Thirty years ago Sincapore was not in existence ; 
a few Malay dwellings, situated upon the shore, 
and inhabited by pirates and fishermen, alone 
marked the spot upon which a flourishing town 
was to rise hereafter. English genius and spirit, 
and European activity, have founded this great 
city, and, ^vithout having recourse to any violent 
measm-es, have compelled the various Indian and 
Chinese tribes to make this their place of resi- 
dence, attracted only by the prospect of gain. 
But without the aid of one powerM auxiliary, 
the Eno^lish would not have been able, in less 
than thii^^y years, to establish a city contaimng 
seventy-five thousand souls, upon what was 
ahnost a desert place, and the irresistible aid to 
which they were so much indebted for succour 
was — liberty. In this place, the merchandize of 
every country is received free; the "Sincapore 
Free Press" offers the inhabitants a means of 
making every thing public ; and in the streets, 
(which are literally crammed with the produc- 
tions of ahnost every nation in the world), the 
Ionian, in his ample turban, the Bonze in his 
long flowing robe, and the half-naked priest, jostle 
against the Protestant minister, half strangled in 
his tight cravat, and the Catholic missionary^ 
shrouded in his cassock. Liberty in every thing., 
commercial, civil, and religious, strictly and faith 



60 UNCO^mOX HONESTY. 

fally carried out, has attracted to tliis once unin- 
liabited spot a greater amount of population and 
riches, than the Spaniards, Portuguese, and Dutch, 
have been able to bring together at Goa, Manilla, 
and Java, with all their jealous laws, violent sys- 
tems and intolerant religion. As may be expected, 
the appearance of this town differs materially from 
that of most of the ancient Em'opean possessions. 
In former times, when the early navigators disem- 
barked at some convenient and attractive place, 
they took it by force, collected materials for build- 
ing a fort, and those who were the first to take 
possession of the conquered soil, surrounded the 
houses with an enclosm-e pierced with loop-holes, 
and furnished with cannon ; but the English have 
acted in a very different manner in this country, 
and have honourably bought the land they wished 
to possess. This mode of proceeding may be some- 
what simple and homely ; but it cannot be denied 
that it is more honest than the other ; indeed, it 
is strictly conformable to the laws of equity, al- 
though it seems, nevertheless, somewhat strange 
to OUT barbarous prejudices, for classical education 
compels us to consider the spoils of war and ai-ms 
as just and legitimate. 

In doing justice to the spirit of the English, I 
do not forget, that a little time ago, I was loudly 
singing the })raises of the brave Portuguese, while 
at tlie same time I nuist admit that they are tlie 
most lawless pirates that ever infested the seii. 
But we nuist be j)ardoned these little contradic- 
tions, in consideration of the bad education we 
received fi*om oui* forefathers, who were passionate 
admirers of the imperial epoch ; the rectitude of 
cm* own reason and connnon sense is often at WiU* 



COMMERCE OF SINCAPORE. 61 

with the detestable prejudices they have trans- 
mitted us. The Enghsh have not therefore sur- 
rounded Sincapore with walls and battlements, for 
the houses are dispersed about in every part in 
the most independent manner, although they 
have paid sufficient attention to mihtary preju- 
dice to erect a small fort on a piece of land, which 
stretches out into the sea. However, the appear- 
ance of this building is by no means formidable, 
for its cannons are half rusty, and managed only 
by inoffensive Sepoys ; still this trifling military 
exhibition is sufficient to make the Malays be- 
lieve that the place is impregnable. 

The Syren anchored in the bay of Sincapore, 
just in front of the English part of the town. 
On visiting this immense port for the first time, 
nothing astonishes you so much as the incredible 
number of vessels of various kinds which float 
on the breast of the calm waters — every species 
of craft and floating machine invented since the 
dsiys of Noah, seem to have made this place a 
rendezvous — Chinese junks, looking hke floating 
arches — heavy Cochin-China vessels, barbarous 
imitations of Eiu-opean ships — proahs from Holo, 
as thin and slender as a graceful fish — light Arab 
boats — tub-like machines from Siam — steamboats 
belonging to the Company — the national colours 
of Holland, Spain, and Portugal, and last but not 
least, the French flag itself The first sight of 
Sincapore, fi^om the port, is delightful — its white 
houses are overshadowed by nutmeg and clove- 
trees, and each looks as if the builder had consult- 
ed only his own taste and fancy. 

The English town, a perfect bird's-nest in the 
midst of trees and flowers, is separated from the 



62 THE LONDON HOTEL. 

commercial part by a kind of creek, whence 
issues a river which runs quite to the other end of 
the island. I stepped into a Malay pirogue for the 
purpose of gaining the shore ; the rowers struck 
their oars into the river, the narrow entrance of 
which is defended by the foi*t I have before 
mentioned, and landed me on the right bank. 

As the London Hotel had been pointed out to 
me as the best boarding-house in the city I im- 
mediately repaired thither. The master of this 
hotel, M. de Dutroncoy is a singular character, 
who pretends to be either French, English, or 
Dutch, according to the convenience of the mo- 
ment, and suits his conversation and manners 
even to the most distinguished linguists. As 
soon as I made my appearance he advanced to- 
wards me, hat in hand, and glancing at an enor- 
mous parcel which I was carrying, said, with a 
slight smile — '' Ah, Monsieur is undoubtedly a 
Frenchman.'' 

I replied in the affirmative, addressing M. Du- 
troncoy by liis name. 

" Ah ! does Monsiem^ know my name ? Well, 
I am not surprised at it though I am not vain ; 
I myself ought to be considered a Frencliman."' 
Indeed, are you a fellow-countryman ?" 
Mon Dieu, no ! I have wandered about the 
world so much. Monsieur, that upon my word, I 
liave almost forgotten whence I started ; but as I 
said before, I ought to be French, for 1 am very 
fond of coffee, and adore Napoleon.'' 

I could not contradict such convincing pi'oofs as 
these, and lield out my hand to my fellow-country- 
man, wlio led me to a charming little room on the 
ground-llonr, as humble as the cell of an anchorite, 






LODGINGS AT SINGAPORE. 63 

with white walls ; two bamboo chairs, a large ba- 
sin of Chinese porcelain, a table and bed, were the 
only articles of farniture it contained. 

The beds at Sincapore are worth a few words 
of description — they consist of a sort of large 
frame covered with a species of wrapper, and fur- 
nished with a palm-mat, and two bolsters — upon 
this you lie down to rest, attired in what is term- 
ed a moresque (a large pair of pantaloons made 
of Bengal cloth), while the fresh air which circu- 
lates freely round the apartment, contributes to 
the comfort of your repose. 

M. Dutroncoy's hotel stands in the middle of 
an immense garden, full of fine tropical trees — the 
walls are thickly studded with windows, placed 
very near each other, and filled with ample stores 
of bamboos, which give the house the appearance 
of a pigeon-cot. 

On the evening of my arrival, I went to dine 
with M. Balestier, the United States Consul, who 
is celebrated at Sincapore for his universal hospi- 
tality. His house stands rather to the east of the 
city, near to a large village called Campon-Glan, 
situated in the centre of a large sugar-cane plan- 
tation. The avenues leading to the house are 
shaded by cotton-trees, bananas, and pine-apples, 
the golden fruit of which rises from a tuft of 
beautifrii green leaves. I went to M. Balestier's 
residence in a palanquin. 

To those who have never visited Sincapore 
or Penang, the name of palanquin does not con- 
vey the idea of a vehicle drawn by a horse ; and 
persons not acquainted with these parts, are apt 
to imagine it one of those coffin-like machines in 
which the living are imprisoned at Calcutta ; one 



64 THE couriers' journeys. 

of the clunxsy imsiglitly boxes canied by porters, 
in which the Indian Nabobs generally make their 
long journeys. But in tliis part of the world, the 
word palanquin is applied to a kind of long chest, 
placed on four wheels : this car, which will only 
hold two persons facing each other, is supplied 
-wdth Venetian blinds, freely admitting the air, 
and covered with a tissue of very light textm-e. 
A courier, called here a says, holds the head of 
the horse to direct its movements, and excite it 
to speed. These men are generally either miserable 
Bengalees, or the very poorest of the Malays, 
and a painfril sight it is to see these poor fellows, 
who are usually emaciated, debilitated by poverty 
and A^Tctchedness, running about for hours to- 
gether, until they are weary and breathless : their 
costume is of the most simple kind ; their feet 
and legs are naked, their chests uncovered, and 
their hair is concealed under a cotton handker- 
chief, rolled like a turban round the head : the 
only other garment they wear is a pair of drawers, 
fastened round the waist, and descending no 
further than the knees. 

It was quite dark when I reached M. Balestier's 
house. Chinese domestics, in white dresses, and 
witli long queues behind, were passing to and 
fro with lighted torches ; and an Indian servant, 
in a long white robe and muslin turban, conduct- 
ed me to the presence of the master of the liouse. 

The Americans and English are certainly the 
only ])eople in the world who know liow to live 
pr()])erly ; and their love of comfort and luxury 
suggests to them a thousand refinements, whicli 
are unknown to us. They have tlie tact t-o ado])t 
all the most agi'eeable customs of every nation, 



HIGH LIFE IN SINGAPORE. 65 

whilst our fellow-coiintrymen, whether officers or 
merchants, are afraid to take such deep root in 
any foreign land. 

I was conducted to the first-floor, and crossed a 
splendid verandah, briUiantly lighted up by glass 
globes filled with cocoa-nut oil, and entered a long 
gallery containing five immense rooms, separated 
from each other by light partitions, and lighted 
with wax candles, contained in glass vessels. 

Into this gallery, Madame Balestier has collect- 
ed all the rarities and curiosities of India and 
China ; not only have the most able artisans of 
this country contributed their share in works of 
art, but the natural productions, both of earth 
and sea, are to be found there. Each of the 
apartments in this spacious gallery, seemed to be 
set apart for a different purpose ; in one, was a 
vast library, composed of valuable books in almost 
every European language ; in anotlier, a collec- 
tion of shells, arranged in cabinets of polished 
ebony ; a third, contained specimens of sculptme, 
in sandal-wood and Chinese bamboo, Indian 
cm-iosities, and curious paintings, representing 
Brahminical ceremonies, and the transformations 
of Buddha. 

The English and American guests assembled at 
M. Balestier's, comprised all the elite of Sincapore, 
of both sexes. After a sixty days' voyage, the 
monotony of which had experienced no interrup- 
tion, except that of a short sojom-n among the 
barbarians of Malacca, I was not a little delight- 
ed to find myself once more in European society, 
and that too, in one of the fairy palaces of the 
East : the dazzling lights, the Asiatic luxiuy of 
everything around, the soft perfrimed atmosphere, 

F 



66 DOMESTIC GUNNERS. 

and the presence of so many delightful persons, 
almost turned my head ; and these feelings of 
pleasm'e were by no means diminished, when 
Madame Balestier requested me to lead to the 
table a lovely young English girl, who spoke 
French with all the puiity of a Parisian. 

The dining-room was on the gi'ound floor, the 
large windows which opened into the garden, 
allowed free entrance to the delicious perfmne of 
the flowers without, and now and then during 
the evening, the luminous insects of the night 
flew about the apartment, looking like precious 
stones gifted with the power of motion and ani- 
mation. In the four corners of this immense 
room, stood young Chinese domestics, employed 
in working very large fixns, painted in various 
colours, the manufacture of which has been fcilsely 
ascribed to the Japanese, but they are, in reality, 
Indian, and are made from the leaves of a paili- 
cular kind of palm-tree. Each gentleman had an 
Indian servant behind his chair. They were re- 
markably attentive, and were di-essed in white 
tunics, while on their bare feet they wore massive 
rings of brass, or silver. The ladies were waited 
upon by Chinese children, of twelve or fifteen. 
These domestics were extremely cleanly in their 
appearance, and the queue was also in good order, 
while their garments were of unsulhed whiteness, 
and their pantaloons fastened with rose-coloured 
ribands. Tlieir flices had a mild, intelHgent ex- 
pression, and they seemed anxious to anticipate 
every want of their charming mistresses. I ought 
to remark tliat these children, wlio are so exqui- 
sitely neat in their appearance, whose manners 
and air are so pleasing, and who are dressed with 



A FRIENDLY SHOWER. 67 

such elegance, are not exactly servants, as theii^ 
duties bear a great resemblance to those of the 
little pages who attended upon the fair ladies of 
the olden time ; and on examining the one who 
specially waited upon the charming young lady, 
seated at my side, I was forcibly reminded of 
Jehan de Saintre, except that his prototype was 
of a somewhat yellowish complexion. These lit- 
tle fellows fill the place of /emmes de chamhre to 
the English ladies, and are entrusted with the 
task of lacing their boots, holding up their dresses, 
&;c. ; but as soon as they attain the age of four- 
teen, they are dismissed from this agreeable con- 
dition of servitude, and are replaced by younger 
children. We dined in the French fashion, that 
is to say, the gentlemen accompanied the ladies 
from the dinner-table, and the evening's enter- 
tainment was prolonged to a late hour. 

Just as the guests were preparing to depart, 
there was a vivid flash of lightning, the wind 
sighed heavily among the trees and canes, and a 
loud peal of thunder was accompanied, by a tre- 
mendous shower. This lasted for more than half 
an hour, and had scarcely ceased, when the poor 
-says, drenched to the skin, appeared before the 
door of the mansion, holding the heads of the 
horses belonging to the palanquins. So obe- 
diently were these poor wretches trained, that, 
notwithstanding the heavy rain, they dared not 
have stopped by the way to take shelter. I was 
about to return to Sincapore, when Madame Ba- 
lestier requested to speak to me. 

■I^We are very anxious,'' said the good lady, 
*' to keep you amongst us as long as possible. 
Do not go back to Sincapore to-night, for M. 

f2 



68 AN INVITATION. 

Wampou, a neighbour of ours, is desirous you 
should remain with him. Let me prevail upon 
you to accept his offer, and to-moiTOw M. Ba- 
lestier will accompany you in a visit to the 
Malay town/' 

Under the impression that M. Wampou must 
be one of the guests Avhom I had met at dinner, 
I requested that Madame would introduce me to 
him, that I might have the opportunity of thank- 
ing him for his polite invitation. 

" Oh,'' rephed Madame Balestier, smiling, " our 
Mend, M. Wampou, is not present ;'' adding, " he 
is a Chinese merchant.'' 

That a Chinese merchant should entertain such 
hospitable feelings towards me, astonished me 
greatly, and, of com^se, I did not hesitate a mo- 
ment. 

So Madame Balestier summoned her little at- 
tendant, Atay, who conducted me to my palan- 
quin ; two Indians, with torches, accompanied 
me, and in about three minutes I found myself at 
M. Wampou's residence. 

Scarcely had I alighted from my palanquin, 
when I was saluted with a most vigorous " Hur- 
rah !" thrice repeated, and a " France and Old 
England for ever !" 

A Hindoo servant now advanced towai'ds me, 
and bowing profoundly, recjuested me to follow 
him. 

I did so, and was presently introduced to a 
party of three English officers, seated at a table 
on the terrace, with a bowl of iced i)unch before 
tlu'in. 

Tliey rose on my entrance, and after shaking 
hands, and exchanging the usuid salutations of 



THE INTERPRETER. 69 

— " How d ye do V &c., we tried to carry on a 
conversation, wliich, however, we soon found ra- 
ther difficult, as they knew no more of French 
than I did of English. As this state of affairs was 
somewhat awkward, we endeavoured to console 
om-selves by singing " God save the Queen,'' each 
taking a verse, and giving it in his native tongue, 
and were proceeding gloriously, by no means for- 
getting to pay due honour to the bowl of iced 
punch, when an unexpected succour arrived, in 
the shape of the Indian who had introduced me 
to the presence of my companions. 

With a very low bow he came up to me and 
said — " You do not understand English, Mon- 
sieur ? 

*' Not a word,'' I replied. 

" Then, if you will allow me, I will act as 
your interpreter. I do not like these gentlemen 
should imagine, that because you do not under- 
stand their language, they may say what they like 
in your presence." 

*' But," I inquired, " how is it that you are so 
well acquainted with French ?" 

" How is it. Monsieur ! because I am a French- 
man myself." 

" Is it possible ! — and where do you come 
from ?" 

" From Chandernagor, Monsiem* — my name is 
Ali ; M. Wampou sent me here to attend upon 
you ; and as you are a countryman of my own, I 
shall be happy to do any thing I can for you." 

The man who stood before me was very tall and 
thin, with a complexion almost black, large bright 
eyes, an aquiline nose, and very white teeth. He 
wore a large gay-coloured tm^ban, two fine dia- 



70 THE FRENCH IN INDIA. 

monds sparkled in his ears, and his figure was 
concealed by a long robe and pair of pantaloons, 
which fell over his bare feet. His appearance 
seemed to amuse the Englishmen very much ; but 
for my own part, I gi'ew sad as I looked at him, 
and bitterly lamented the decay of our power and 
influence in the country in which this man was 
born ; besides there was something noble and af- 
fecting in the warm attachment the poor Indian 
displayed for France, which was not without its 
effect upon me, particularly when I reflected, 
that few of my countrymen were aware, that there 
existed in India such a wreck of their former 
power there, as Chandernagor and Pondicheiy ; 
and yet I have no doubt, that if these poor sou- 
venirs of the past were to be demanded of our 
nation to-morrow, in exchange for some advan- 
tage to be conceded to the colonies of the Antillas 
or Bourbon, the French people would consent to 
the proposition. 

The French inhabitants of India are not in the 
same condition as the degraded negi'oes, but on 
the contrary, have the misfortune to retain all 
the feelings and manners of civilization, though 
the law-givers of France have overlooked them, 
and treated them with contempt. 

I should like to impress on my ultra-aboli- 
tionist friends, that tlie civilized population of 
India has much more right to the benefits of 
emancipation than the blacks, who have had no 
education to fit them for any condition but their 
])resent one. 

It wa.s three in the morning wlien Ali conduct- 
ed me to my apartment ; on the first day of my 
sojourn at Malacca, I had been deprived of my 



DOMESTICS IN SINGAPORE. 71 

dinner, but at Sincapore I liad spent four hours 
at that meal ; at the former place I could not re- 
tire to rest because I had no bed, but at the 
latter, two were placed at my disposal — facts 
which disposed me very decidedly in favour of 
civiKsation, for however picturesque a country in 
a state of barbarism mav be, mere attractions of 
this kind are not substantial enough to satisfy the 
European. 

On the following morning, Ali entered my 
apartment bringing me the real English gentle- 
man s breakfast — a cup of tea with cream in it : 
the subdued rays of the bright sun were just 
straying through the Chinese windows, and the 
perftimed breeze rendered my charming little cell 
delightfully fresh. Not knowing the hour, and 
fearing to keep M. Bales tier waiting, I said to 
Ali — " How must I manage about getting to 
M. Balestier's residence, and going thence to 
Sincapore ?" 

'' Your palanquin is waiting for you Monsieur," 
answered the Indian ; " at least it will be ready 
in a few minutes." 

" Ah ! that is all right — when did it arrive V 

" It has been here all night, as we thought 
you might probably want it very early." 

" And the horse V 

^' Oh, that was let loose, and has been grazing 
about on the premises." 

" But where has the says slept ? And who has 
provided his food V 

" How anxious Monsieur is about his says — 
most likely he went to sleep, if he felt tired, and 
had something to eat if he could find any rice." 

" But luJiere did he sleep ?" 



72 PKEJUDICES OF CASTE. 

" Where ! perhaps on the door step, on the 
gi'ound, or in the corridor ; I really do not know. 
— How is it that Monsieiu* is so anxious to know 
where the says has slept V As he spoke All 
opened one of the windows, and added — " There 
Monsieur is the says about whom you ai'e so 
much interested — he is walking in the garden." 

The says was a young Bengalee of about twen- 
ty, black as a coal, tall, thin, and su})ple, very 
feeble in appearance, and with a European cast of 
face ; when he accompanied me with the palan- 
quin, he was thi^ee-parts naked, but he was now 
enveloped in a long robe of fine muslin, much the 
worse for wear ; he was positively shivering be- 
neath this fragile garment, and seemed to enjoy 
basking in the rays of the sun. — " Go and ask 
that man if he is hungiy," said I to the Indian. 

" That would be quite useless, Monsieur, for 
the Bengalee is always hungry," replied Ali, 
briefly ; " and seldom satisfies his appetite com- 
pletely." 

However he called the says, who answered, 
" that he certainly was very liungiy, for he had 
nothing to eat since noon-tide yesterday." 

I immediately took up the American biscuit 
wliicli had been brought me, and ottered it to 
liim, but to my great astonishment he refused, 
and Ali who stood by, smiling at my surprise, 
said, " Monsieur must not touch the biscuit, or tlie 
Bengalee will not eat it." 

" Tlien give him a piece of meat, some rice, or 
anything lie will eat." 

Ali hjustened to obey me, and offered the says 
some meat, from which, Iiowever, lie recoiled with 
evident honor. — '• TliLs man is really a good Ben- 



MOSLEM PREJUDICES. 73 

galee," observed Ali, laughing ; " for he will not 
eat flesh." 

" Well then, give him some rice/' 

But to this offer the says replied — " That he 
should like it very much indeed, but he had not 
a vessel to cook it in, and he could not eat any 
food which had been prepared by one not of his 
own cast/' 

" Then let the scrupulous fool go to the devil V 
I exclaimed, when Ali interpreted this answer, 
" and tell him to put my horse in the palanquin/' 

The poor says seemed to understand my re- 
mark without having it translated to him, for he 
tiirned away with a sorrowful smile. However, 
my countryman from Chandernagor was a good- 
hearted fellow, and offered the Bengalee two 
bananas, which were joyfully accepted. He 
tm-ned his back to us — sat down in the sunshine, 
and devoured the poor pittance with extreme 
avidity. I watched him with great interest, and 
then turning to Ali, asked him to what caste he 
himself belonged. 

*' I am a Mussulman," he answered proudly, 
'' and consider all men equal." 

" Then you eat any thing, and with any 
body r 

'* Certainly ; but I would not touch the flesh of 
any animal that had been killed by a Christian." 

" Indeed ! well, you see I am not so scrupu- 
lous, and therefore you must take care to cook me 
a chicken for my breakfast to-morrow." 

M. Wampou's establishment was much smaller 
than that of M. Balestier, but was fitted up with 
the same elegance and comfort, and the garden, 
i^hich surrounded the house, was in excellent 



74 A SABLE APOLLO BELYIDERE. 

order, the borders being planted with pine- 
apples, the sweet perfume of which filled the air 
around. 

On my asking Ali how much a pine-apple was 
worth at Sincaj)ore, he merely repUed, by telling 
the says that he might gather one by way of 
finishing his repast, which was, of coui'se, a proof 
that they were considered of very little value. 
After he had plucked it, the Indian covered it 
with salt, and I found that the natives of Sinca- 
pore never eat it in any other way, on account of 
its being extremely unwholesome. 

As soon as I rejoined M. Balestier, we set out 
for Sincapore, and the Consul requested me to 
enter the carriage with liim, not wishing any 
guest of his to follow him in a common palanquin. 
After we were comfortably seated, and proceeding 
along the road to Sincapore, I happened, by 
chance, to look at the says who conducted us, and 
must confess that I was struck with astonislmient 
as I did so, for I have scarcely ever seen such a 
perfect model of beauty as this young Indian : he 
possessed just that youthful spiritual style of face 
and figm-e, which the Greek sculptors have immor- 
talized in their poetical statues of Gan3rmede and 
Endymion : his long silky hair feU in natural 
cm'Ls over his weU-formed shoulders, and liis blue 
eyes, with their long dark lashes, and languid 
expression, as well as his finely-formed limbs, were 
as delicate and beautiful Jis those of a woman ; the 
only drawback to tlie Ganymede of Sincapore 
was, tliat he w«is ;is black as ebony ; but this Avas 
of little im})ortance, for let pliilosopliers say what 
tliey will, no one could have examined this young 
Bengalee, and doubted for a moment that God 



SINGAPORE TRADERS. 75 

had cast his limbs in the same mould as those of 
the worshipped divinities of Greece ; and if we 
had not outlived the age of miracles and fables, I 
should have imagined that Siva, the god of eter- 
nal youth, had been expelled the Indian Olympus 
for some misdemeanor, and compelled to watch 
over the progress of the Em^opeans in India ; for, 
in spite of the privations and miseries of his con- 
dition, oui' handsome guide, who wore no clothing 
except a pair of loose white pantaloons, fastened 
with a red scarf, was no bad type of a demi-god 
swimming in a river of gold, as he ran by our 
side, enveloped in an atmosphere of sandy dust. 

In passing out of the European part of Sinca- 
pore to the commercial quarter, we crossed two 
bridges built over a very muddy river : the com- 
mercial town is nothing less than a permanent 
bazaar, full of great entrepots, and shops, and it 
is divided into several portions according to the 
population by which it is inhabited : there are 
EngUsh, Chinese, Indian, and Malay streets ; ex- 
traordinary activity and animation reign through- 
out ; and in this city the useless and ineffectual 
quarrels of the West, are replaced by the general 
struggle for commercial wealth and power. The 
phlegmatic Englishmen, in their immense shops, 
order everything with almost military precision, 
and overlook their numerous workmen as they 
heap up large quantities of pepper, clear away the 
refuse from the nutmeg, stow away the cloves 
into sacks, and fold up, or unpack the various 
stuffs and articles of wearing apparel. The Chi- 
nese, too, have a very differeint appearance ft-om 
that which distinguishes them at Malacca — they 
are no longer to be seen indolently sitting on 



76 HINDOO TRADERS. 

tlieir coffins and smoking, contemplating the pros- 
pect of a future life, and yet enjoying to the very 
full, all the comfoi'ts and luxuries of the present ; 
but here, the sons of the Celestial Empire walk 
about the streets with a thoroughly business-like 
air, their sharp eyes on the watch, their necks 
bent forward — all alike in search of gain of some 
kind. That part of the city which is inhabited 
by them, is distinguished by its strong appear- 
ance, and the numljer of signs and marks they 
make use of ; indeed, they may be called the very 
spiders of commerce, extending their nets in 
every direction, seizing upon every poor stupid 
fly that passes, and wi-inging from him all he 
possesses. Even the Hindoos themselves throw 
off a little of their habitual nonchalence, in the 
alleys with cloth awnings in which their shops 
are situated ; their voices may be heard, ciying 
their different kinds of merchandise, and vaunt- 
ing forth their superiority in fine speeches taken, 
most likely, from the pages of their journals. 
Next to Canton, Sincapore is certainly the first 
commercial town in the far East, and it gives us 
an idea of the bustle and motion which once dis- 
tinguished the European magazines in India and 
the Spice Islands. The Malays are more rarely 
seen here than any other people, and it is said 
that the numerous tribes which have from time 
to time established themselves in this country, 
have driven out the primitive possessors of it. 

M. Balestier now conducted me to the establish- 
ment of M. Wampou, wliich might really be re- 
garded as a triumph of human industry, for in all 
this immense mass, M. Wampou's magazine ([uite 
put in the shade all the other com|ucsts of in- 



A CHINESE TRADER. 77 

dustry and art. At Brazil I had seen enormous 
entrepots, in which the most dissimilar articles 
were all huddled together, in a sort of commercial 
chaos ; but here, that love of order, which is one 
great characteristic of the Chinese, has remedied 
this, and if, for instance, you want a pair of shoes, 
you are immediately supplied with specimens of 
every kind, from the thickest boot to the thinnest 
soled article, with sandals and slippers ; everything 
indeed was to be found at this shop, not even ex- 
cepting powder of every kind. The proprietor of 
the establishment received me in the most gen- 
tlemanly manner, requested me to make myself 
quite at home in his house, and in honour of my 
visit, opened a bottle of champagne, which, con- 
sidering it did not come fi'om MontebeUo, was 
really very good. In short, I left the place, en- 
chanted with M. Wampou, and quite determined 
to make use of his polite invitation. 

M. Balestier gave me the history of this rich 
merchant, which was, in fact, that of aU the 
Chinese emigrants. He arrived at Sincapore, 
after visiting Manilla and Java, very poor ; in- 
deed, without any resources. By means of energy, 
economy, and perseverance, he first realized a 
competency, and finally became very rich, for 
which reason, he was extremely unpopular in the 
country. 

M. Balestier took me into a great many shops ; 
amongst others, into that of an Arab merchant, 
a very tall man of about sixty-five, with a noble 
and dignified manner ; with his white beard and 
calm serene countenance he looked like one of 
those venerable figures which sometimes appear 
in the form of good genii, in the fanciftd tales 



78 THE HADGI. 

of the Arabs. His costume consisted of a white 
garment made in the Turkish fashion, and a 
green turban, which indicated that he had made 
a pilgi'image to the tomb of the Great Prophet. 
I had often heard that the Hadgis were treated 
with a respect almost approaching to adoration 
by the Malay Mussulmen, and I had now an op- 
portunity of witnessing this fact myself, for no 
one entered this shop, not a workman belonging 
to it, a customer, or an Indian Mussulman, with- 
out making a low reverence to the merchant, and 
humbly kissing his hand ; the Hadgi received all 
these salutations with perfect dignity, never 
speaking a word, but contented himself with the 
slightest possible movement by way of acknow- 
ledgment, and continued to stroke down his 
long white beard, and admire his right hand, the 
fingers of which were loaded with large diamonds. 
The shop of this Arab was redolent with perfume 
— the air we breathed was heavy with all the 
rich scents of Arabia, and the still more enerva- 
ting ones of India and China — sandal wood and 
aloes, the precious balms distilled from the East- 
ern trees, essences from Mecca and Delhi, and 
musk from Tonquin, combined to form an atmo- 
sphere so oppressive as to cause an irresistible 
feeling of di-owsiness : and here I saw, for the 
first time, the Malay camphor, known by the 
name of cwpour harous : this precious substance 
is found in the island of Sumatra, beneath tlie 
bark of a large tree, which is called by naturalists, 
the dvyahalanos camphora ; the Chinese attri- 
bute most astonishing ciuaHties to this ai'ticle, and 
will exchange an immense quantity of their own 
cam})hor fur a pound of that of the Malays. I left 



MALAYS AT SINGAPORE. 79 

the- Hadgi mercliant's shop with a violent head-- 
ache, for its atmosphere was so highly scented 
with perfumes and odoriferous substances of all 
kinds, that it was fit for the gods alone. ^ > 

M. Balestier now proposed that we should visit 
the Malay houses, wliich stood a little way out of 
the town in the midst of a muddy river which 
runs from the upper part of the island, and emp- 
ties itself into the sea. It seems strange at first, 
that houses thus situated should not be extreme- 
ly unhealthy, but on reflection there certainly is 
. no good reason why tliis should be the case, for 
the Malay dwellings being elevated on long poles, 
are prevented fi'om becoming damp, and are 
merely enveloped sometimes by the mist which 
rises on the surface of the water, in which there 
is nothing deleterious, for the tide rises every 
day and cleanses the bed of the river, carrying 
away any refuse which may have lodged in it. 
Besides the mixture of fresh and salt water does 
not cause insalubrity, unless the former prevail so 
much as to render it impossible for the living 
creatures which inhabit the sea to exist therein : 
in that case, a mass of putrefaction would be ge- 
nerated, sufficient to taint the whole atmosphere 
around. But at Sincapore, the river is not large, 
and the feeble tribute which it pays the sea, has 
no effect whatever on the finny inhabitants of the 
latter. This city is built just in the same man- 
ner as Achem, Holo, and several others in the 
Malay Archipelago, all of which are extremely 
healthy, although most of the houses are elevated 
on the stakes which are daily washed by the tide. 
In this part of Sincapore are the sago manufac- 
tories ; this substance, as every body knows, is 



80 PREPARATION OF SAGO. 

obtained from the pith of a kind of palm tree, 
which grows abundantly in Sumatra, Borneo, and 
the Celebes. The trunks of these trees are con- 
veyed to Sincapore, and the mealy sediment is 
extracted in the following mamier : — they first 
split the block of wood longitudinally, and with 
a sharp knife remove the matter which forms the 
centre ; the latter is then put into a large sieve 
with some water, the mealy substance is thus 
drained off, and the ligaments are left ; of course 
the sediment sinks to the bottom of the vessel in 
which it is placed, and the water is then removed 
to allow it to dry ; it is then spread out upon 
bamboo hurdles, and when the water has nearly 
evaporated, the mealy paste is put into a copper 
vessel, placed on a very hot fire ; this operation is 
rapidly efiected with the hand, and its object is 
to reduce the paste into Httle globides, rather 
larger than the nonpareils of the confectioners, but 
in other respects very similar to them. 

The preparation of sago is principally managed 
by Malay women, and when we arrived, they 
were just in the act of executing this latter opera- 
tion ; the metal plates were placed on a furnace, 
and the women, drenched in perspiration, worked 
with great rapidity ; they were young girls of 
from fifteen to twenty years of age. 

After inspecting the whole of the process, I ac- 
companied M. Balestier to the connnercial town, 
where we walked about until the evening in 
wide airy streets, our attention being constantly 
attracted by the various scenes going on around 
us ; on one side were gi'oups of children of all 
shades and colours, black, white, and yellow, form- 
ing a sort of living embroidery on the soil upon 



THE SACRED TEMPLES. 81 

which they were seated ; Chinese tradespeople, 
followed by a troop of idle gazers, and carrying, 
suspended to the end of a bamboo, dangerous- 
looking prisoners, in the shape of boas, apes, ti- 
gers, &c., but very well guarded. Sometimes we 
met English merchants, dealing in birds' eggs, 
fins of different species of the shark, and those sea 
worms, known by the name of holothuries, which 
are considered such dainties by the Chinese ; fur- 
ther on were some Malay workmen, exposing for 
sale various little bijoux, cm-iously carved, some 
made of coloured brass, the gay hues of which 
made them resemble butterflies' wings. 

We entered a mean-looking Indian temple, in 
which a few men, clothed in rags, were spreading 
flowers around the statues and deserted altar ; 
their wretched appearance was the living image 
of the miserable condition of the unhappy Ben- 
galee. We then turned into a mosque frequented 
by the Malays and Indian Mussulmen, but it 
contained nothing remarkable ; a pool of greenish 
water was pointed out as the place for ablution, 
but it looked more fit for the abode of frogs, than 
for any pm^poses of cleansing. Of all these reli- 
gious edifices, the richest and most elegant is the 
Chinese Pagoda, the roof of which is indented 
and ornamented with pieces of coloured porcelain, 
representing all kinds of fantastical animals, 
produced by the whimsical brains of the native 
artisans. At the entrance two dragons in granite 
are placed as sentinels, each holding in his half- 
open mouth, a moveable ball, of singular work- 
manship, made by the patient and industrious 
artists of Fo-kien. 

The luxury of this edifice is a proof that the 

G 



82 A MOSLEM SCHOOL. 

worshippers of the God Fo are the most opulent 
of the various religious sects at Sincapore, but at 
the same time, the solitude of the temple tells ua 
that they are not the most devout. The Chinese, 
who are the most jealous people on earth, bear 
some resemblance to the French in one circum- 
stance ; the French are exceedingly fond of build- 
ing splendid chm'ches, but they seldom enter 
them ; so the Chinese pay their bonzes well, 
but attend very little to what they teach them. 
The Pagoda of Sincapore is built in imitation of 
one of those at Amoz, but as I shall so fi^equently 
have occasion to notice these Bhuddic temples, 
I will not waste further time in descriljing this 
one. 

Whilst walldng about the Malay streets, I heai'd, 
as I passed the door of a rather good-looking 
house, the voices of some children, who were ap- 
parently reciting a lesson. Climbing the Avooden 
staircase in the front of this dwelling, I found 
myself in the midst of a large saloon, in which 
was an old Malay, with a white beard, seated on 
the floor, and surrounded by a dozen or more 
children, grouped together in a similar attitude, 
chanting a kind of psalm, the words of which ap- 
peared to be wi'itten on a piece of paper. 

My sudden appearance seemed far fi-om disa- 
greeable to the young scholars, for they looked at 
me with great curiosity, and began to laugh and 
chuckle amongst themselves. Everything ap- 
peared to be conducted on the same principle a^j 
that ])ursiu!d with the classes in Em'opean Schools. 
The old Malay did not rise at my entrance, but 
made a kind of siilaam, which his pu})ils imitated, 



ARABIC FAITH. 83 

and then, with another bow, called my attention 
to the book lying before him. 

" What book is this ?" I asked. 

" The Koran,'' he replied. 

"In the Malay language V 

" No, seigneur, in Arabic."' 

" Then you understand that tongue f 

'' I do not understand it, but I can read the 
characters very well." 

" But what is the use of reading words, the 
meaning of which you do not comprehend V 

" By reading them constantly, my pupils get 
them by heart, and the believers in the prophet 
ought to commit these words to memory, and to 
repeat them often, as they are endowed with very 
great and remarkable virtues." 

" But would it not be much better to learn 
them in your own language ? It appears to me 
useless to get by heart what you do not under- 
stand, for the w^ords alone cannot possess any 
vii-tue." 

" The prophet wrote his laws in Arabic, and 
therefore, it is in that tongue that we ought to 
study it, for, in translating it, much of the origi- 
nal sense might be lost ; besides, it would be a 
sacrilege." w 

Is not this simple faith something like that of 
our forefathers ? for does the villager understand 
the prayer which he morning and evening re- 
peats ? Besides, are there not in Europe many 
Christians who consider it wrong to translate the 
Holy Scriptures into the vulgar tongue ? 

During all this time, I had not seen M. Dutron-^ 
coy, and when I again made my appearance at his 
residence, he welcomed me so eagerly, and said so 

g2 



84 AN AFFECTING APPEAL. 

much about the impatience with which he had 
awaited my arrival, that I tliought perliaps he 
might be in want of my professional services, and 
jocosely asked him whether he wished me to ex- 
tract a tooth, to cut off his leg or finger, or to 
bleed him ; but he replied, that he did not require 
my aid in anjrthing of this kind, although he 
wanted to speak to me about sometliing quite as 
important, and on being requested to state his 
wishes, he proceeded to observe, that he wa.s very 
anxious I should consent to undertake a work of 
charity, by adopting a poor orphan whom he 
knew. 

" My dear sir,'' I exclaimed, " what can you 
be thinking of? Do you suppose I have come 
to Sincapore to play the part of St. Vincent 
de Paul.'' 

" Ah, no ! but, rtion Lieu ! Monsiem-, without 
being a St. Vincent, could you not for once adopt 
a poor orphan ?" 

" I do not deny that I could do it, but I have 
no wish to adopt any one. If, indeed, every poor 
unfortunate bachelor were to act thus to every 
child who was said to be an orphan, why, he 
would soon have at least twenty to suppoi't. Let 
those who like to adopt children, do so, by all 
means ; but, pray leave me in peace !" 

" But, Monsieur, I assure you, that if you knew 
the history of my "protege, you would be inter- 
ested in it, and, perhaps " 

" Well, then, j^ray don't tell me anything about 
it, for fear I should be softened by the tale ; and 
do go and get me a l)ottle of ginger-beer." 

M. Dutroncoy left the room, and presently re- 
tm'ned with two bottles in his hand. A Malay 



THE PATHOS INCEEASES. 85 

servant placed two glasses upon a table standing 
underneath a large tree, which completely over- 
shadowed it, and M. Dutroncoy seated himself 
opposite me. 

" Mine host" had, in a general way, a merry, 
jovial appearance, but just now, there was quite 
a melancholy expression upon his face, and with 
a very deep sigh, he remarked — 

" Then you have really decided that you will 
have nothing to do with this child. Alas ! there 
are certainly some people in this world born 
under an unlucky star ! I had so reckoned upon 
your compliance with my request." 

" But, why on earth should you fix on me, ra- 
ther than any one else. It was marvellously polite 
of you, to be sure V 

'^ I did so, because ^but, however, it is of no 

use talking any more about it, poor child ! How 
unfortunate it is I Did you ever hear of the 
Dayaks, doctor V 

" Yes ; there are some tribes so called in Bor- 
neo, I believe." 

" Well, these people are as great cannibals as 
tigers, I believe. They tried to catch me once, 
but I escaped them. However, the parents of 
this unhappy child have not been so fortunate." 

'' Well, M. Dutroncoy, let us hear all about it." 

" Oh, it is a very simple tale, as indeed, it must 
of necessity be, in a country in which everything 
goes on in such a primitive manner. — The father 
of this child " 

" Oh !" I interrupted, " but I wanted to hear 
about your adventure." 

" It will be nearly the same thing, and I want 
to tell you about the child — his Either, a very 



S6 VAIN PRECAUTIONS. 

brave man, with whom I was acquainted, lived 
far away from the haunts of men, in the bosom 
of the gi'een forest, and had chosen this retired 
spot that he might lead a contemplative Ufe, 
accompanied by his wife, to whom he was tender- 
ly attached ; he constructed a charming little 
habitation with the intertwined branches of trees, 
a modest retreat, containing nothing but a couch 
of fern and soft moss, which was the throne of 
the idolized wife, whose presence enlivened and 
embellished eveiything/' 

'-.o'f^ You are poetical, M. Dutroncoy," I observed. 
*^' '' Yes, Doctor, like most people who have seen 
and thought a good deal. To continue : with a 
degree of prudence, wliich cannot be too much 
praised, he had built his dwelling in such a man- 
ner as to prevent, in some measure, the unpleasant 
incursions of the tigers wliich infested the forest 
in gi^eat numbers ; the perfamed branches of the 
beautiful tree descended almost to the grormd, 
and by managing to support themselves by means 
of this scale -ladder, the happy couple maintained 
the secm^ity of their habitation. 
- :.\,*^ My fi'iend, for by that name I love to dis- 
tinguish the unfortunate man whose son is under 
my care, was accustomed to make excm-sions of 
an acquisitive kind, in the neighbourliood of a 
Dayak village, the inliabitants of which, already 
half cormpted by a state of civilisation, made 
great complaints, that tlie potatoes and bananjis 
which tliey ])retended to have planted, Avere con- 
stantly stolen, and my fiiend wtui known to have 
occasional interviews with some of the natives. 
" One day,'whilKt canying on a conversation with 
one of them, a jealous rival shot him in the aide. 



THE CATASTROPHK 87 

and he died immediately. His poor wife, dis- 
tressed at his prolonged absence, gave way to her 
gTief for a long time, in useless lamentation, but 
I need not say in vain, for no voice answered her 
sad complaint ; however, as one cannot do without 
dinner, not even when one's husband has departed 
this life, she went out, sad and dejected, with 
her child in her arms, to procure some of the 
bananas, in the search for which her unfortunate 
husband had met with his death. Alas ! she 
shared his fate ; for the Dayaks were roused, and 
on the watch ; and neither the imploring gestures 
of the miserable creature, nor the beauty of the 
terrified child, could soften the hearts of these 
flinty wi'etches : they let fly theii* arrows at the 
unliappy widow, who died on the spot, com- 
mending her child to the genius of the forest. 
A protestant minister took care of it, and placed 
it under my protection, and I had hoped you 
would have adopted if 
M " Then, do you still entertain that hope?" 
f;'«"' Certainly, doctor — I never give up a good 
work so easily ; besides, it will not be much 
trouble to you to come and see my poor frotege, 
and his infantine grace will be more eloquent 
than anything I can say about him.'' vm 

.»; "MWell, then, if you really wish it so very 
much, I will go and look at liim," I rephed, 
rising. 

^liiiiGod be praised !" exclaimed Dutroncoy, as 
he preceded me ; " my project will succeed after 
all — I knew it would be so, for it was written on 
high, I think I see you abeady, doctor, protect- 
ing and caressing the innocent creatui^e." 
, . And so saying, my enthusiastic host conducted 



88 THE APPEAL IS SUCCESSFUL. 

me to a kind of pavilion at the bottom of the 
court-yard, and pushing open the door, said 
abruptly, " There, go in — 1 am delighted to 
introduce you/' 

" But, where is he ? I don't see him/' 
" You don't see him ! why — look there I" 
'' The deuce 1" I exclaimed ; you have })layed 
me some trick — there is no one in the pa\dlion/' 
" No one there, do you say V said M. Dutron- 
coy ; " well, well, you shall see/' And he entered 
the place, took up a sort of cage made of bamboo, 
and placing it before me, said — " There is no one 
in the pavilion, is there ! Well, do you still think 
so ? 

I looked at the cage, and descried, through the 
canework, a poor little being, crouched do^vTi in 
the bottom of it, turning towards me its melan- 
choly and supplicating eyes. The Kmbs of the 
poor little ci-eature were very thin, and the 
abdomen and lower parts extremely prominent ; 
the forehead was high, the nose flat, and the 
mouth very large, wliilst the traces of sorrow 
were strongly marked upon its dejected coimte- 
nance. It extended to me its little brown hand, 
which I pressed affectionately, and contented 
myself with this mute dialogue, as I did not 
know in what language to address it, fen- the 
poor little ori)han was, in reality, a young 
ourano^-outanrr, about whom I sludl have more to 
say presently. 

On the spot, and without a moment's hesitation, 
I swore, by the bald head of '' mine host," to act 
JUS a father towards the little orj^han of Borneo, 
to educate him, according to liis cipacity, and to 
supply him with food, lodging, raiment, and 



THE ARISTOCRAT OF THE WOODS. 89 

everything he might require, and 'never was a 
vow more scrupulously ftiliilled, for, from that 
time, the poor outcast shared freely in my food 
and shelter, and, if not the confidant of all my 
inmost thoughts, he was, at least, the witness of 
all my actions ; in short, I acted the part of 
Mentor to this hairy Telemachus, who accom- 
panied me in all my travels through Cliina and 
India. 

By general consent of all the Indian nations, 
the oin-ang-outang is universally allowed to be 
the king of the forests in this part of the world, 
and although I have very little respect for the 
pretensions of high birth and ancient family, I 
was nevertheless weak enough to bestow upon 
my young favourite the name of Tuan, a Malay 
word, which signifies " His Lordship,'' thus, in 
a manner, recalling the memory of his fore- 
fathers ; but, alas ! like many other aspirants to 
family distinction, the poor exile was never 
destined to sit upon the throne of his ancestors, 
nor to end his days in the aerial palaces in which 
his infancy was passed ; this last scion of his 
house died upon the arid shores of Syiia, sur- 
rounded by many devoted attendants, whose care 
and solicitude were all in vain, and thus I became 
the Blondel of this disinherited monarch. 

But, although poor Tuan was deprived of many 
advantages, he had, at least, the good fortune to 
be universally beloved by all whom he met with 
during his wandering life, and among the number 
of his friends, I could not only mention several 
names celebrated in the Cabinet, the Navy, 
Commerce and Literature, but of many a fair 
maiden and stately dame, by whom he was much 



90 THE OURANG-OUTANG : 

noticed and caressed ; however, like most other 
favourites, he died very young. 

When Tuan was first placed under my care, he 
was about three years old, and resembled a child 
of that age in stature, and had it not been for his 
prominent abdomen, he would have been very like 
a young Malay, dressed in the sooty garb of a little 
chimney-sweep. As he appeared very uneasy in 
his bamboo prison, I hastened to liberate him 
fi^om it, and no sooner was he set free, than he 
seized my hand, and endeavoured to drag me 
away, just as a Jittle spoilt boy would have done, 
who wished to fly from some disagi'eeable object. 
I led him into the room which I occupied at M. 
Dutroncoy's, in which a little sort of cot had been 
prepared for liim, and on observing this new cage, 
which slightly resembled a Malay hut, he seemed 
at once to comprehend that it was to be his future 
dwelling, for he immediately let go my hand, and 
began to collect all the linen he could find in the 
apartment, and, stowing it away in his little tene- 
ment, seemed to watch over it with especial care : 
after having arranged everything to his entire satis- 
faction, he took up a napkin, and wrapping himself 
up in this scanty piece of drapery, with as much 
solemnity and dignity as an Arab in his bunio^is, 
he lay down to rest on the bed which liad been 
made for him. Tuan possessed a remarkably mild, 
gentle disposition, and in order to render him 
obedient, it was generally quite sufficient to speak 
to him ; liOAvever, he had occasional fits of passion, 
which wore extremely amusing. One day he had 
stolen a mango, and on my taking it from him, 
he endeavoured to get it back again ; but not 
succeeding in this, he began to utter plaintive 



ITS IMITATIVE CAPACITY. 91 

cries, and push out liis lips like a pouting cliild : 
finding that tliis behaviour did not answer the 
end he anticipated, he threw himself on the floor — 
struck it violently with his wrist, and cried and 
howled for more than half-an-hour. At last I 
began to see that I was not doing quite right in 
depriving him of the coveted fruit, but rather 
opposing the decree of Providence, by endeavour- 
ing to bend to the laws of civilisation, the inde- 
pendent natm-e which had been placed in the 
tribes of the deep forest, there to obey its own 
instincts, and satisfy all its passions; so I ap- 
proached my protege, and calling him by every 
tender epithet I could think of, offered him the 
mango which had been the innocent cause of his 
wrath ; but no sooner had I placed it witliin his 
reach, than he seized it, and dealt me a sharp 
blow on the head. There was something so very 
human and natural in this, and his manner was 
so kritated and peevish, that I really did, for the 
moment, regard Tuan as bearing some relation- 
sliip to our species, so much did he remind me of 
certain children of my acquaintance : in this, 
however, I was wrong, for it was but very sel- 
dom that he was ill-tempered and intractable. 
The first time I introduced Tuan at my table, he 
made use of rather eccentric means for the pur- 
pose of pointing out the different objects which 
took his fancy, and stretching out his brown hand, 
endeavoured to put upon his plate every thing 
within his reach. I endeavoured to teach him 
better manners, by giving him a sharp blow, 
upon which he had recourse to stratagem, and 
covering his face with one hand, played all sorts 
of tricks with the other ; however, this ruse was 



92 THE sailors' pet. 

Tinsuccessfiil, for I struck the offending hand witli 
the h.andle of my knife, and ever after that time, 
my intelligent pupil understood that he was to 
wait until he was helped. He very soon learned 
how to take his soup with a spoon ; a plate of 
thin soup being put before him, he got upon the 
table, in the position of a dog, and endeavoiu-ed 
to lap it up slowly ; but this mode of proceeding 
being inconvenient, he again sat dowTi, and seized 
the plate with both hands ; but in carrying it to 
his lips, spilled a portion of the contents over his 
chest, so I took up a spoon, and shewed him what 
to do with it : he immediately imitated me, and 
from that time always made use of it. 

When I brouo^ht Tuan with me on board the 
Cleopatra, he was placed at the foot of the main- 
mast, and allowed complete liberty, going in and 
out of his habitation just as he pleased ; the 
sailors were very kind to him, and took pains to 
initiate him in all the customs of a maritime life ; 
they also gave him a little tin basin and si)Oon, 
which he shut up very carefully in his dwelling, 
and at the stated hours, went with the rest of the 
crew to the distribution of victuals. It was most 
amusing to see him going every morning to have 
his basin filled with coffee, and then comfortably 
sitting down to breakfast with his fiiends, the 
midshipmen. 

Tuan spent a great part of the day in swinging 
about among the ropes ; sometimes he came on 
deck, eitlier for the purpose of holding a little 
conversation with the different members of the 
legation, with whom he was on very friendly 
terms, or of playing with a young negrite from 
Manilla, who belonged to M. de Lagrene, and was 



THE WILD BACCHANALIAN., 93 

one of his particular friends ; some people professed 
to believe that the bonds of sympathy which ex- 
isted between these two creatures, were founded 
upon some relationship, or consanguinity; but, 
however true this may have been, there was no 
doubt that Tuan had a most profound contempt 
for monkeys of every kind, for he never associated 
with them in any way, preferring even the com- 
panionship of a dog or a sheep, to their society. 

When Tuan had been a little time on board, he 
became quite an epicm-e, and was not only very 
fond of wine, but grew quite a learned judge of 
it ; one day two glasses were offered him, one 
half filled with champagne, the other with bor- 
deaux ; as he held one in each hand, some one 
present endeavoured to take away the one con- 
taining champagne, but in order to prevent this, 
he instantly brought his disengaged hand up to 
the one that had been seized, and with admirable 
dexterity, poured the contents of one vessel into 
the other, handing the empty glass to the person 
who had endeavoured to deprive him of it. This 
trick, which was extremely good, and difficult to 
execute, was followed by another, equally amusing : 
one afternoon, Tuan was perched among the ropes, 
and would not come down, notwithstanding my 
repeated commands, so I held out a glass of beer 
to induce him to descend ; he looked some time 
at what was offered him, but not trusting alto- 
gether to appearances, took a rope, and with 
admirable precision, directed the end of it into 
the glass, then, drawing it back again, he applied 
to his mouth the part which had been immersed 
in the liquid, and after he had tasted it, imme- 



94 A ROMANCE OF TRxU^EL. 

diately came down to share the contents of the 
glass with me. 

It is entirely false that onrang-outangs can be 
taught to smoke, for Tuan, and all the others I 
have ever seen, have been unable to do so ; and 
the engi-avings which represent these creatures 
smoking hookahs with their master, are stereo- 
typed falsehoods. 

On my arrival at Manilla, Tuan and myself 
took up our abode in a Tagal house, and lived in 
common with the family, which consisted of the 
father and mother, two young girls of alDOut four- 
teen and sixteen, and several young cldldren. 
Tuan was delighted with our new abode, and 
spent his time either playing with the little Tagal 
cliildren, or in robbing the mango-sellers who 
were imprudent enough to leave their merchan- 
dise within his reach. The constant companion- 
ship which was established between him and the 
children, seemed to develope his powers of obser- 
vation considerably. 

From the time of oui* arrival at Manilla, Tuan 
ceased to take his meals in private with me, but 
adopted the Tagal life entirely. At the a]:)pointed 
dinner hour, all the fimily collected round a large 
dish of rice, boiled in water. Each person took it 
by turns to help himself, with the right liand, to 
a cei-tain quantity of the grain, which lie kneaded 
into a sort of lump in the ]ialm of his left hand. 
After that, he helped himself from another disli, 
to a piece of fish, or meat, and put the whole in 
his mouth. 

Tuan always took his seat in the midst of these 
good ])('0])le, and conducted himself with a degree 
of i)olished gravity which quite iiatonished them 



AWKWARD SUSPICIONS. , 95 

all. The Eastern people are extremely kind and 
considerate towards animals, and those narrow- 
minded philosophers who foolishly consider intel- 
ligent beings as automatons, are not to be found 
amongst them, consequently they treat animals 
more as companions, than inferiors. Every day 
the Tagal women came to ask me if they might 
take Tuan out for a walk, and the young girls 
brought him fruit, and spent hours in talking to 
him, just as if he were one of their own species. 

This reminds me of something which occmTed 
whilst I was at Bombay, when Tuan and myself 
lodged with a very agreeable French lady, Ma- 
dame Costa. One day, I found her talking very 
energetically to an Indian servant, of very low 
caste, and on my entrance Madame Costa ex- 
claimed — 

" Oh, you are just the person I want. Doctor ! 
There is quite a commotion about you.'^ 

I expressed my surprise, and turning to the In- 
dian woman, inquired what she wanted with me. 

"I will tell you," said Madame Costa. '' Just 
now she came to me in great distress, and said, 
that the child the Doctor brought with him was 
ill, and that she wished very much I would ask 
you to let it remain with us, that we might take 
care of it. I told her I could not think of asking 
such a thing : when she said — ' But perhaps, Ma- 
dame, you would be conferring a favour, for this 
is no doubt the child of some woman whom Mon- 
sieur has met with in his travels, and when he 
returns home and marries, perhaps his wife may 
ill-treat the poor outcast.'' r-^^f'- -"M'T 

, '' For half-an-hour,'' added Madame, " I have 
been trying to undeceive the woman, and to make 



96 A NURSE AND HER CHARGE. I 

her understand what Tuan really is, but in vain ; , 
she will not believe me, and declares, that he will j 
soon begin to talk, and that he is as much a hu- : 
man being as we are !" 

The poor Indian scarcely ever quitted Tuan ; ; 
and not only lay down by his bedside, but gave : 
him things to drink during the night, and thought i 
of all sorts of delicacies for him. One day, when ^ 
there were some splendid Puna grapes on thej 
table, she came and begged for some of them, pre- 1 
tending that the " poor child" wished for them. I 
Tuan was extremely fond of his poor nm'se, and ! 
they were seldom to be seen apaii, sometimes' 
walking together holding each other by the hand, ' 
at others, the Indian carrying him as the Malay 
women do their children, astride on the hips. 
The leave-taking between Tuan and this poor wo- i 
man was quite affecting ; she accompanied him to , 
the shore, and neither of them ceased to exchange i 
tokens and assurances of affection, until the in- j 
creasing distance prevented them from seeing each ! 
other. 

When we arrived in China, all the members of 
the legation were installed in a very large house, | 
and here Tuan was again left quite at libei-ty ; he 
was very obedient and tractable witli the Europ- 1 
eans, particularly with those whom he hadj 
known on board ship, but w<is not fond of the | 
Chinese, and he ap]>eared to entertain aristocratic' 
ideas about them which he manifested on iill oc-| 
casions ; several times I entrusted liim to thej 
care of some coolies to be conducted to different' 
families in Macao, who ^vished to sec him : whilst j 
mider my eye, he walked and behaved ])ro]X'rly ; | 
but the moment I left him, he jumped upon his 




"Juan was by no means possessed of the virtues of abnearation and unselfislincss, 
but on the contrary w:is extremely egotistical and sclf-indulgeut."— Pagel)?. 



HUMAN TENDENCIES IN ANIMALS. 97 

conductors, and made them carry him. The pen^ 
chant for wearing clothes with ourang-outangs is 
generally considered merely the consequence of the 
cha.nge of climate, and some moralists pretend 
that it arises fi'om some innate sentiment of mo- 
desty. I am aware that they certainly have a 
fondness for apparel, but am certain that it arises 
from neither of these causes. Tuan took posses- 
sion of everything in the way of linen he could 
lay his hand upon, throwing it across his shoul- 
ders or wrapping it round his head — napkins, 
chemises, and mats were all indiscriminately em- 
ployed in this manner ; now, in this burning 
climate, it certainly could not have been on ac- 
count of the cold that he thus enveloped himself 
But whatever might be the cause of it, Tuan cer- 
tainly displayed some unknown instinct in wrap^ 
ping himself up with so much care : however, he 
never wore garments for any long time together, 
except that on going to bed he always an^anged 
his clothing with great precaution. 

Tuan was by no means possessed of the virtues 
of abnegation and unselfishness, but on the con- 
trary was extremely egotistical and self-indulgent, 
and not at all an admirer of social practices — he 
was, in fact, quite a conservative in principle, but 
fond of doing as he pleased with the property of 
others. Whenever other animals visited his cage, 
he always drove them away, and one day plucked 
a poor unhappy pigeon which had unfortunately 
taken refuge there. 

Every time we put into harbour, I procured 
him some bananas, which were kept along with 
the other fruits belonging to the officers. To this 
place Tuan had free access, and after being 

H 



98 THE SELF-ArPOIXTED BUTLER. 

once taught what belonged to him, he paid due 
respect to the property of others, until his own 
store was exhausted — after that time, he ceased 
to go openly and boldly for his fruit, but adopted 
a kind of serpentine and stealthy movement, and 
after committing the larceny, retiu:*ned a great deal 
quicker than he went down. He was perfectly 
acquainted with the laws of '' mine and thine,"' 
and althouojh on board the Archimede he had 
never been scolded or beaten for his numerous 
thefts, but rather indulged like a spoiled child, 
still it was always by stealth that he extracted 
the gi'Og and tea belonging to the officers and 
passengers on board. 

When in China, he occupied a httle dwelling 
adjoining the chamber of Xavier Reymond, and 
very frequently visited his neighbour. Reymond 
often breakfasted in his own room, but observed 
that whenever a bottle of wine was placed on the 
table, a much larger quantity of it disappeared, 
than he himself consumed. One day M. de Mac- 
donald came into my room and perceived that 
Tuan was completely drenched with some red 
li(.[uid — " Doctor," he exclaimed ; " come here 
directly, Tuan is covered with blood \" 

I flew to the spot, but instantly saw that the 
drops of blood were as transparent as rubies, and 
going into Reymond's apartment, I inquired whe- 
ther he had again been robbed. 

" What a (piestion to ask !" he exclaimed ; 
" why, the wine in that decanter is still thick and 
muddy, })roving that it has but this moment been 
dLsturbed." 

" Well, I can tell you who the thief is/' 

" That scamp of a Tuan, I sui)pose V 



OLD FRIENDS PREFERRED TO NEW. 99 

fii^' Exactly," and so it was: it appeared that 
while the table was being prepared, he concealed 
himself in a corner of the apartment, and the mo- 
ment the domestic disappeared, seized and un- 
corked the bottle, drank part of its contents, and 
put it back in its place. This may seem astonish- 
ing, but it is strictly true ; and so adroitly was 
the whole trick managed, that even the Chinese 
serv^ants, who were most anxious to discover the 
thief, were completely beaten, and no one knows 
what deep, long-headed fellows those Chinese are. 
( He had an excellent memory both for objects 
and events ; upon one occasion I was compelled 
to be separated from my pet for three months, 
during which time I left him under the manage- 
ment of one of my friends, Dr. Fitter, of Macao ; 
the doctor took great care of him, but did not 
treat him with quite the attention and fondness 
which had been exercised towards him hy those 
who know that animals are very often worth a 
great deal more than men, consequently Tuan 
soon grew tired of his new abode. On returning 
to Macao, I repaired to Dr. Fitter's to take posses- 
sion of my "protege ; when I arrived he was at 
the bottom of a com-t-yard, and on my leaning- 
out of a very high window to speak to him, he 
instantly recognised me, and would have tried to 
climb up the wall to come to me : the instant he 
was brought into the room, he took hold of my 
hand, and tried to draw me away : allowing him 
to do just what he liked, he led me into the 
street, and took the road leading to the house we 
had occupied previous to my departure : every 
look and action spoke for itself, and seemed to 

h2 



100 A LAISIENT FOR THE DEAD. 

say, " Let us go back to our own home, for this 
house is not ours/' 

On another occasion, when we had been on 
land for a month, and were about to return on 
board, he instantly recognised, though amidst a 
forest of masts, the ship to which he belonged ; 
and at Colombo, when we were returning to the 
Archimede, we found that steamer so completely 
smTomided by merchant vessels of all kinds, that 
we were obliged to wait until a passage had been 
cleared for us ; but Tuan, who had immediately 
recognised the vessel, was so anxious to be on 
board, that he made liis way thither by skipping 
over the merchant vessels with the skill of a prac- 
tised sailor. 

Tuan was always mild, affectionate, and lively 
— ^very fond of playing with those he knew, par- 
ticularly with children — his manners, too, were 
remarkably modest and agi-eeable. When the 
malady of which he died first seized him, he be- 
came very melancholy, but never morose or peev- 
ish, and even at times seemed to regain a little of 
his former gaiety. I could not help becoming 
very fond of poor Tuan, and although I com- 
menced his biogi\aphy witli a smile upon my lips, 
I close it with a sincere tribute of regret to his 
memory. 

The appearance of Sincapore, in the night time, 
is not so original and striking as that of Malacca, 
for the commercial quarter is always gloomy and 
silent, as the Chinese and Malays, obliged by the 
natm-e of tlieir occupations to conform to English 
customs, have in a great measure abandoned their 
nocturnal habits. Tlie moment tlie shops are 
closed, it seems as if every household retired to 



THE OPIUM TAVERNS. ' 101 

rest — not a light is to be seen, and an occasional 
note of some monotonous song, is the only thing 
that reminds you of the presence of the inhabit- 
ants. The streets themselves are almost deserted, 
for it is only at long intervals that you meet per- 
haps a Chinese, with his spherical lantern carried 
at the end of a long pole — a Malay of the lowest 
class, going forth in search of the pleasures the 
place affords — or perchance, some Malay beauties, 
wandering about in quest of strangers : these wo- 
men are generally dressed in a long white robe, 
open in front, and folded back on the chest like a 
waistcoat ; their feet are bare, and their stiif 
black hair is rolled round the head, and fastened 
very low at the back with a gold bodkin — they 
are somewhat brazen priestesses ; however, the 
greater number of strangers and mariners seem to 
admire the Malay beauties, and speak highly of 
them ; but one might just as well judge of the 
French ladies from the specimens one meets with 
on some of the quays of our maritime towns. 

The only places open to visitors in the evening, 
are the opium houses — horrible dens, in which the 
imhappy Malays persist in spending the proceeds 
of their labour ; all these establishments are near- 
ly alike — very miserable in appearance, and feebly 
lighted : in the centre are placed some tables for 
those who wish to have tea, and at the sides are 
alcoves formed with bamboos : these mysterious 
little places contain beds which occupy nearly the 
whole of the room, and thither two, three, or 
four persons retire to indulge their favourite vice. 
In these countries the opium-shops are frequented 
by women, the latter being the usual accompani- 
ment to every kind of idleness, and the opium 



102 RESULTS OF OPIOI EATING. 

takers never quite lose sight of reality, for as its 
narcotic fumes transform everything around them, 
and invest it with all the charms of luxury and 
beauty, consequently, it is the custom with these 
people to surround themselves Avitli all that can 
flatter and caress their senses, when about to in- 
hale the fumes of the intoxicating drug. There 
is, of course, a great difference between the intoxi- 
cation produced by opium, and that of whiskey, 
gin, or brandy ; by-and-by I shall have more to 
say respecting the preparation of opimn, and the 
manner of using it. In the opimn manufactories 
of this country, I met with very few Chinese, 
the greater number of those engaged in the trade 
being Malays — the fact is, that the Chinese in- 
habitants of the Indian Archipelago are usually 
poor devils intent on making money, and they, of 
course, find it advisable to withstand this ruinous 
habit. 

After paying a visit to one of these opium- 
taverns, and taken a passing glance at the alcoves 
dedicated to the coarse pleasures of the sailors, I 
stepped into my palanquin, and returned to the 
London Hotel. 

All the delightful habitations of the 'English, 

erected on the perfumed hill which overlooks the 

bay, had the appeai-ance of light-houses, for every 

window displayed a ]:)erfect flood of light ; one 

might have imagined that these gorgeous palaces 

'were under the spell of some capricious fairy, who 

had lulled all their inhabitants into a deep sleep, 

'for not a sound of any kind whatever could be 

'heard in these enchanted dwelliun's. When I re- 

entered the London Hotel, I found the greater 

num])er of my companions smoking ^Laiiilbi chc- 



AN ENGLISH FRIEND. ' 103 

roots, drinking ale, or ginger-beer, and pouring 
forth most terrible complaints against the '' far 
Kast,'' which has been so brilliantly and poetically 
described by travellers. 

" I would give five hundred francs for a seat 
at the opera, at this moment,'' exclaimed one ol 
them. 

'^ Weiy said I, taking possession of a comfort- 
able arm chair, " I am not so ambitious, and de- 
sire nothing more than to possess the means of 
passing the evening of my days at Sincapore, in 
a state of happy celibacy, like some of the English, 
who have resided here for years.'' 

I had scarcely finished this remark, when a 
gentleman, who had been quietly smoking in one 
corner of the room, approached me, and expressing 
his supposition that I was staying with M. Wam- 
pou, observed, that if I wished to return home 
that evening, he should be most happy to offer 
me a seat in his carrriage, which was an open one, 
and much more agreeable than a palanquin, ad- 
ding, that if I preferred returning on foot, he 
..would gladly accompany me, should this be agree- 
able. 

, .^rOf course I replied that I should be most happy 
,-.to avail myself of the seat in his carriage, and 
.'that I was entirely at his service, upon which he 
.proposed that we should take our departure im- 
^:, mediately, and we seated ourselves comfortably 
Qin a very nice carriage, conducted by a Malay 
.says, and went off* like an arrows : rf,,. r 

My companion was the first to speak — " Well, 
,said he, " you say you would like to spend an 
r. evening like an old English bachelor, and to-night 
your wish shall be gratified." 



104 A MALAY HOSTESS. 

I replied, that as there appeared to be no ob- 
stacle to my doing this, I should place myself 
quite at his disposal. 

" Perhaps,'' said my companion, " I ought to 
see obstacles in the way, for some of my fellow- 
countr^Tnen would be piTidish enough to do so. 
But I am partly French, and lumng been brought 
up at Tours, may, on that account, take a little 
more license. Besides, the adventm^e of this even- 
ing will fui'nish you with matter for conversation 
when you return to France, or you can relate it 
to the readers of romance, who may possibly find 
it dull and insipid.'' 

" But in the meantime, my dear Sir, may I in- 
quire where we are going ? Is our journey a pil- 
grimage to our lady of Loretto ?" 

" I am not acquainted with the place," an- 
swered my friend ; " our destination is to Campon 
Glan, and, to do away with all ceremony at once, 
you can call me James, and I shall address you 
as doctor." 

" Then, Mr. James," I replied, " it will be a 
long time before I forget the kindness of your 
conduct towards me." 

I said no more, and Mr. James did not reply 
further. When we had arrived at a certain part 
of Campon Glan, my companion addressed a few 
words to his says, upon which, the carriage stop- 
])ed, and we alighted. Campon Glan had not the 
aj)pearance of the mercantile streets, nor avjis it so 
mute r.nd silent as the English part of the city. 
All the windows were lighted uj) like meteors, 
and the gentle breeze slightly agitated the blinds 
and discreetly-closed lattices, whilst from every 
aperture there isaued sounds of soft-sighing nmsic, 



MALAY BEAUTIES. 105 

and a delicious odour prevailed ever5rv\rliere around. 
My companion, who seemed quite aii-fait in all 
the mysteries of the place, took me by the arm, 
opened a door, and introduced me into an apart- 
ment, in which five or six persons were laying 
down asleep upon mats. We touched two or^^ 
three of them as they lay about here and there,' 
but the slight impression of our European boots 
drew from them no complaint, so we proceeded to 
the fii'st floor, where we found a young Malay 
girl, who bowed to the very ground on seeing my 
conductor. '^ ^^'^' 

^' Kida," said he, presenting me, " this gentle- 
man is a friend of mine ; he does not speak English, 
but is better acquainted with the Malay language.'' 
Kida made me a very low bow. '-^^ ^ 

" But of what country is the gentleman ; is he 
Portuguese V she enquired, with some hesitation, 
as though fearful to offend me. 

"No, no !'' exclaimed Mr. James, energetically; 
*' he is a Frenchman.'' 

" A Frenchman !'' repeated the young girl, 
with great tokens of delight. 

After a short interval, she summoned a half- 
sleepy boy, who after exchanging a few hmTied re- 
marks with her, immediately disappeared, and I 
then took the opportunity of scrutinising the beau- 
ty of Campon Glan : she was not more than four- 
teen, very small in stature, and rather frill in 
figure ; her face was very intelligent, and her skin 
smooth and glossy as mother-of-pearl, whilst her 
long hair fell in heavy masses upon her shoulders, 
like a veil of rich black satin. She was simply 
dressed in an Indian robe, open in the front, and 
closed at the throat with a gold pin, representing 



106 A VOICE FROM FRANCE. 

a clirysantliimum with beaiitifiil delicate petals : 
this unique costume, which was very much like a 
bathing dress, was not in itself particularly grace- 
ful ; but when the young Malay moved about the 
apartment, displaying her bare and pretty foot, 
the effect was by no means unpleasing. 

I was thus making my observations upon her, 
when the door opened, and a young woman of 
about five and twenty, wearing a coronet of Asiatic 
jessamine, and di'essed in a similar style to the 
Malay, entered. 

"This gentleman is a Frenchman \" exclaimed 
Kida, the moment she perceived her friend. 

" You are French, sir V asked the new comer, 
with an excellent accent, and in rather an un- 
certain mamier. 

On hearing a Malay woman — a fish-girl of Sin- 
capore, thus speak my own language in all its 
native pm'ity, I was exceedingly astonished, and 
could I have obeyed the first impulse of the mo- 
ment, should have taken a wet napkin, and tried 
to asceii/ain whether the saftron tint of the young 
woman were not the result of some European 
trick— but she was evidently all real — " Where 
did you learn French, Madame V I enquired of the 
Malay, in the most poHte mamier. 

" At Paris and Brussels,'' wj\s her answer. 
" Is it possible ! And you have been in France ! 
Is it a long time ago ? and what induced you to 
go there V 

" I must take a little time in order to answer 
all tliose cpiestions,'' said tlie lady, smiliug ; " and 
should like to repose a little, before cwmneucii;ig 
my tale.'' ' - ' ' 

Mr. James, who had e\idently been as much 



AN ASIATIC TOILETTE. 107 

surprised as myself at hearing pure French from 
an Asiatic mouth, now turned to me, and re- 
marked that as the adventure promised to be in- 
teresting, we had better remain a part of the 
night there. He then summoned a domestic, who 
brought some beer and cigars, and we established 
ourselves very comfortably. 

The room occupied by Kida was lighted by a 
large globe, suspended from the ceiling, and the 
windows frirnished with light blinds, allowed free 
admission to the refreshing evening breeze ; in 
the middle of the room stood a table, upon which 
all the requisites for the toilet of the Malay co- 
quette were arranged ; there was the box of betel- 
nut, the saucer of cocoa-nut oil for the hair, in 
which were generally some blossoms of the jessa- 
mine or frangipanier ; little vessels containing 
white and black powders ; yellow, red and blue 
flasks, filled with aromatic waters, the perforated 
corks of the bottles permitting the odorous liquid 
to be fi-eely sprinkled on the head. In the eyes 
of the Asiatic belles, who are perhaps the least 
exacting in the world, the chamber of the young 
girl, with its simple white walls, was one of per- 
fect elegance, although it contained neither chairs, 
nor divan. 

On entering the apartment, James and myself 
instinctively placed ourselves upon two beds 
standing opposite each other, the women remain- 
ing in the other part of the room, until we invited 
them to take their places at our sides ; they then 
rolled up betel-leaf, from which we lighted our 
cigars, and after installing ourselves satisfactorily 
upon the bamboo frames, covered by a mat, which 



108 THE NATIVES AND THE DUTCH. 

at Sincapore is called a bed, we requested our 
princess Scheherazade to commence her story. 

" The Dutch people/' she began, " are the most 
noted extortionists in the world.'' Here James 
and myself made a sign of assent. " These misera- 
ble fellows are the constant oppressors of the Ma- 
lay race, compelKng them to submit to all kinds 
of hardships, pm-suing them by sea, as the shark 
does the dorado, and not content with entrapping 
them into snares like helpless animals, and treat- 
ing them as slaves, they pillage theii^ lands, and 
bm-n their dwellings. I was born near Pulo 
Nias, in a verdant little island, which floated on 
the bosom of the water, like a bouquet of cluster- 
ing foliage, and of this place, my father was one 
of the chiefs : being an inveterate enemy of the 
Dutch, he persuaded his fellow-countrymen to as- 
sist him in equipping a fleet, which was to go forth 
with the design of compelling the merchants of 
that nation to make some reparation for their 
numerous crimes. 

" Tliis little fleet was composed of six vessels, 
furnished with swivel-guns, and each of them 
contained fifty men, armed with lance and kriss. 
The whole population of the island assisted at 
the departure of the miniatm'e fleet, which set 
forth in the night-time ; more than a thoiLsand 
persons were assembled on the shore, women, 
children, and old men, aU silent and meditative, 
with the moon sliining down on their forms, ma- 
kinor them resemble the orolden statues wliich our 
forefathers worshii)ped in the temples, wliich are 
now no more. 

" Tlie moment of departure arrived — the oars 
struck into the water, and wlien the vessels were 



A MALAY EXPEDITION. 109 

at a little distance from the shore, they hoisted 
their sails, and disappeared fr-om view, carrying 
our good wishes along with them. Om- adven- 
turers took with them provisions for five days ; 
and as they intended to add to their store, when 
visiting the innumerable islands of the Archipel- 
ago, we did not expect them to return in less 
than a fortnight ; however, on the tenth day after 
their departure, several groups established them- 
selves upon the highest places in the island, look- 
ing anxiously into the space before them, and 
ready to give the first signal of the approach of 
the retui^ning fleet. 

" You Europeans can have no idea of the in- 
terest and anxiety with which the Malays look 
upon the result of expeditions like these — not on 
account of the value of the booty they may 
receive, but because of the various useful objects 
they thus become possessed of; for a country 
where iron is only made use of in the manufacture 
of the lance and kriss — where cotton can only be 
woven by means of very clumsy instruments, 
and where the smallest household utensil is a ra- 
rity — pins, needles, thi'ead, bottles, kettles, pans, 
cloth and knives, are more prized than tons of 
gold. They call us barbarians, and in truth we 
are such, for we prefer common articles, such as 
shining tissues, glass beads for necklaces, and 
earthenware vases, far above the pearls of our 
native seas, or the diamonds of om^ mountains. 
" " A whole month passed away in this state of 
expectation, and in the minds of many, hope had 
^iven place to fear, when we one day descried a 
strange spectacle in the horizon, in the shape of 
a most splendid vessel, surrounded by pu'ogues, 



110 DUTCH REVENGE. 

rowed by Malays, while on the deck of the ship 
we coiild see numbers of oui- countrymen along 
with many Em'opeans. No one doubted for the 
moment that the noble vessel was a prize taken by 
our men, and upon seeing it we uttered loud ex- 
clamations of joy, while in the space of an horn-, 
all the inhabitants of the island had assembled 
on the shore. 

" The vessel anchored just in front of om- habita- 
tions — tlie men on board replied to om- shouts by 
gestm-es — and in their impatience to heai' the whole 
history of the adventm^e, several of the Malays 
threw themselves into the water, with the idea of 
swimming to the ship, but just at this moment, 
a tremendous explosion was heai'd on board ; 
balls and bullets flew about the shore, and we 
suddenly perceived, high above the sails of the 
horrible vessel, the bodies of more than thirty of 
our own men, suspended by the neck, and swing- 
ing to and fro in the air. .^uj rjiij hj,w rni 

'' All this passed with such rapidity, that at first 
I could understand nothing of it, and looked 
around me in helpless amazement. My mother 
lay dead, shot to the heart by a bullet ; and the 
whole crowd of persons on the shore, covered with 
blood and gore, ran about in a state of the great- 
est confiLsion, uttering shrieks and cries of agony 
and despair. I turned my eyes to the vessel, and 
saw that my father wi\s among the number of 
those who were hanged. My first im]Hilse was to 
follow those who were flying from the dreiidful 
scene ; however, I did not go far, but took refuge 
in a jungle, scarcely conscious of what I did, and 
liardly knowing wliether I were dead or alive, 
asleep or waking. Here I remained for some 



THE FLIGHT. Ill 

time — ^now fancying that I heard steps approach- 
ing, or the sound of blows — sometimes catcliing 
sight of immense tongues of fire, resembling an 
incendiarism ; but all these ideas occurred to me 
in so confused a manner, that I was not in reality 
sure of any thing. 

• "I was Ipng with my face upon the gi'ound, 
scarcely daring to breathe, when a man, running 
by, stumbled over me ; still I remained perfectly 
motionless ; but the new comer, wishing to ascer- 
tain whether I were dead or alive, struck me seve- 
ral times with his musket, and finding that I 
offered some slight resistance to his attacks, took 
hold of my arm, and partly pulled me up from 
the ground. Perceiving that he was a European, 
I rose immediately, but recoiled with horror, ex- 
claiming — ' A Dutchman !' 

' I am not Dutch,' said the stranger ; * I am a 
Frenchman.' 

" This was the first time," said the Malay girl, 
turning to me, " that I had ever heard of your 
nation ; and if there were not some less-terrible 
souvenirs than these associated with it in my 
mind, I should experience little pleasure in speak- 
ing yom' language." 

After a few minutes reflection she continued : 
— " The assurances of the stranger did not re- 
store me to composure, for I rushed fr'om liim, 
and plunged into the wilds of the jungle, still 
crying out that he was a Dutchman, until he at 
last pursued and caught me. 

' The men you dread so much,' said he, point- 
ing in the direction I had been following, ' are 
there ! Do you not hear the noise of their axes, 
as they hew down the cocoa trees, and see the 



112 A DOUBTFUL FRIEND. 

floods of light which spread around fi'om the 
houses they have set on fii-e ? Take my advice 
and remain here. You see I am armed, and if 
you do not attend to the counsel I give you 
for youi' own good, I will make you feel the force 
of my weapons.' 

" I looked mechanically upon the horizon — we 
were surrounded by a circle of fii'e, the luminous 
columns of wliich stretched into the air, almost 
like the concentrated rays of the sun ; the stems 
of the cocoa trees trembled beneath the heavy 
blows of the axe, and the only sounds to be heard 
were those of the instrument of destruction, as it 
fell upon the trunks of the trees, and the strange 
cries of the foreign sailors. It was a sad sight, 
and after looking upon it, I involuntarily sunk 
again upon the gTound, without uttering a single 
word. 

" The stranger approached, and gently raising 
me in his arms, said — ' Here, drink sometliing, 
for your lips are as dry as a stone.' 

" Until this moment I had been almost imcon- 
scious of the wants of nature, but the stranger's 
abrupt invitation recalled my senses, and made 
me aware of my situation : I eagerly seized the 
flask which he oflered me, and drank its contents 
(which consisted of some kind of wine and water) 
with the greatest avidity ; it was the first thne I 
had ever tasted this beverage, and so powerful 
was its effect upon me, that my head almost in- 
stantly grew heavy, my eyes closed, and I sunk 
into a deep sleep. On awaking, I found myself 
alone — the night wi\s very dark, and my senses 
were so confused, that I could not, for a time, re- 
member what had liappencd : at first I tried to 



THE SLAVE. 113 

persuade myself that I had been dreaming, but, 
alas ! the dreadful flames, which were still visible 
in various directions, dissipated this idea. I rose 
from the ground with the vague intention of fly- 
ing fr'om the place — but whither should I go ? for 
I had not the slightest knowledge of the fate of 
those of my friends who had escaped the general 
butchery, nor could I be sm'e what route they 
had taken ; so I resolved to remain quiet until 
daybreak, cherishing a sort of hope that the man, 
who, in the preceding evening had appeared to 
take an interest in me, would return, and per- 
haps assist me in escaping ; and I was not mis- 
taken ; for at break of day he was again at my 
side — ' The country is entirely destroyed,' said 
the stranger ; ' most of your people have hastily 
embarked and quitted the island, and though 
some of them are still wandering about in the 
woods, they will most likely die of hunger, for 
there is not a cocoa tree left, and the fields are 
completely devastated. You had better put on 
men's clothes and accompany me on board — I will 
assert that you are a boy whom 1 have saved, and 
intend to keep near me, and if yom- countrymen 
should at any time form another settlement, I 
will restore you to them/ 

" According to the laws of war and plunder, I 
was, of course, the slave of this man, and could 
not, therefore, hesitate to obey him, so I en- 
veloped my head in a handkerchief, which con- 
cealed my hair, after the fashion of the country, 
and putting on a pair of pantaloons and a waist- 
coat, which crossed over the chest, connected 
these two latter garments with a broad red girdle, 

I 



114 THE ONLY SURVIVER. 

and thus transformed into a boy, I followed my 
new companion. 

" On our arrival on board the vessel, he pre- 
sented me to the captain, and gave him a short 
history of me, which was somewhat coldly re- 
ceived ; however, I was allowed to sleep in my 
master's cabin on a mat spread on the ground. 
The same day we set out for Batavia, but a strong 
contrary wind obliged us to shelter in the port of 
Cheribon ; we had scarcely anchored here, when 
the vessel was surrounded by a number of ships 
of all kinds. I had not as yet appeared on deck, 
but my master now commanded me to repair 
thither, and upon doing so, I found myself in the 
midst of a large concourse of visitors, who appear- 
ed in a very excited state, and were eagerly ask- 
ing details of the cruel expedition from the ship's 
crew : as I was the sole living trophy of the 
bloody victory, I had no sooner appeared on deck, 
than all eyes were immediately turned upon me, 
and whilst I was thus the object of universal 
cm'iosity, I heard a noise made by the pulleys of 
the ship, and saw the dead bodies of my father 
and his companions hauled on board : in the pre- 
sence of so many enemies, I was too })roud to 
give way to lamentation, and quietly submitting 
myself to the authority of the conqueror, refrained 
from shedding a single tear as 1 saw the corpses 
of my beloved lather and friends thrown into the 
sea like those of doo-s. 

" My master took advantage of the delay oc- 
casioned by our sojourn here, to leave the vessel ; 
by means of a boat we reached the shore, and 
some hours afterwards, set out for a place called 
Rhaja-Gallo, where my maater held some kind of 



THE MALAY AND HER CAPTOR. 115 

office, and occupied a small stone house, which 
to me appeared a palace, after what I had been 
accustomed to in my native village, and was 
situated in the midst of a large garden, com- 
pletely overshadowed by immense tamarind trees. 

" But I have not yet told you the name of my 
preserver, nor given you a description of his per- 
sonal appearance. I will now repair this error : 

he was called Prosper de C , and was a young 

man of about three and twenty, somewhat short 
in stature, and of rather florid complexion, with 
blue eyes, and hair so light as to be almost white : 
with the colour of the latter he always appeared 
to be very much dissatisfied, though I could never 
understand why he should be so ; however, I 
know that he tried every possible means of alter- 
ing its hue, and making it like mine ; having 
heard that the Chinese possessed some valuable 
secret for dyeing hair, he actually condemned 
himself to the penalty of drinking, for three 
months, a mixtm*e of horrible drugs which those 
rogues used to sell him at a very high price ; 
however, the Chinese cheated him just as they do 
every one else, for my master's fair locks retained 
their natm^al colour, after all. If his hair had 
not been so light, and his eyes so blue, I should 

have thought Prosper de C very handsome 

for a European, but in my opinion, eyes of this 
colour are only fit for apes. 

'' My usual duties in the service of my master 
were these — during the day, I always accompa- 
nied him wherever he went, to wait upon him in 
the same manner in which a slave attends upon 
his lord — I held his stirrup when he mounted on 
horseback — fanned him during his meals with a 

l2 



116 THE DEPAKTURE. 

plume of peacock's feathers, and supplied him with 
a light for his pipe or cigar. lu the evening, I 
assumed the proper dress of my sex, dressed my 
hair, and fastened it with a gold bodkin, sur- 
mounting it with a wreath of odorous flowers, 
wore a dress which left my shoulders bare, covered 
my arms and wrists with bracelets, and put on a 
sarron of rich silk, which I festened round the 
waist with a girdle as brilliant as the wings of the 
lorist. Thus attired, I opened the windows of the 
apartment, and crouched myself up in a corner 
until it pleased my master to call me thence, to 
execute some of my native dances. 

" Prosper de C made it a rule that during 

the day, I sliould address him as Tuan, in token 
of my respect for him ; but in the evening, when 
my appearance was so completely transformed, 
and after dancing in the peculiar style of my 
country, I lay down near him to rest, he allowed 
me to call him by the most familiar names. 

" I led this life for about a year — the slave of a 
man, who would, perhaps, have been almost all I 
wished, had his complexion been darker and his 
eyes black, when one morning, after receiving 
and peiTising a letter, he abruptly said to me — 
' We must set out for France in a week — will you 
like to accompany me V 

' I replied in the affirmative.' 

' Wlien we are on board,' he added, ' we sliall 
very likely be separated, for they will not allow 
you to remain in my cabin.' 

' What does that matter ?' said I, ciirelessly. 

* What does it matter !' cried my master, turn- 
ing crimson to tlie very ends of his fingers — ' you 
take things easily, indeed ! but I tell you, you 



THE ARRIVAL IN FRANCE. 117 

shall not leave me — and moreover, although you 
may cling to me, cry and exclaim as you will, you 
shall not contradict anything I may choose to 
assert concerning you/ 

" This latter caution was not altogether need- 
less, for during the year I had spent with him, 
Prosper had employed a part of his time in the 
task of teaching me French, so that we might 
be able to converse in that language, without 
being understood by the Malay domestics. 

"So we departed. Prosper de C having 

first added to my costume that indispensable ac- 
companiment to the Malay dress, a handsome 
kriss, from Holo. On board, things went on 
much as they had always done with us. At first 
it was arranged that I should sleep along with 
the sailors ; but I protested so vehemently against 
this, and exclaimed and gesticulated with such 
energy, that the captain, who was a good sort of 
man, decided that I should have a little hammock 
in my master's cabin. During the whole period 
of our voyage, which lasted five months, no one 
suspected that I was a woman, for I climbed 
amongst the rigging, assisted in hoisting the sails, 
and displayed a decided taste for labour of the 
rudest and most fatiguing kind. 

" We disembarked at Havre, and the next 
morning set out for Brussels. When within five 
or six leagues of that place. Prosper repeated the 
commands he had given me before going on board 
the vessel. At last we stopped in front of an old 
chateau, of forbidding appearance, standing in a 
very isolated situation, with stone walls covered 
with moss. The mother of Prosper, Avith his two 
sisters, and his uncle, who was styled the Count, 



118 A FREXCH FAMILY. 

with their servants, were the sole occupants of a 
house large enough to have accommodated the 
armies of the Sultan. 

" Had 1 always remained in my native isle, I 
should have believed that it was impossible for 
any one to be handsome who had light hair and 
blue eyes ; however, the sisters of Prosper, who 
were as fair and delicate as rice-plants, appeared 
to me the loveliest creatures I had ever seen. 

Madame de C was as fresh and blooming as 

the fruits of Eiu'ope, with a countenance frill of 
kindness and benevolence ; indeed, I knew almost 
at a glance that I should soon become much at- 
tached to all the three ladies. But the person 
with whose appearjince I was the most astonished, 
was the Count himself ; an old man, who bore a 
vivid resemblance to those old ourang-outangs 
which inhabit the forests of Borneo ; an enormous 
mouth, and cheekbones so prominent, as to have 
the appearance of coming through the skin, were 
the most striking featm-es of his face ; while his 
arms and legs, which were disproportionately long, 
seemed to have been formed at the expense of the 
other parts of his body. I thought at tirst he 
must be some hermit, who led a life of greater 
austerity than the faquirs of Calcutta ; but I soon 
found that this personage was, in a mannei', the 
good genius of the family, who had sent for Pros- 
per from Java, with the intention of making him 
his heir. All tlie family seemed very much de- 
liglited to see my master ; and as for myself, I was 
caressed and feted almost as much <us the heir of 
tlie property. 

" Madame de C and her two daughters 

were never tired of examining me, and appeared 



SUSPICION' AWAKE. 119 

nmcli pleased with my costume, as well as delighted 
that I was able to speak a little French, so that 
they could the more easily converse with me. 
From their conversation respecting me, I found 
that they very much regretted that I was not a 
girl, as they could, in that case, have employed 
me about their persons ; and now, for the first 
time, I sincerely regretted the false part which 
Prosper compelled me to play. 

" In the evening I was told that a bed had 
been prepared for me in a room on the third floor, 
near to that of an old servant of the chateau ; but 
I immediately declared that I could not sleep 
away from my master, as I had been accustomed 
for more than a year to repose on the threshold of 
his apartment, and that I should wish to do at 
Brussels, as I had done at Java, in this respect, 
and never leave him night or day. 

" Madame de C looked at her son with an 

expression of countenance, which seemed to indi- 
cate that she suspected there was some mystery 
here, and remarked — ' Then is it the custom, in 
Java, for servants to be always near their masters ? 
That must be rather disagreeable sometimes, I 
should think.' 

' Anak is not exactly a servant,' said Prosper, 
hypocritically ; ' but is more of a friend and com- 
panion to me ; and the peculiar circumstances un- 
der which we met, and the service I rendered 
him, have inspired him with the most unbound- 
ed devotion for me.' 

' I should very much like to know,' said M. de 

C smiling, ' what those services can have 

been, which seem to have attached a Malay to 
you so strongly.' 



120 A NARRATIVE DOUBTED. 

' I had been sent by the Governor of Java to 
Borneo/ replied Prosper, ' for the purpose of re- 
porting to liim the condition of the various tribes 
there. In order to conduct the enterprise with 
as much secrecy as possible, I went about alone, 
dressed in the Malay costume, and armed from 
head to foot. Some scene of violence presented 
itself at every step. On one occasion I met with 
a Malay who was holding by the hair a woman 
whom he appeared about to strangle — tlu'owing 
myself precipitately upon him, I killed him on 
the spot with a blow from the but-end of my 
pistol. His victim thus freed from her persecu- 
tor, went in search of a child, whom she had left 
hard by, and offering it to me said — ' I give it 
into yom' care, that it may follow you wherever 
you go — may it gi'ow up as brave in war as your- 
self This child was no other than Anak, and 
the woman, of course, his mother." 

*' Madame de C observed her son atten- 
tively dming the whole of this incredible history 
witliout spealving a word ; but one of the young 
ladies exclaimed, ' Why, Prosper, I can hardly 
believe you — yoii to have been where there was 
any fighting, when you was such a coward as a 
})oy — truly, travelling does transform people in- 
deed !' 

* I have been in many other similar adven- 
tures,' answered Prosper, emboldened by the suc- 
cess of his first recital, ' but I must tell you altout 
them another time. How do you su})pose any 
man could be a resident in Java, without constant 
exertion, and plenty of courage V 

" I wtis quite confounded by the impudence of 
my master — twenty times was I on the ])oint of 
contradicting his falsehoods ; but one fear pre- 



THE ECLAIRCISSEMENT. 121 

vented my doing so, viz. that of being separated 
from the rest of the family, whom I had afready 
began to like so much. We spent eight months 
in the old chateau, where every one was most 
kind to me ; even the old ghost himself liked to 
lean on my arm, and be waited upon by me. Ma- 
dame de C far from wishing to separate me 

from her daughters, seemed always pleased to 
have me with them, and the latter spent part of 
their time in teaching me to read and write a 
little, and to sing their own songs. 

'^ One day, Madame de C sent word that 

she wished to speak to me, and on repairing to 
her chamber, I found her alone : she smiled on 
perceiving me, and extending her hand, said, 
' You have cheated us for a time, but now this is 
at an end."* 

' It is not I who have cheated you, Madame," I 
replied, ' but I became the slave of your son, who 
saved my life in a less heroic manner than he de- 
scribed to you, and I am bound to obey him in 
all things.' 

" I then briefly related to Madame de C 

the particulars of my history, in which she seem- 
ed much interested, and presently replied, ' My 
dear child, love is not eternal, at least, not in 
this country, and it is necessary that each should 
know the part he has to play ; in a short time 
Prosper will marry, and you must then leave 
him.' 

* But why so V I enquired eagerly. 

* Why so I' repeated Madame de C , in as- 
tonishment ; ' do you suppose that Prosper 's bride 
would like to see you about him V 

' And why not V 1 exclaimed ; ' because a man 
loves another woman, is it necessary to abandon 



122 CUPID IX FETTERS. 

the one lie has formerly loved ? Do not fear for 
me — I know my duty and will fulfil it. When 
the bride comes, I will wait upon her like a slave 
— I will be her faithful servant, never leaving or 
neglecting her ; and if she have children, I will 
guard them by day, and nurse them by night ; 
for all this is but the duty of a humljle slave who 
has once been the happy favourite of her master.' 

' I understand you,' said Madame de C , 

with some emotion ; ' but my child, you are 
wi^ong, and you err from ignorance of our cus- 
toms and manners : this dream of the Malay can- 
not be reahzed here — in Java it would be perfect, 
but at Brussels it is impossible. Now, listen to 
me — Prosper will soon be going to see his intend- 
ed, and I will then take you to Paris : we shall 
return here for my son's marriage, who will im- 
mediately depart to visit his bride's family — 
you shall then remain here with me and my 
daughters.' 

' Remain with you,' I exclaimed joyfully ; ' oh, 
Madame, in that case, Prosper may marry as soon 
as he likes !' 

' Then do you not care about him V asked Ma- 
dame de C , in great astonishment. 

' I love him as a slave ouiiht to love a master, 
and we have always strictly done our duty to 
each otlier ; but as to my heart's afiection — that 
has been given to you and your daughters, ever 
since I first knew you.' 

" Three days afterwards we went to Paris, and 
I assumed the European female costume. Almost 

{IS soon as we arrived, Madame de told me 

that slie ex])ected a visitor ; however, no one 
arrived ; but she one day received a letter, which 



MALAY FORTITUDE. 123 

seemed to afflict her very mucli. It seems to me 
that you Em-op eans are always fretting about 
something — always tormenting yourselves not 
only about realities, but invisible troubles. A few 
words seem at any time to have the power of al- 
tering you completely, and overwhelming you 
with despondency, and your spirits are affected 
by causes so trifling that other men would not 
notice them. It is not so with us, for in general, 
the only misfortunes we ever feel, are such as are 
universal, and if we are in trouble we never keep 
it a secret. 

" I asked Madame de C whether any dis- 
aster had happened to her, and implored her to 
tell me the cause of her depression ; but she only 
replied — ' What should I tell you, my dear child ? 
You would not understand the cause of my grief ; 
some day or other, when you are better acquainted 
with our manners and customs, I will tell you 

all.' From that time Madame de C lost all 

her cheerfulness, and became sad and thoughtful, 
while her health seemed to feiil rapidly from the 
same cause. 

" When we returned to Brussels, the prepara- 
tions for my master's marriage were nearly com- 
pleted ; the young ladies received me with every 
appearance of delight, asking me a thousand ques- 
tions about my visit, and complimenting me upon 
, the change in my costume, which was not, how- 
ever, quite to their taste, each of them expressing 
a great desire to procure me a toilet exactly suited 
to my complexion. As to Prosper, when I met 
him, he turned perfectly crimson, and looked ano- 
ther way, and this was always the case, whenever 
I looked at him ; indeed, he seemed to take such 



124* AN OBSTINATE HERETIC. 

pains to avoid me, that I believe he would gladly 
have rendered himself invisible in my presence. 
This sort of ignoble conduct quite humiliated me, 
for I could not repress a sensation of shame, as I 
reflected that I had once been the slave of such a 
coward. 

" After the marriage of Prosper, we continued 
to live with the old Count in his chateau, and 
there I should probably have been at this moment, 
had it not been for a somewhat singular circiun- 
stance, which I will relate. At that time, there 
was a great deal of dissension in Brussels between 
Catholics and Protestants, and it happened that 
the old Count was one of the most ardent sup- 
porters of Catholicism. On being told that I was 
of the Mussulman religion, he wished to have me 
instructed in the principles of his own faith, and 
for this purpose, a young priest from Louvaine 
was sent for, and I was placed under his direc- 
tion. 

" This priest was a very thin, sickly- looking 
man of about thirty, almost as dark in com- 
plexion as an Indian ; the least contradiction 
irritated him excessively, and when angry he was 
positively fearful. As soon as he undertook my 
conversion, I opposed his efforts with great energy. 
' I wished to live and die as my mother did,' I ex- 
claimed, ' in the religion of the Mussulman : I 
did not come into your country either to convert 
others, or to be myself converted, therefore I 
desire to be left in peace. If my conduct brought 
scandal upon you, then you could send me away ; 
but wliilst I live just as you do, why should I be 
troubled V' 

" The priest endeavom-ed to set before me the 



WINTER IN EUROPE. 125 

consequences of thus remaining blind ; and though 
his words had at first no effect on me, still the 
benevolence of his langTiage made a great impres- 
sion on my mind at last ; indeed, I became fright- 
ened and uncomfortable ; I cried and mourned 

incessantly ; and though Madame de C and 

her daughters comforted me as well as they could, 
I in vain endeavoured to regain my tranquillity. 
At last, worn out and fatigued with resistance, I 
should have perhaps yielded, when one evening, 
as I returned, very much excited, to my chamber, 
a sudden idea struck me. It was now the very 
depth of winter — the sky was dark and cloudy, 
and the streets were deluged with the snow and 
rain which were continually falling. As I gazed 
on the gloomy scene before me, I thought of the 
brilliant sun in my own country — of its deep, 
balmy woods — its rivulets, overshadowed by the 
large-leaved, majestic banyan tree — its glittering 
sandy shores, laved by the music-breathing waves 
of its glorious sea ; and as I did so, a new thought 
crossed my mind. — fSm-ely this gloomy, cold Eu- 
rope, with its sickly, cloudy scene — its incessant 
fogs — cold winters, and hollow manners, must be 
the type of those dark regions to which the priest 
so often alluded, and I resolved to endeavom' to 
regain the paradise of my early youth in my na- 
tive land. — ' If what they teU me is true,' I said 
to myself, ' my wish to leave this place wiU, of 
com-se, be vain, and for the rest of my life I must 
remain here, and expiate, in exile, the faults of 
the past ; if, on the contrary, they tell me false- 
hoods, fate win decree that I shall return to my 
own country.' With this resolution, I grew rather 
more calm, and went to sleep. The next morning, 



126 MISTAKEN ZEAL. 

when I came down to breakfast, I quietly in- 
formed my friends that it was my intention to go 
back to my native isle. On hearing this, every 
one expressed their sm-prise ; and as to the young 
priest, I shall never forget the transformation 
that took place in his appearance ; he turned 
very pale, and his usually austere and authorita- 
tive manner gave place to one of the utmost mild- 
ness and simphcity. Approaching me, he took 
my hand, and said to me, with an appearance of 
great feeling : — 

" I feel sure, mademoiselle, that I am the cause 
of this sudden determination ; I have been led 
away by excess of zeal, and wishing to convert 
you to our faith, have wounded your high spirit ; 
I am sorry for my presumption ; but do not judge 
others by me ; remain here, mademoiselle, and 
some more worthy interpreter of om* holy reli- 
gion will effect the conversion my zeal and bitter- 
ness have retarded. Forget what I have said to 
you ; the God of the Christians is full of long- 
suffering and mercy ; but I, his unworthy minis- 
ter, have outraged justice, by my expressing too 
much of my own impatient spirit." 

" I was astounded at this language from a man 
so proud and inflexible, and should have knelt at 
his feet and expressed what I felt, but the proud 
spirit of my race rose in my breast, and prevented 
me from doing so. When the Malay has once 
taken a resolution, he is bound to fulfil it, and 
thanks to my own determination, I am enabled 
to give you this liistory to-day." 

" And were you not sorry," I asked, " to leave 
the old chateau, the luxuries and pleasures of Eu- 



MY OWN, MY NATIVE LAND. 127 



rope, and, above all, to part witli your kind and 
amiable friends V 

" Not in the least. Is there any thing in your 
country to be compared with the beautifril sun, as 
it shines in my native land, or with the boundless 
ocean, and the delicious perftimed air of our val- 
leys here? I had no sooner retm-ned, than I 
freed my feet from the confinement of shoe and 
sandal — took off the garments which pressed 
painfully upon my frame — allowed my hair to 
flow loosely, and, in short, restored back to liberty 
all that had been placed under constraint. The 
pleasm-e I experienced in doing this, caused me to 
feel a degree of delight and ecstacy, fi-om which I 
have as yet scarcely recovered. Oh ! you cannot 
imagine the rapture with which, during the day, 
I roam bare-foot over the gilded sands of oiu' 
shores, nor the pleasure with which I bathe in the 
calm waters of our rivers, or indulge myself, once 
again, with the songs and dances of my native 
country. Now I am indeed a true Malay, far 
more so than I should have been had I never 
quitted the scene of my birth.'' 

" And do you never think of the principles of 
that religion in which your friends attempted to 
instruct you V I asked. 

This question made her reflect for a few mo- 
ments. Then raising her head again, and tm-ning 
to me, she said in a singularly melancholy man- 
ner — " Oh, perhaps some day or other I may ac- 
company some of your missionaries in their wan- 
derino;s.'' 

When we took leave of Campon Glan, the sun 
had afready risen, the fresh morning breeze was 
sighing amongst the branches of the flowery trees, 



128 BACHELOR MISGIVINGS. 

and the inhabitants of the little village, enjoying 
the cool, delicious fi-agi^ance of the hour, were 
cheerfidly going forth to their daily laboiu-s. 

For some time, James and myself walked on 
without speaking ; at last, my companion broke 
the silence — " Do you know," said he, '• that 
what w^e have just heard has made a great im- 
pression upon me. How injm*ious it is to read 
works of a romantic and dangerous tendency. 

This Prosper de C , because he had, doubtless, 

read the wiitings of Byi'on, and others of a 
similar kind, probably fancied himself a Lara, 
a Don Juan, a Trelawney, and heaven knows 
what beside.'' 

" Upon my mind," I answered, " thLs even- 
ing's entertainment has left a yet deeper im- 
pression ; it seems to me to prove, that upon 
whatever gTOund it may fall, the evangelical seed, 
will, sooner or later, bring forth its fi-uits. Even 
this ignorant and comparatively savage nature, 
seems to have some regard for tlie truths imparted 
to it, and who knows, but that, some day or 
other, thanks to the apostolic laboui's of my 
fellow-counti'}Tnen, this yoimg girl may become a 
sort of Masrdalen in Malacca V 

" It may be so," replied James ; " for my own 
part, I confess, that what I had expected to 
prove an evening of folly, has turned out much 
more seriously than I anticipated." 

In the environs of Sincapore, are a great num- 
ber of small fanns, industriously culti^•ated by 
the Chinese, consisting chiefly of plantations 
of sugar-cane, rice, pepper, gambier, c^^c. The 
pleasant aspect of their little wood-built hoases, 
and tlie excellent condition of their land, bespeak 



CHINESE CULTIVATORS. 129 

the order, industry, and prosperity which prevail 
throughout. 

It is the custom, amongst the Chinese, to form 
themselves into little companies, consisting of 
four, six, or eight persons, who then devote 
themselves to the cultivation of certain portions 
of land which have heen conceded to them by 
the English government, or which they rent from 
the Malay proprietors. 

I paid several visits to these little establish- 
ments, particularly to one which took my fancy 
more than the others, and was managed by six 
Chinese, who cultivated the gambler, and also 
made the extract which bears its name. 

This farm was situated on the declivity of a 
pictm-esque hill, covered with liigh trees, at the 
foot of which ran a clear rivulet. The buildings 
connected with the farm were very modest in 
appearance, comprising merely the residence of 
the six workmen, a plain little cottage with but 
one story, as neat and clean as a Dutch farm- 
house, and a large covered shed, in which they 
caiTied on the preparation of the extract. The in- 
dividuals of whom this association was composed, 
were men of from live and twenty to thirty years 
of age, of small stature, but very muscular, and, 
as I knew something of anatomy, I was able to 
appreciate their physical powers when at work ; 
they wore no other garment but a pair of drawers, 
of the shortest dimensions, and had no shelter 
but their immense bamboo hats, the brims of 
which were so large as to shade them entii-ely. 
These six men had adopted the method of having 
equal salaries, but so judicious and admirable 
were all their arrangements with regard to their 

K 



130 THE TRUE END OF LABOUR. 

work, that no one suffered, in the least, J&.'om this 
plan. 

The Chinese have peculiar idea as regards the 
theory of laboui', and the parable of the master 
of the vineyard, commented upon by Cabet and 
Louis Blanc, will never have much success in the 
Celestial Empire, for there is not a land-owner 
in that country who would pay his workmen 
equally, without having special regard to the 
"duration of his labours. The six men on this 
farm worked most industriously, never resting, 
except dming the hours at which they took theii* 
meals, which were the only opportunities I had 
of conversing with them ; each, by turns, took 
his share in the house-keeping, and, in short, the 
whole establishment was a perfect industrial monas- 
tery, the members of which were all umnarriecL 

By far the greater number of tlie Chinese at 
Sincapore live in a state of cehbacy, and it seems 
as though, when they aiTive in this country, they 
made a sort of vow to renomice all the pleasures, 
for which they generally manifest a considerable 
inclination. Their laborious lives are conse- 
quently uninterrupted by any thing which might 
distract their attention from the one sole object 
which they always appear to have in view — that 
of acquiring a fortune sufficient to enable them to 
go and live quietly in Malacca, or some ]:>art of 
the celestial empire ; and until this end is accom- 
plished, they allow nothing to interfere witli their 
exertions to obtain it. 

The gambler plantations of my friends had 
really a charming ap])earance : this arl»uscle, 
to which the botanists have given the name of 
naudea gamhlr, is not more than two metres hi 



GAMBIER — HOW MANUFACTUEED. 131 

height ; its branches are so flexible and dehcate, 
that the slightest breeze is sufficient to agitate 
them, and from the leaves of the shrub, the sub- 
stance called ganihier is procured, which is also 
known by the name of terra japonica. During 
the time for preparing this extract, all the work- 
men were busily employed with it, some in strip- 
ping the leaves fr^om the arbuscle — some in carry- 
ing them away in baskets, fastended to the two 
ends of a bamboo, whilst others were occupied in 
making a decoction of them in large copper cal- 
drons. As soon as the herbaceous parts were dis- 
colom'ed by boiling, they were removed from the 
water by means of a fork, and the liquid was al- 
lowed to remain until it had attained the consist- 
ency of honey ; the extracted matter was then 
drained off into wooden vessels, and soon dried 
up completely. The refuse of this composition 
serves as manure for the vine-like plant which 
produces black pepper ; indeed these two branches 
of agriculture are connected with, and assist each 
other materially, and like all combined manufac- 
tures, when managed skilfully, bring in consider- 
able profits. Among the Malays the extract of 
the gamhier is highly valued, as they mix it in 
their preparations of the betel-nut. I remember 
one day asking some of them why they did not 
pay some attention to the cultivation of it them- 
selves ; but they gave me the usual reply to 
every question of this sort — " It is not the cus- 
tom ;" consequently the Chinese at Sincapore 
have entirely monopolized this branch of industry. 
The plantations of the Chinese, of whom I have 
been speaking, were surrounded by magnificent 
forests, and dming my fr^equent visits to them, in 

k2 



132 CRUEL SPORT. 

which I was always accompanied by two Malays, 
it was my delight to seat myself beneath the 
gigantic trees, which dm^ing so many ages have 
thrown their shadow over a land scarcely ever 
trodden by hmnan footsteps. I had not, at that 
time, entirely conquered my penchant for waging 
war against all kinds of inoffensive animals, and 
w^ien I went out, was always armed vnih. a mus- 
ket, ready to attack them. The wild depths of 
the forest were to me the very road of Damas, 
and I afterwards abjm-ed for ever my Nimrod- 
like propensities. 

One day I had been roaming all over the forest, 
and had seated myself at the foot of a spreading 
tree, whilst enjoying the pleasures of rest, and the 
sweet sounds of solitude — the voice of the breeze 
among the branches — the carol of the birds — the 
rustling of the herbs and sluaibs, as the numerous 
insects fluttered about them, and the mysterious 
sounds caused by the echoes, an ape made its ap- 
pearance on a tree opposite me, and began to play 
about ; I could not, of coiu-se, lose so good an op- 
portunity of pm^suing my foolish pastime, and 
seizing my rifle, pulled the trigger ; a cry of agony 
followed the explosion, and amidst a cloud of 
smoke, I could perceive the poor animal falling 
from one branch to another, stretcliing out its 
arms riglit and left to guide its movements ; for a 
moment it clung to the rugged bark, but its 
strength gave way, and it slid to the ground, 
liolding on by the trunk of a large shrub. 

I ran to the place where I had seen tlie poor 
creature fall, but, to my astonishment, could not 
find it ; however, a bloody track guided me a 
little further, and there, at a few paces from the 



HUMANE RESOLUTION. 183 

spot, leaning against a shrub, with one hand pres- 
sed upon its wound, the other raised to its eyes, to 
wipe away its tears, was my inoffensive and un- 
happy victim, the sight of which made me tremble 
from head to foot, for its piteous appearance made 
me feel like a murderer. 

One of my guides now approached and ex- 
amined the wound, the poor animal turning its 
humid eyes towards him, and allowing him to do 
what he liked without a struggle. It was mor- 
tally wounded in the right side, the flesh being, 
as it were, quite separated, and the intestines 
protruding through the aperture. Seeing at once 
that there was no hope of saving the poor crea- 
ture, I offered the musket to one of the Malays, 
bidding him despatch it immediately : but the 
poor fellow refused, with a look of horror, to touch 
the murderous weapon ; and just at that moment 
the poor ape turned on its side, and stretching 
out its limbs, fixed its eyes on me, and expired. 
I could not bear to look at the wretched corpse, 
the sight of which filled me with remorse and 
shame : so I walked sadly back to Sincapore, 
thinking over my unsatisfactory adventure, and 
vowing, in my own mind, to respect the lives of 
all creatures whatsoever for the future. 

The two Malays who accompanied me were 
members of the same family — one a young man 
of about three and twenty, as gentle as a girl — 
the other a fine old chief, with a somewhat melan- 
choly aspect. Both were of the Mussulman reli- 
gion, and therefore grave and silent disciples of 
the great Prophet. I had formed quite an affec- 
tion for these two men, and liked to see them 
near me in my rambles, dressed in their large In- 



134 HONEST INSTINCT JUMPS ARIGHT. 

dian pantaloons, with the kriss passed through 
their waistbands, and their heads covered with 
the Malay handkerchief, which peculiar coiffure 
distinguishes the Mussulmans of the Ai'chipelago 
from those of the other parts of India. 

As soon as we arrived at the wooden houses 
which stand on the shore, shaded by trees, the 
elder of my guides said to me, as he placed his 
hand on his chest, and made a low salaam : — 

" Tuaoi, you must be fatigued — will you rest a 
little time in our verandah ?" 

I readily accepted the in^dtation ; and found, 
in this aerial gallery, a very handsome ape, which, 
on seeing its master, began to fi'isk about merrily. 

The young Malay, having replied to its caresses, 
placed before it the basket in which I generally 
brought home my game ; plunging its hand into 
it, the animal drew forth the body of the un- 
happy creature I had killed. Immediately upon 
seeing it, the ape seemed struck dumb with as- 
tonishment, gazing at it intently, while the per- 
spiration stood on its forehead, and looking like 
an old man, who in a moment of delirium, fancies 
he sees a ghost. After the lapse of a few minutes, 
it flung the corpse on the gi-ound, smelt on the 
wound, and then, without the least hesitation, 
threw itself upon me, uttering loud cries, and 
showing its teeth ; its sagacity had enabled it to 
discover the murderer of its brother. 

Pliilosophers and savans have Aviitten a great 
deal upon the diflferent natures of animals, and 
have reasoned in various ways upon tlie subject ; 
but in this Eastern land, in which God originally 
placed tlie earthly Paradise, in which he fixed tlie 
first fruits of the creation, the hmublest man 



A BLACK ADONIS. 135 

knows far more of this interesting subject, than 
all the doctors of the Sorbonne, or any other in- 
stitution. India is not so much the land of idle 
fables, as of mysterious realities, and is the only 
country in which there is a sort of intelligible 
communication between man and the brute spe- 
cies ; but the numerous secrets connected with 
the latter are known only, either to religious 
enthusiasts, or to poets — and egotists and anato- 
mists would place little faith in their revela- 
tions. 

One year after the events I have just been de- 
scribing, I found myself at Bombay, and was one 
day walking about the streets populated by the 
blacks, accompanied by a dohachi, a species of 
domestic who acts the part of a guide to strangers, 
being at the same time an interpreter and com- 
panion ; he was one of those handsome Indians 
whose forms are as perfect as the ebony statue of 
an Adonis, dressed in a robe of white muslin, 
with his curly hair escaping from his tm-ban and 
falling upon his floating garments. After my 
conductor had accompanied me in a visit to some 
Indian houses almost as much ornamented as the 
carved ivory models of the Chinese, and pointed 
out to my notice some immense saloons decked 
out for some grand fete, covered with a sort of 
light net-work, bespangled with the blossoms of 
the jessamine, the rose, and the tube-rose, and sup- 
ported by columns of flowers, he led the way into 
a part of the town occupied by the merchants. 
The inlaid mosaic work of sandal-wood, though 
executed with so much patience and taste, did 
not arrest my attention for more than a passing 
moment ; neither did I stop to examine the rich 



136 UNIVERSAL BEXEVOLEXCE. 

cachemires, heavy with embroideiy and gold ; but 
I invohmtarily paused to watch the poor men 
who were employed in feeding wood pigeons — 
the beautiful birds seemed to flock from all quar- 
ters, from the tops of houses and high buildings, 
and from the neighboming fields, to receive the 
grains of rice and maize, which were liberally 
distributed amongst them by the benevolent men 
who appeared to act the pai-t of Vincent de Paul 
towards the winged inhabitants of the place. 
Wishing to join them in their humane occupation, 
I bought a small quantity of grain, and with my 
own hand, distributed it amongst the pretty un- 
protected creatures, pondering, whilst engaged in 
this act of charity, on the numerous victims of my 
cruelty, and the death and destruction I had so 
often caused among the gTacefiil inliabitants of 
the air. 

After the birds had been fed, and were gone 
away, my dohacJd came up to me and said, " The 
natives of Europe do not generally act thus to- 
wards the birds, or any of our dumb fellow 
creatures — are you then of some ditferent aiste 
from the rest of the Europeans, since you practise 
our customs V 

" In my own country," I replied, " there are 
many men who think it their duty to contribute 
to the happiness of every Hving thing aromid 
them, and I partake their sentiments/' 

" Then, if you think thus," answered the In- 
dian, " follow me, and I will show you some- 
thing that will ])lease you." 

80 we walked for a long time through the nar- 
row and winding streets of Bombay, till we came 
to a large building, the outer door of which was 



HINDOO HOSPITAL. 137 

closed ; here my dobachi knocked two or three 
times, and it was at length opened by a man of 
saffron complexion, dressed in a loose garment of 
white stuff, which floated down on the body, 
passed over the shoulders in the form of a belt, 
and crossed over the back ; his hair was gathered 
into a knot at the back of his head, and from his 
ears were suspended rings, something like those 
worn by the coxcombs of ancient days. This 
strange-looking individual led us into a large court 
surrounded with sheds, in which were assembled, 
I think, all the animals in the creation — singing, 
crying, growling, whistling, and screaming, dogs, 
apes, oxen, horses, elephants, parroquets, swans, 
and camels. This coiu't formed the entrance into 
two others of the same kind, similarly inhabited 
by birds and beasts, and on examining the diffe- 
rent members of the community rather more mi- 
nutely, I noticed that almost all of them were 
either very old and feeble, or quite young and 
sickly, having the appearance of great weakness 
and suffering — some jfew, indeed, seemed in the 
prime of life, and their good looks and activity 
formed a striking contrast to the debility and de- 
pression of their companions. 

My dobachi now approached me — " Mon- 
sieur,"' said he, " you are now in a house of 
charity ; in the abode of the orphan, the sick, 
and the aged ; it is established by some humanely- 
disposed persons, who go about in search of all the 
animals that are suffering or unprotected ; the ox 
here finds the welcome reward of his laborious 
life, and for the rest of his days, lives and rumi- 
nates in peace ; the faithful dog, when his master 
is no longer able to support him, here receives 



138 ANDIAL REPOSE. 

the food and shelter which ai^e so justly due to 
the truest friend of man ; the poor ass, when he 
enters this enclosure, is no longer burthened 
with heavy loads and hard usage, but is fed every 
day with the fr-eshest and most savomy herbs ; 
thus do we succour the poor and needy, assuage 
sorrow and suffering, pay respect to helpless old 
age, and recompense industry and labour, humbly 
trusting that when we are no longer fit for the 
turmoil of the world, we may be treated in hke 
manner. Who knows, Monsieur, but that the ox 
which is now gazing affectionately at me with its 
mild, intelligent eye, may be the spirit of some 
dear, departed friend, or parent.'' 

I staid a very long time in this house of refuge, 
a hospital founded by piety the most simple and 
touching, and by feehngs, perhaps, the most 
heavenly of which the human character is ca- 
pable. Everything was in perfect order ; the 
whole place was clean ; the nourishment good in 
quality, and sufficient in quantity ; the most com- 
plete harmony appeared to reign among the va- 
rious inhabitants, and I could not help thinking 
as I looked at them, how much better animals of 
the brute species were fitted to live together, than 
the more enlightened members of society. 

Whilst I was examining with the gi'eatest in- 
terest every creature in this singular place, there 
entered a countryman, leading an ass by a halter ; 
this man was quite young, and just such a figure 
as one sees in keepsakes and allnuns, a little yel- 
low, thin Hindoo, with a soft, mild expression of 
countenance ; the ass was also veiy lean ;ind 
weak-looking, like his master, whom he followed 
wherever he went ; the Hindoo conversed for 



OLD FRIENDS PARTING. 139 

a few minutes with the master of the place, 
and then all three took their way into the thkd 
court, where the ass was tied up in front of a 
manger filled with herbs and rice. 

As he was going away, his master thus ad- 
di-essed him — " With us, alas ! the manger is 
empty, for the crops of our pastures are failing, 
therefore thou wouldst starve at my door, for I 
should be unable to do more for thee were I to 
keep thee ; therefore remain here, and when better 
days shall come, I will retm-n and take thee home 
again ; and that day shall be one of rejoicing for 
my family, for my children shall await thy com- 
ing and give thee food, and the youngest shall 
climb again upon thy back, and thou shalt return 
to thy former life/' 

The ass seemed to Ksten gravely to what his 
master said, watching him closely to the last, 
whilst the Hindoo, as he went away, turned back 
more than once to have one more look at his old 
friend. When he was quite out of sight, the ass 
stood motionless for a few minutes, and then com- 
menced a vigorous attack on the viands before 
him, of which, poor animal, he seemed to stand 
in great need. 

As I stood and gazed on the strange scene 
before me, I was assailed by many rambling 
thoughts ; in truth, the wild but poetical ideas of 
the kind-hearted Indians made a strong impres- 
sion upon me, for sceptics as we are now-a-days, 
we are sometimes as credulous as children, and as 
I stopped before a cage full of pretty birds, I 
could not help thinking how soon I could per- 
suade myself, that the spirit of some once-loved 
being lay concealed beneath that glittering plum- 



140 AN ASSAULT. 



aofe. I could even have believed that the sweet 
notes which issued from their throats, was an 
appeal to my remembrance. 

Whilst I was meditating thus, I felt a heavy 
hand upon my shoulder ; at the same instant my 
collar was firmly grasped, and I experienced a 
violent shaking ; tm-ning round to ascertain the 
cause, I saw by my side a tall black figiu^e, gTin- 
ning at me with an air of malicious defiance — it 
was a large powerful ape, healthy, and as full of 
mischief as he could be. 

" Surely it cannot be either on account of po- 
verty, old age, or suffering, that you keep this 
di'oll creatm*e,'' said I to the Indian. 

" We support him for the same great reason as 
the others,'' he replied, " because he has nowhere 
else to live. Those of om- countrymen who were 
wise and learned during their lives," added the 
dohachi, after a few minutes silence, " are always 
transformed into beings more resembling our- 
selves than any others — and this ape is probably 
some prince who has once reigned over oui- coun- 
try ;'' and he bowed before him with the gTeatest 
respect. 

However erroneous these ideas of the Indians 
may be, they have certainly had the effect of 
making them the most humane people in the 
world. Kindness and reason, the great moral 
law-givers of the west, have done much towards 
softening our habits ; and the creed of the In- 
dians is replaced, in France and England, by laws, 
sutiiciently ])owerf\d to protect animals agjunst 
the brutality and ill-treatment of ignorance. 

As I was. one day lounging, as usual, among 
the bazaars of Sincapore, I was accosted by a 



A MALAY PATIENT. 141 

Malay, whose noble figure and fine profile be- 
spoke the purity of his Arab origin — he was a 
fine young man of about thirty, slender and sup- 
ple as a reed — his long silken robe was of a red 
and yellow mixture, but his rich cachemire tur- 
ban had a somewhat faded and shabby appear- 
ance, and his girdle was not farnished with a 
kriss. He walked up to me, and placing his 
hand upon his heart, said, with a very low bow, 
" Seigneur, my name is Abdala ; I am in very bad 
health, and have been advised to apply to you — 
I trust you will soon restore me." 

" I will do so most willingly,'' I replied, " if it 
lies in my power ; but I must remind you that 
science is not always successful.'' 

" Nothing is impossible, Seignem-, with the men 
of the west," replied the Malay. 

Delighted to meet with a patient who possessed 
such an unusual stock of faith, I begged him to 
accompany me to my hotel, and requested him to 
favour me with the details of his indisposition. *' I 
am worn out with labour," said he, " for I have 
a passion for every kind of study — I have read 
all the books of my country, and know almost 
everything man can learn. Now that there is no- 
thing more left for me to study, I am anxious to 
recover my wasted health." 

" In that case," I remarked ; " I propose that 
we make an exchange ; if you will teach me a 
little of what you know, I will undertake to cure 
you completely." 

" The talent of teaching is not bestowed on 
every man," answered the Malay ; " however, I 
will do my best — what do you wish to learn ?" 

" I should like you to reveal to me some of 



142 ARAB LEARNING, 

those secrets which the Malays so carefully 
conceal fi'om strangers/' 

" But the westerns, also, have their secrets, 
Seigneur," interrupted my companion, abruptly ; 
" will you promise to give me some insight into 
them r 

I replied in the affirmative, and my new ac- 
quaintance, expressing himself quite satisfied 
with the arrangement, left me, promising to retm'n 
on the follomng day. 

The next moi'ning, punctual to his appoint- 
ment, Abdala made his appearance, carrying a 
number of manuscripts written in the Ai-ab 
tongue. " This,'' said he, " treats of medicine ; 
this of astronomy, and this of chemistry )" 
placing his hand on each of the manuscripts, 
which were yellow with time, and much w^orn by 
the numerous hands through which they had 
passed. 

" Let us commence with medicine," said I to 
the learned professor ; and Abdala accordingly 
began to read : — 

" When you are afflicted with a complaint in 
the eyes, take some rain water." 

" But what kind of complaint V I asked. 
A complaint in the eyes," returned Abdala ; 

for this you must use rain water." 

Yes, but what sort of disease in the eyes ?" 
I enquired again. 

" I tell you, a disease in the eyes," repeated 
Abdala ; " when you are afflicted thus, you must 
not use the same remedy as for a pain in the 
elbow ; presently, I will tell you what to do for 
the latter com})laint." 

After some time spent in reading and conver- 



ge 



AN ARAB mPOSTOR. 143 

sation, I found, that the scientific treatises of my 
friend Abdala, contained a number of barbarous 
cures for all kinds of maladies, instructions for 
the manufacture of watches, and the mariner's 
compass, and receipts for the preparation of 
various metallic salts, and for the distillation of 
alcohol. I had hoped to find in Abdala, a disciple 
of Avicenne or Averrhoes — a descendant of the 
illustrious Arabs, who, in the middle ages, devoted 
themselves to the study of Aristotle and Hippo- 
crates, and I was quite delighted at the idea of 
being able to make valuable scientific researches, 
by cultivating the acquaintance of a savan, who 
was deeply imbued with the celebrated theories 
of the eleventh century. Alas ! I was most 
greviously disappointed at finding myself in the 
presence of one of those wandering impostors, 
who scoui- all parts of the country, constructing 
sun dials on the walls of taverns and cottages, 
and whose medical knowledge scarcely enabled 
liim to compete with the quacl^, who distribute 
drugs and ointment in om^ country villages. 

The acquirements of the learned Abdala con- 
sisted solely in being able to read Arabic a little, 
and he evidently considered this feat one of the 
greatest man was capable of executing. 

This little incident will give some idea of the 
state of civilisation among the Malays ; the 
traditional science, which was transmitted to 
them by the Arabs, is now extinct ; it is true 
that the women still repeat songs, which contain 
much originality and poetry, but these may be 
regarded as the last accents of the muse, who is 
about to take flight before the influence of the 
people of the west, for the government of the 



144 THE PROFESSOR TURNED PUPIL. 

Europeans has been most fatal to these people, as 
we shall soon perceive more Mly, when we speak 
of the island of Java. It has put a stop to the 
movement of civilisation, which was just begin- 
ning to take place amongst them. 

The numerous rajahs, who formerly ruled in 
the islands of the Ai-chipelago, employed them- 
selves, not only in the arts of war, but in enter- 
taining at their courts the principal poets of 
their time ; and the Europeans, in robbing these 
princes of their ancient power, have, as it were, 
destroyed the protecting shelter, beneath which 
these birds of the east used to sing. 

As may easily be imagined, I soon grew tired 
of the scientific revelations which Abdala offered 
to make to me, and cut liim shoii, by changing 
the subject, and talking of his health, stating, 
that I should prefer occup^dng myself with that ; 
but to this proposition he replied — 

" Health ceases to be a blessing, if accompanied 
by ignorance, and since you refuse to learn what 
I was going to teach you, I presume that you 
must know more than myself; enlighten me on 
those subjects of which you find me ignorant.'' 

" But what shall I teach you V I replied ; 
" medicine, astronomy, chemistry, or shall I tell 
you how the world was made, and when it will 
come to an end V 

" All these things are perfectly well kno^^^^ to 
me, for my father instructed me regarding them 
when I Avas still in infancy ; all I want to know, 
is, wliat mode of life I sliould adopt, in order to 
preserve my mind in tranquillity and cheerfulness, 
and my body in liealth." 

" To ensiu-e this/' I answered, " I should 



MAHOMEDAN PARADISE. 145 

^ 

recommend you to live chastely and soberly, and 
not to attempt to impose upon others/' 

" Ah ! that is exactly what all the Westerns 
say/' exclaimed Abdala ; " and, although they 
practise their own precepts, yet, I observe, that 
they invariably die young, and then* spirits and 
youth seem to abandon them early. Now, the 
Malays are as gluttonous as sharks, and as sensual 
as the toad of the rice fields ; while the Chinese, 
who practise all kinds of deception on the Malays, 
remain to the end of their days, young and fresh 
looking, and are active and healthy, even when 
the long hair, which falls over their backs, has 
become grey and thin as the coat of a mangy 
dog." 

" All this may be true," said I ; " but you 
must remember, that Mahomet does not receive 
these men into his Paradise." 

" Nor you either," answered the Malay, quick- 
ly, as he scanned me from head to foot. 

As I felt that my presumptuous remark had 
not quite succeeded, I changed the subject by 
enquiring, whether it were true that the Malays 
poisoned their arrows, and other weapons. 

" As true," he replied, " as that I am the son 
of my father." 

On my enquiring fuu'ther into the subject, he 
said that he would return on the morrow, and 
shew me something relative to it ; so, on the 
following day, Abdala arrived, carrying a number 
of small paper parcels, which he spread out upon 
the table, and allowed me to examine. There 
were several fr-agments of a whitish substance, 
which I immediately recognised, from its form, to 
be a species of lime ; another ingredient, reduced 

L 



146 POISONED WEAPONS. 

to a white powder, some cocoa oil, a citron, and 
an extract of some kind, of a dark colour, and 
virous smell. 

Abdala took u]:) a long thin kriss, touched the 
sides of it with the lime, then spread it over ^vith 
the white powder, and squeezed a little of the 
citron juice upon it : this being done, he exposed 
it to the heat of the sun, and wdien the blade 
was quite dry, he took up the black extract, and 
put a small quantity of it upon the part wdiich 
had been previously covered with lime, touching- 
it lastly with the cocoa oil. He then proceeded 
to prepare the other side of the kriss in the same 
manner, and to convince me that he perfectly 
understood the whole affair, he wounded a fowl, 
which died a short time afterwards. The white 
substance was, I found, a mixtm^e of arsenic, and 
the extracted matter was made fi-om the bai'k of 
the onenispermum coculus ; the poisonous quali- 
ties of the kriss were, probably, owing principally 
to the latter ingredient. And this w^'is the only 
thinef I w^^s able to learn fi'om the learned re- 
searches of professor Abdala. 

On the day following that on which I had this 
conversation with him, I set out for Java, winch, 
as every one knows, is the very centre of the 
Dutch possessions in India ; and the cabinet of 
the Hague lia5i succeeded in establishing in tliis 
beautifid country, a system of government which 
is well worth attention. Some day or otlier, I 
intend to study it more minutely, for, in tJie 
present day, I think it would be i'ar from useless 
to be acquainted with the })riiici})les of Dutch 
socialism. 




to 






147 



CHAPTER III. 

POULO-PINANG. 

"See Naples and die !" says the Italian, in his 
wild enthusiasm for that city, which is laved by 
the waters of an ever-varying sea, the waves of 
which are continually agitated by cold north 
winds, while the air is perfumed by a few meager 
orange-trees, the petals of which are almost al-- 
ways blighted by the hoar-frost of winter. What 
then might the Italian poet say of Poulo-Pinang, 
the island of the Prince de Galles ? — Poulo- 
Pinang, the centre of Malacca, and the Eden of 
the world ! On this lovely spot of earth, the 
dream of perpetual spring is realized, and Provi- 
dence has placed it alone in the midst of the 
ocean, as if to shield it from the attacks of the 
rude and barbarous. The most cultivated of the 
Indian tribes, the Persians, natives of Java, the 
Hindoos, the industrious Chinese, a few well- 
educated Europeans, and some missionary priests 
from England, all share in the possession of this 
domain. For their enjoyment and benefit does 
this privileged soil produce almost all the fruits 
of the tropics, fr'om the banyan of the old Indian 
world, to the litdd of Fo-Kien, and Kouanoj- 
long, as well as the most splendid flowers of all 
countries ; the odoriferous camelia, the frangi- 
'pctnier, the lotus, the rose, and many others ; 
and, as though all tliese blessings were not sufii- 
cient for man, it ofters him the delights of a 

l2 



148 THE WEDDING PORTION. 

climate more appropriate than any other in the 
world, for the gratification of his wishes and 
wants. 

The mountainous cone which overlooks this 
island is divided into separate parts, with as 
much regularity as the scale of a thermometer : 
at the base the temperature is extremely mild, 
but at the summit it possesses all the bracing 
freshness of Lagima and Salassy, a delightful 
variety of climate, which determines the move- 
ments of the inhabitants, and prevents them from 
sufiering from the inconveniences occasioned by 
our cold, ungenial winters. 

1 Pi 

I have never met with any one, who, after 
spending a few days in this beautiftil oasis, did 
not wish to spend the rest of his life in the de- 
licious tranquillity and repose which this climate 
affords. I have paid three visits to the island of 
the Prince de Galles, and on each occasion have 
quitted it with regret, not merely because of 
losing the society of my esteemed friend there, 
but because I have always been so much charmed 
with the calm, lovely face of nature, presenting 
as it does the image of tranquil happiness ; the 
sky always without a cloud, the sea never agi- 
tated, but smilinc: and baskino- in a continual 
calm — everything soft and gentle as the women 
of its clime. 

The English became possessed of this eai-thly 
paradise in the following manner : the King of 
Kheda presented it as a wedding portion to his 
daughter, who married an Englishman, and the 
hap})y bridegroom, with the consent of his consort, 
bestowed upon the island the name of the Prince 
de Galles, and made liis own country a })resent of 



THE GARDEN OF THE EAST. 149 

it. Since this country has been under the domi- 
nion of England, it has become quite a place of 
resort for the conquerors of India ; and here the 
powerful merchants who journey round the world 
in search of gain and glory, return to recruit the 
health they have wasted in their commercial la- 
bours, undertakings far more honourable than the 
victories boasted of by the hobbling heroes of the 
Invalides. The healthy influence of this climate 
is infallible ; constitutions, weakened by the damp 
unhealthy heat of Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay, 
recover in this island, as quickly as at Cape Town, 
or Tenerifle, and regain the energies which they 
have probably been deprived of for years. 

The inhabitants suppose, that in the time of the 
ancients, Hygeia, goddess of health, took up her 
abode in this charming island, and those who had 
derived benefit from its climate, blazoned forth 
the miraculous influence of the benevolent divi- 
nity in all parts of the world. In the present 
day, they have ceased to believe in the presence 
of a supernatiual agency ; still the possessors of 
this fine country do not fail either to avail them- 
selves of all the blessings of their beautiful cli- 
mate, or to live in the most comfortable, and even 
luxuriant manner. 

The island of the Prince de Galles is a little 
larger than Jersey, and I believe that it is possi- 
ble to travel round it in one day, having the de- 
licious shade of the fine trees which sm-round it 
with a belt of verdure the whole of the way. 
But, although not large, this little spot of earth 
is, in reahty, a world in itself, ^vith its plains, 
valleys, creeks, rivers, and mountains — its fertility 
is so great, that there is not a single little morsel 



150 TOWN OF PINANG. 

of land in the whole place, w^hich is not cultivated 
like a garden, for the inhabitants never attempt 
to grow anytliing in this soil but what is pleasing 
to the senses. On the declivities of the coast, are 
planted clove-trees, with their brown, starry 
flowers, cinnamon trees, rich with delicious odour, 
nutmeg trees, concealing their yellow, apricot- 
like fruit, beneath leaves, thick and glistening as 
those of the lam^el, whilst the plains are covered 
with sugar-canes, the enormous stems of which 
are as large as the bamboos of Yu-Nan. 

The town of Pinang is beautifully situated on 
tlie sea-shore, and inhabited principally by Euro- 
peans and Chinese ; and the natives of these 
countries, ambitious and fond of gain, are the 
only people in this island who immure themselves 
in neat-looldng white-washed houses, for the In- 
dians and Malays build themselves delicious little 
bowers beneath the thick branches of the llower- 
ing trees ; and never will Her Majesty the Queen 
of Great Britain (whom God preserve !) inhabit 
a palace half so lovely as the humblest of her sub- 
jects at Pinang, even the poor Malay, or the des- 
pised Bengalee, possesses ; she is, alas, condemned 
to the fate of not being able to enjoy half her 
riches ! Were she once to see, even in a dream, 
the glory and magnificence of her possessions in 
India, the palaces of Calcutta, the o-jn-dens of Be- 
nares and Ceylon, the grottoes at Elephanta, the 
villiis of Pointe-de-Galles, Sincii]wre, and ^lalacca, 
she would indeed exclaim, with the Italian to 
wliom I alluded before — " Behold my dominions, 
and then die !" 

I resided, during my stay at Pinang, with my 
friend M. Bigandet, the manager of the foreign 



CATHOLIC MISSIONAKIES. 151 

missions at Malacca ; and his house may, in every 
sense of the word, be termed the abode of bene- 
volence, for no one enters it without being re- 
ceived with a smile of welcome, consoled if he is 
in affliction, and offered refreshment if hungry or 
thirsty. My fellow-countrymen, who are more 
numerous at Pinang than will readily be believed, 
used to pay frequent visits hither, and generally 
at the hours of repast. 

Whilst staying with this worthy priest, I knew 
a great number of missionaries, for whom I formed 
quite a friendship, and I entertain a pleasant re- 
membrance of their various peculiar characteris- 
tics. For the most part, they were good-hearted, 
tolerant, amiable men, who treated the marine 
officers, and the poor sailors belonging to the mer- 
chant vessels, with great kindness and affability : 
but I must allow, that my countrymen do not al- 
ways behave very pohtely towards these men, 
who are generally very well disposed towards 
them, and indeed, would be of great use to them 
in these countries — however, the exactions, or 
rather, the wishes of the good priests are very 
reasonable ; they require that the French and 
Enghsh, the Bengalees, Malays, and Chinese, 
should, once a-week, make a public avowal of 
their religious faith, by attending divine service. 

One Sunday I had been fallilling the wishes of 
the good priests, and was standing at M. Bigan- 
det's, being about to dine with my friend, when 
I saw two French marines, who were weU known 
to me, enter the dwelling of the missionaries : one 
of them bore the title of " Captain Martin,'' and 
the other, of whose name I was ignorant, was his 
intimate friend, confidant, or whatever he might 



152 THE PIKATE. 

be called. Of course, the former was only called 
" Captain'' by com-tesy, for, in reality, he was 
merely the master of a vessel, which occasionally 
made speculative voyages about these shores. 
The captain was a little thick-set man, with short, 
muscular limbs, a ruddy visage, and sharp featm*es, 
surrounded by a fiery red beard, small grey eyes, 
which were continually in motion, and glittered 
exactly like those of a cat. He had acquired 
great reputation for boldness and intrepidity, and 
many tales were related of him, which said little 
either for liis sobriety or prudence. This Captain 
Mai-tin commanded a little vessel manned by a 
crew of about ten Malays or Lascars, and carried 
on a soiii of commerce in wood, for household ar- 
ticles, which he brought to different parts of the 
Malay coast, or the little islands of the Archipe- 
lago. When at sea, it was said that the captain 
cared very little for wind and storm ; he short- 
ened the sails only on their approach, and never 
entirely lowered them except in a tempest. 
Upon one occasion our hero was pm'suing his 
voyage in most beautiful weather ; his expedi- 
tion had been unusually lucrative, and he was re- 
turning in high spirits to Pinang, when his friend 
came to inform him that a i)roa, of very suspi- 
cious aspect, was beai'ing down upon the vessel. 
He turned his attention to the point indicated, 
and saw in a moment that it was a Malay vessel, 
which, from its general ap})earance, could not pos- 
sess very pacific intentions : it was useless to endea- 
vom- to escape it, for the breeze being very gentle, 
the cjiptain's vessel made but slow progi'css, whilst 
the '[troa seemed to fiy over the waves like an 
arrow. Without losing a moment, the captain 



THE COUNCIL OF WAR. 153 

summoned his crew — informed them that it was 
his intention to fight the pirates, who would pre- 
sently attack t/he ship, and that he was about to 
make an equal distribution of the arms on board. 
At this announcement, the Lascars and Malays 
exclaimed loudly ; they said that they were on 
board that vessel to assist in commercial under- 
takings, but that none of them intended to sacri- 
fice their own lives for the preservation of liis 
lordship's piasters, and thereupon they all sat 
down quietly upon deck. Captain Martin did not 
condescend to dispute the point with his crew, 
but calling his fi?iend and counsel, he observed 
to him that every thing they possessed was on 
board, and that it would be shameful not to en- 
deavour to defend it — that his own desire was 
to fight to the last, but he wished for the opi- 
nion of his companion. 

" My opinion," replied his friend, " is, that it 
would be a great pity to lose our lives in fight- 
ing two against twent}^, even supposing the crew 
does not join the other side ; if all we have is 
taken from us, why, we must commence all over 
again ; besides, even if we loose every tiring, we 
shall not be poorer than we were when we came to 
this country." 

" You argue Hke a lawyer," answered the cap- 
tain ; " but allow me to make one remark, viz. 
that in case of having all w^e possess taken from 
us, you may be quite certain that our lives will 
share the same fate as our property, and we shall 
therefore be deprived of the opportunity upon 
which you seem to calculate, of commencing our 
labom-s over again ; you may depend upon it, 
the heroes on yonder deck would much prefer 



154 HOW TO MAKE MEN BRAVE. 

seeing iis hanged, to giving us a chance of treat- 
ino" them in a similar manner should we return 
to Pinang." 

These considerations seemed to have some 
weight with the captain's friend, who replied, 
that he would do whatever he was required ; and 
after a short conversation, descended into his 
little cabin, while Captain Martin took down a 
couple of double-barrelled muskets, which he 
handed to his companion, with a good supply of 
ammunition, and at the same time armed himself 
with a heavy bar of iron, and an enormous blud- 
geon, which had already seen some hard service : 
thus equipped for action, the two friends returned 
on deck. 

" Load both your muskets — stand in the back- 
ground — and listen to what I am about to say,'' 
were the first orders issued by the captain to his 
comrade, by whom they were promptly obeyed : 
the former then threw his iron bar down upon 
the deck, and taking the bludgeon in both hands, 
delivered his sentiments in the following terms — 
" You refuse to fight — well, to this mode of con- 
duct you have doubtless a right ; but, on the 
other hand, / have the power, not merely to 
command, but to punish you in any manner I 
please : supposing I order you to dance a minuet — 
if the music does not suit yt>ur taste, and you 
climb the mast to avoid hearing it, why, 1 shall 
be under the necessity of bringing you do^\^l 
again l)y a few shots from those nuiskets." And 
witli(jvit waiting for an answer, he threw liim- 
self u]Km the Malays and Ljuscars, and used his 
weapon in such good earnest, that the atfrighted 
victims were comi>letely taken by sm'i)rise, and 



THE ATTACK. 155 

forgetting everything but their own safety, sought 
to escape the terrible blows menacing them on all 
sides; some fled for shelter to the sails, others 
climbed the mast, and one poor fellow jumped 
overboard, no one attempting to rescue him : in 
less than ten minutes, every man in the vessel 
(with the exception of the one who had taken to 
the water) had thrown himself at the feet of the 
gallant captain, and kissing the dust off his 
shoes, swore to defend the vessel to the very death. 

" It is well, my friends,'' said their commander, 
coolly ; " I see you require kind treatment to be- 
come obedient ; but take care not to fail me this 
time — should you do so, you may find it danger- 
ous.'' And laying down the bludgeon, he once 
more resumed the iron bar, having impressed the 
crew with the opinion that it was decidedly bet- 
ter to run the risk of an encounter with the pi- 
rates, than to meet with certain death at the 
hands of their captain ; so every man armed him- 
self with axes, spades, irons, in short, with what- 
ever he could find in the shape of a weapon, and 
stood prepared to receive the enemy. 

Scarcely had all this taken place, when the 
Malay "proa bore down upon the vessel like an 
arrow cutting through the air — its sails were fold- 
ed, and its rapid, noiseless motion, scarcely left a 
trace of its presence on the bosom of the waters — 
the moment the two vessels came alongside each 
other, that of the captain was seized by a grap- 
pling-iron, wielded by the hands of a Malay, 
and at the same instant six well-armed men 
sprung upon the deck — " Let no one move," said 
the commander, who as two Malays set foot on 



156 THE VICTORY. 

board, laid them both dead at his feet with the 
well-dealt blows of his formidable iron bar. 

The lieutenant now saw, that the fii'st thing to 
be effected was the separation of the ship from 
the grappling-iron of the p^^oa, in order to pre- 
vent the possibility of the other assailants render- 
ing any assistance to their companions, and, taking 
deadly aim with his musket, he split the head 
of the Malay who wielded the grappling-iron, 
and thus gave the vessel a better chance against 
the 'proa. 

This unexpected blow astounded the pirates, 
who began to lose their self-command, and thus 
committed the fatal error of hesitation ; in another 
moment, two more of their crew were shot dead, 
and giving up the encounter in despair, they 
hoisted the sails of the loroa, and took flight, 
with even greater rapidity than they had used 
in overtaking the ship, leaving their companions 
to the mercy of the conqueror. 

Captain Martin had now only the three Malays 
to deal with, for out of the six who had leaped 
on board, two were immediately murdered, and 
the third was now writhing upon deck with both 
his legs fractured. Of course the unfortunate 
prisoners surrendered themselves on beholding 
the departure of the ^iroa ; and, justly proud of 
his victory, the captain commanded that the un- 
happy Malay, whose wounds caused him such 
agony, should be thrown overboard, to put an 
end to his tortures, and ordered tlie other three 
prisoners to be brought before him. He wa.s not 
long in deciding their fate, for, upon examining 
their countenances, he decreed that two of them 
should be hanged by the hands of the thii'd, who 



AN EXECUTION. 157 

was a youth of about nineteen, to whom he gave 
the benefit of French law, in consideration of 
his having been led by the others, and incapable 
of judging for himself So the captain returned 
to Pinang with the bodies of the two pirates 
swinging amongst the rigging. 

Of course the adventure was reported to the 
English government, and, upon examination, it 
Avas unfortunately proved, that the Malays on 
board the captain's vessel, were the accomplices 
of the pirates by whom they had been attacked : 
two of them were, therefore, condermied to death ; 
and, on the day of the execution, Martin and 
his friend dressed themselves in their best attire, 
and, taking up their position in front of the 
spectacle, remained until all was over, when the 
commander exclaimed — " I felt obliged to be 
present in person, for I could not have believed, 
had I not witnessed the proof, that an English- 
man could be just to a Frenchman \" Such was 
his blunt manner of expressing his satisfaction, 
and such the man who presented himself, at the 
moment of which I have spoken, at the residence 
of the missionaries. 

As soon as he perceived me he came up, and 
offering his hand, exclaimed — " What a country 
this is, doctor ! there is actually not a single 
public-house in the island where one may talk 
and drink as one pleases ! To think that I, who 
would, when in France, have gone three miles 
another way, rather than have met a priest, 
should here, be obliged to come to his house to 
have the pleasure of meeting with a countryman 
of my own.'" 

I remarked, that the manner in which he had 



158 THE JONAHS OF THE GULPH. 

been treated in this country, ought to have re- 
conciled liim to the sio^ht of the black robes. 

" True, doctor, I dare say they are not bad 
friends — true as gold and not vindictive — they 
treat you hospitably, and never breathe a word 
hinting at recompense ; but I must confess, that 
the dislike I have to them is stronger than my 
reason, and I have cherished it from infancv. 
When I lived at home in my native village, and 
wanted some eggs to eat, my mother invariably 
replied, that she must keep them all for the 
curate : and when my poor father was lost in the 
Gulf of Gascony, there were two priests on board 
the vessel." 

*' But, sui-ely,'' said I, " Father Bigandet did 
not eat all yom' mother's eggs, nor was it owing 
to the evil influence of Father Bouchot that your 
father met with his untimely fate \" 

" No, no,'' was the reply ; " and between our- 
selves, I can hardly believe sometimes that they 
really are priests : in the first place, M. Bigandet, 
is as learned as a law}^er," (the captain had a 
number of favourite phrases, and this was one of 
them) ; " and you know the old saying amongst 
us ; and as to Father Bouchot, what a man he is ! 
a little while ago, he applied for a piece of land 
from the Governor, who granted it, but being a 
true-born Englishman, growled out ' Ah, there's 
another Frenchman o-oiuo- to ruin himself!' but, 
instead of that, Father Bouchot, tar from getting 
into difficulties, lias now the finest plantations in 
Pinang — what a pity it is that such a man can- 
not many, for what a fortune he could leave liis 
children. 1 only wish I could (^laim tlie title of his 



WHEN TO ATTEND MASS. 159 

nephew ; but priests never have any relations but 
pretty nieces — have they Doctor ?" 

" Captain, your joke will not do — but come in, 
and have some dinner/' 

" Ah, no, I never think of visiting the mis- 
sionaries in that way, for their ' Benedicite' would 
not suit me at all — besides, what a hypocrite I 
should be to mingle amongst them and make the 
sign of the cross, just as if I belonged to their set/^ 

" But are you then the very Diable himself in 
person, that you will neither join them at mass, 
nor exchange a friendly ' Benedicite' with them V 

" As for the matter of blessing,'' replied Mar- 
tin, " I never attend mass on a Sunday from 
superstition, but at the same time, I seldom fail 
in this duty when about to put to sea ; and re- 
member Doctor, whenever you are going to make 
a voyage, never let it be with a captain who omits 
attending mass, or who sets sail on a Friday." 
And so saying the Captain shook my hand, and 
in spite of all my remonstrances, departed. 

This singular specimen of a marine philosopher 
was capable of appreciating the kindness and be- 
nevolence of those of my fellow countrymen, who 
as servants of God, looked upon his misdemeanors 
with a charitable eye. I ought moreover to add, 
that Captain Martin was not at heart, a bad man, 
or an unbeliever, for in reality, he was a firm 
friend of the missionaries, and all who were ac- 
quainted with him knew better than to speak ill 
of them in his presence. 

Besides the concourse of sailors who frequent 
the shores of Pinang, there are also great num- 
bers of French planters and merchants, most of 
whom hold an honourable and influential position 



IGO THE ENGLISH AT PINAXG. 

in the country. One of these, M. Donadieu, a 
friend of mine, hjis founded, in the province of 
Walesley (in the Malay territory), a most splendid 
establishment, which fully equals any of those 
belonging to the English. He first set foot on 
this soil full of confidence in the efficacious pro- 
tection of the British flag, wherever it is hoisted, 
as the vigilant guardian of the civil, religious, 
and commercial liberty, of all over whom it waves, 
without distinction or partiality. 

M. Donadieu has long since renounced all the 
prejudices which are still nomished against " ijer- 
Jide Albion" in the heart of these provinces, and 
he seized every opportunity of convincing me, 
that the English, in this country, are the repre- 
sentatives of tlie strictest justice, while the tribes 
under their government are by far tlie happiest in 
India. 

I once accompanied him to visit a Chinese mer- 
chant at Pinang, who, like M. Wampou, of Sinca- 
pore, carried on a commerce comprising nearly all 
the objects in the creation. Whilst there, two 
Malays entered the shop, one a man of about 
forty, the other many years younger, perhaps 
five-and-twenty years of age. The former was 
endeavourino^ to sell a maojnificent skin of the 
black panther, wliich would have delighted the 
eyes of Eugene Sue. He was not without some 
traits of physical resemblance to the animal whose 
remains he held in his hand ; small in stjiture, 
and extremely thin, he glided about rather than 
walked, and at every step turned his quick glit- 
tering eyes right and left. The other carried one 
of those pretty sphericiil cages which the Miilays 
alone can construct, in which were imprisoned 



THE PANTHER SKIN. 161 

two beautiful birds. The two men had nothing 
in common, save the characteristic traits of their 
race, for in every other respect they differed stri- 
kingly, and the nature of their merchandise was 
not more opposite than the expression of their 
countenances. The younger one had a firm free 
step, and walked with his hand on the scabbard 
of his kriss, while his general mien was cheerful, 
and expressive of mildness and candour. 

M. Donadieu requested the Chinese merchant 
to allow me, as a stranger, to pui^chase the pan- 
ther's skin, and the two pretty birds, a pro- 
posal to wliich the son of the celestial empire 
consented with the air of a man who knew how 
much tliis act of complaisance would cost him. 

" Now, Doctor,'' said M. Donadieu, as the two 
Malays were brought before us, " you have only 
to listen, in order to have an excellent opportu- 
nity of forming what the French term an ' iTn- 
'pression de voyage :" and the following dialogue 
took place between my friend and the proprietor 
of the panther's skin : — 

" Where did you kill that animal V 

^' I can tell you nothing about him, for I did 
not kill him myself" 

" Then you bought the skin V 

" No." 

" No ! How then did you become possessed of 
it?" 

" It was given me to seU." 

" Where do you come from V 

" From the provinces, on the other side the 
water." 

*' What is the name of your country V 

M 



162 GOVERNMENTS CONTRASTED. 

" What does that matter ? — Will you buy the 

skin V 

" Yes : but supposing I were to visit your pro- 
vince, with my friends, would you accompany us 
in our hunting expeditions, if we paid you to do 

SO i 

" I never hunt. Will you buy this skin V 

" How much do you want for it ?" 

" Six piastres.'' 

" I shall only give you four.'' 

" Then I must go and ask the owner whether 
he will agree to your price." 

With these words he left tlie shop, and M. 
Donadieu, turning to the younger man, abruptly 
enquired whence he came. 

" From Koulet-Tambon, in the provinces be- 
longing to the Company," was the reply. 

" How should you like to see some of my 
countrymen come amongst you to hunt tigers 
and elephants along with the natives of your 
country ?" 

" Would you furnish me with a musket ?" 

" Of course." 

" Oh, then we would hunt elephants, and pur- 
sue them up to the very borders of Siam." 

" What do you ask for those two birds ?" 

" Two piastres." 

M. Donadieu turned to me, and enquired 
whether I really wished to become a pm'chaser ; 
on my replying in the affirmative, he tohl the 
Malay that he should only give him one piastre 
for the two ; but the young man without ])aying 
any further attention to the bargain exclaimed — 
" You do not speak Englisli, but you seem to be 



RAJAH GOVERNMENT. 163 

from tlie same country. Where is your native 
land V 

" A very long way from here — far away over 
the seas — it is called France."" 

" You are both dressed in the same manner, 
and you must be of the same tribe ; but how is 
it that your companion wears moustaches, while 
you are without them ? Is he a chief, or are yott 
of superior rank V 

" There is no distinction of that kind between 
us, he merely wears moustaches because he has a 
fancy for doing so/' 

" But you are governed by the English, are 
you not V 

" By no means.'^ 

*' Oh, then you are under the dominion of some 
rajah,'' exclaimed the Malay, gazing on us with 
an expression of mournful pity. 

" Nor that either — we have a king, just as the 
English have." 

" You are not English, and yet you are not 

governed by a rajah " and the Malay shook 

his head incredulously, and seemed to reflect for 
a few minutes — then suddenly recollecting him- 
self, he overwhelmed M. Donadieu with a per- 
fect shower of questions, exhibiting as he did so, 
that true spirit of curiosity, which is, perhaps, 
one of the most infallible signs of the first dawn- 
ings of intellect, and is not often to be met with 
among tribes so barbarous as the one to which 
this Malay belonged : as his enquiries would have 
required quite a long course of geographical and 
political instruction in order to have been render- 
ed frilly comprehensible to him, M. Donadieu, 
pleaded want of time, promising to tell him more 

M 2 



[64i WEALTH DAXGEROUS. 

at some future time, and after paying him for his 
birds, we departed. 

On the thresliold we encountered the proprietor 
of the panther-skin, which, it appeared, we were 
to have for four piastres. On handing him the 
money, he received it in perfect silence, looking 
cautiously around him all the time, as if to assure 
himself that the transaction had not been ob- 
served. 

" Now, doctor,'' said M. Donadieu, addressing 
me, " do you understand wdiat you have just 
seen ? 

" Perfectly,'' I replied ; " one of these two Ma- 
lays is a British subject ; the other, some poor vas- 
sal of the Rajah's, under the dominion of the King 
01 oiam. 

" The owner of the panther's skin," continued 
my fi'iend, " is most probably a wealthy man, and 
holding a position of importance in his country, 
notwithstanding his abject and suffering appear- 
ance ; yet he clandestinely carries on a little 
commerce of his own, the profits of which he is 
careful to guard with the utmost secresy : he 
knows too well the ruthless principles of his So- 
vereign on the subject of confiscation, and is con- 
stantly disquieted and suspicious, because of the 
incessant surveillance which oppresses his country- 
men, and the fear he has of meeting the e\'e of 
his master ; never sure of the intentions of any 
one he meets, he dare not reply to any (juestions, 
from a dread of com])romising, or involving him- 
self in difiiculties ; in short, like all the other sub- 
jects of a des})otic government, he lives in a state 
of ])er])etual constraint and misery. As to the 
young Malay, under the dominion of the English 



WHAT IS GOOD GOVERNMENT ? 165 

flag, he is free from all these harrassing doubts 
and suspicions, and the bold step, and contented 
honest air, bespeak in the plainest language, that 
he stands in no fear of his masters, whose protec- 
tion enables him to enjoy, in peace and secm-ity, 
the fruits of his honest labours, and to laugh to 
scorn the petty tyrants who ruled his forefathers 
with a rod of iron/' 

" You may depend upon it, doctor,'' said M. 
Donadieu, gravely, " it is not of that importance 
which men suppose, wdiether your opinions are 
constitutional or absolute — democratic or the re- 
verse ; this matters comparatively little ; the grand 
thing required is to be just — to claim for another, 
whether friend or enemy — inferior or superior, 
the same protection, liberty, and privileges, which 
you demand for yourself: with a government in 
which this principle is fully carried out, you may 
be confidently certain that little will go amiss." 
And many times, since that conversation, have 
I been forcibly reminded of the lesson I then re- 
ceived in politics. 

Amongst all my recollections of Pinang, there 
are none more agreeable than those connected 
with my delightful walks in its environs — some- 
times by the side of deUcious streams, listening to 
the silvery sounds emanating from the large leaves 
of the lotus — now in beautiful lanes shaded by 
the bamboo and arequier, and embellished with 
plants of the lovely nepanthus, the petals of which 
are perpetually filled with a Hquid more clear and 
sparkling than the morning dew, and sometimes 
by the side of the mountain, on the summit of 
which stands the country residence of the governor. 
One day, I ordered my palanquin, and repaired to 



166 PINANG BOWERS. 

the foot of this smgular looking cone, which over- 
looks the whole island, almost like a gigantic obser- 
vatory : on arriving at the base, I alighted, and 
took my way along the spmil road wliich runs all 
round the mountain, and is as green as if covered 
with a carpet of velvet — for vehicles of any kind, 
this beautiftd path is quite impassable — and the 
thick branches of the noble trees rise to the height 
of one hundred feet into the air, and form an inter- 
laced dome of the richest verdure, which is 
perfectly impenetrable, while, beneath its protect- 
ing shade are innumerable arbuscles and herbaceous 
plants, mingled with the foliage of the elegant 
ferns, whose light feathery branches float grace- 
fully in the gentle breeze ; here and there, the 
sui'face of the mountain is rent asunder Ijy a deep 
abyss, in which you can hear the melodious voice 
of some surrounding cascade, rendered invisible 
by the mass of vegetation with which it seems as 
if nature delighted to cover the immense chasms, 
which volcanic convulsions have, from time to 
time, made in the soil. The universal silence 
which reigns around, is occasionally disturbed by 
the step of a horse, ascending or descending the 
steep path — the cry of some bird which has 
become entangled in the flowery meshes woven 
by the trees, or by the voice of an ape chattering 
to its young ones. As soon as I had arrived at a 
certain point, I seated myself at the foot of a 
tree, the light foliage of which admitted the 
bi'illiant rays of the sun, like silky threads of 
gold, while beautiful insects sjwrted alxmt in tlie 
soft air, enamelling the suiface with the splendid 
colours of their dazzling wings. 

1 was admiring their giaceful and sportive 



APES IN THEIR NATIVE WILDS. 167 

gambols, when a noise of a very animated conver- 
sation struck upon my ear, and looking up, I be- 
held, at an immense distance above my head, a 
group of monkeys, chattering and babbling in the 
most amusing manner. They were large, black 
creatures, with beard and whiskers a^ white as 
snow, and, except for their long tails, might have 
been mistaken for aged negroes ; presently their 
conversation seemed to border upon a quarrel, and 
I expected every moment they would come to 
blows ; the females and little ones stood at the back 
of the others, not without joining in the dispute, and 
now and then gesticulating violently ; the whole 
scene had the appearance of some caricature, act- 
ed by mountebanks in the air ; but all of a sudden 
the combat ceased, and the whole of the noisy 
troop dispersed themselves among the different 
boughs, which a few minutes before seemed likely 
to becom^e the scene of an active dispute ; and no 
sooner were all these singular creatures distributed 
about in various parts of the immense tree upon 
which they had been seated, than they immedi- 
ately began to strip it of its fruit with such ala- 
crity, that the ground below was in a few minutes 
covered with the spoil At first I thought that 
it must surely be against myself that these missiles 
were directed, as a great number of them fell upon 
my head, but I soon perceived that there was no 
hostility intended by these active workmen, for 
no sooner was their business finished satisfactorily, 
than they descended fr-om their aerial perch, to 
devour the fruit they had scattered. 

In point of intelligence, animals certainly bear 
a resemblance to human beings, who have sunk 
into a state of childishness, and their manners and 



168 THE MONARCH APE : 

instincts, in the midst of their native forests, re- 
mind us of those of children released fi-om con- 
straint. The moment these creatm-es leaped to 
the ground, they began to attack the heap of 
fruit, manoeuvering^ and strug^oiinn^ to obtain the 
finest and ripest, plundering and pursuing those 
of their companions who had been most fortunate 
in their selection. In proportion as tlieir hunger 
was satisfied, the general disorder increased — 
some throwing aside their half-eaten fruit, to com- 
mence an attack upon one of his neighbom\s — the 
females robbing their offspring, as if to teach 
them a lesson of patience, and the whole pai-ty 
accompan3dng their gestiu'es with exclamations 
and blows. 

In the midst of all this confusion, a deep voice 
was heard to speak in an authoritative manner, 
which seemed to have the effect of restoring im- 
mediate silence and order. It proceeded from a 
colossal figm^e just that moment arrived, in whose 
grave and serious air I at once recognised the 
chief of the troop. No sooner had the other apes 
perceived him, than they surrounded him, keep- 
ing at a respectfril distance, and remaining in an 
attitude of the most perfect obedience, allowed 
him to select from the heap of fruit, everything 
that seemed to take his fiincy ; when he had done 
this, and appeased his appetite, he again raised 
his deep voice, and the whole of the turbulent 
party dispersed themselves in the quietest manner. 

" By wliat riglit," I asked myself, " does this 
venerable-looking cliief exercise this power ? By 
intellectual or physical superiority V Perhaps by 
means of both a<lvautages, for the stern dignity 
of his demeanor, the beauty of his long hair, and 



HIS APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER. 169 

the robust, athelic vigour of liis limbs, were most 
striking, particularly when contrasted with the 
preposterous laxity of his subjects, and their lean, 
lanky forms. I know not how it was, but as I 
stood in the presence of this singular creature, I 
I could not divest myself of a sort of superstitious 
dread, for there was something in the appearance 
of this wild forest king, thus keeping his subjects 
in such perfect obedience which irresistibly re- 
minded me of the mysterious tales of the great 
God of Indian mythology, who is said to lead a 
life of eternal isolation. I was just summoning 
courage to intrude myself upon the notice of this 
forest monarch, when he suddenly rose from his 
seat, and gathering up a handful of fruit, walked 
away from the spot, with a slov/, grave step. I 
dare say I was not wi^ong in conjectm^ing that at 
no very great distance was the royal hut, covered 
with moss and ferns, and siu-rounded with per- 
fumed trees, beneath which the queen of the tribe 
was probably sheltered from the curious gaze of 
her subjects. 

This immense ape possessed all those external 
indications of being accustomed to a life of undis- 
puted authority, which the constant exercise of 
power never fails to leave. He was the very 
personification of the authority which intelligence 
and strength always hold over the passions of the 
multitude ; but, like many another despotic mo- 
narch, melancholy in manner, and restless in his 
movements. 

In the countries in which despotism has flou- 
rished for such a number of years, I am half in- 
clined to believe, that men originally borrowed 
their form of government from the animals which 



170 MOUNTAIN HOMES. 

preceded tliem ; or else, that the hitter recognised 
the superior intellect of man, and took him for 
their pattern and guide ; but be that as it may, I 
certainly saw no difference whatever between the 
conduct of the rajahs who govern Malacca, and 
that of the singular creature whose habits I had 
just had an opportmiity of examining. In this 
part of the Efist, it seems as if both men and ani- 
mals perceived the necessity for placing the sole 
power with one individual ; however, it is certain 
that man must, ere long, become more enlighten- 
ed, and adopt a mode of government more con- 
sistent with the advancement of civilization. 

My amusement in watching the monkeys being 
now concluded, I recommenced the ascent of this 
beautiful mountain, which is covered, from the 
base to the summit, with charminof dwellino-s of 
various sizes ; there is not a valley, a rocky crag, 
or a thicket of trees, which is not embellished 
with some pretty little habitation ; and the man- 
ner in which these are disposed, recalls to the 
mind those mysterious mountains, which have for 
ages been consecrated by the number of little 
oratories and cells erected upon them, from time 
to time, by the religious population. 

Each of these delio-htful dwellinof-houses is 
built in a favourable situation for catchinor the de- 
licious freshness of the breeze that plays around, 
the one belonging to the governor being on the 
airy summit of this pedestal of verdure ; it is a 
very large mansion, elegant and commodious, and 
beautifully situated with regard to salubrity ; a 
long open gallery is the principal apartment of 
the chateau, and on account of its coolness, the 
one generally used ; the national colours of Eng- 



THE HALF-RESOLVE. 171 

land float over this noble edifice, and serve as a 
beacon both to the sailors and Malays who plough 
the wide ocean around, and the standard of the 
great nation whose fleet reigns supreme all over 
the world, could scarcely be more appropriately 
planted, than in the midst of this immense rock 
of verdure, rising, as it does, like a tower from 
the bosom of the sea. 

Many, many times have I half formed the 
scheme of possessing myself of a hermitage on this 
perfumed Sinai, and pursuing a mode of life ac- 
cording to my own taste ; I would build my little 
dwelling in one of the valleys on the side of the 
mountain, and would make it a perfect paradise 
upon earth — it should be planted round with all 
the trees which produce the delicious fruits of 
India, and surrounded with all the inoflensive 
animals with which Providence has blessed the 
globe (a few harmless Malays being included 
amongst the number.) There, in the midst of 
these quiet and faithful companions, I would 
await the time when the great alchymist of In- 
dian mythology, Siva, the most powerful of all 
the deities, should begin to work upon me with 
liis wonderful spells. This wild scheme came 
upon me for the twentieth time in my life, when 
upon one occasion, I was visiting the college of 
Poulo Ticoux (which is managed by one of our 
missionaries) and there met with the captain of a 
steamer, in which I had once before made the 
voyage to Pinang : the moment he perceived me, 
he descended fi-om his palanquin, and welcoming 
me in the warmest manner, pressed me very much 
to accompany him to the residence of a friend of 
his, who resided in a viUa not very far distant : 



] 72 THE EXTHUSIASTIC NATURALIST. 

as I manifested some reluctance in complying 
with this in\dtation, he informed me that liis 
friend Wixs a Em*opean, an old physician who had 
once been attached to the English army, and who 
would be delighted to see me. As he appeared 
very anxious I should go with him, I consented 
to do so, and after a long walk up a steep emin- 
ence, we arrived at the residence of the doctor, 
who was a man of about fifty years of age — tall, 
fair, and good looking, with a striking physiog- 
nomy, and a white beard, harmonizing well with 
the clearness of his complexion. After exchang- 
ing a few compliments, he took us for a walk 
through his grounds — it was the very realization 
of my dream of sylvan life ! The splendid trees 
were inhabited by apes of every species, and par- 
roquets of the most brilliant plumage ; on the 
green, velvety turf, sported the gracefid stag, and 
that beautiful species of goat which is pecidiar to 
Malacca, and is not larger than a hare ; beauti- 
ful specimens of water-fowl were swimming about 
in a Kttle lake, with water like crystal ; and from 
the midst of a tuft of rushes, a young ta]iir issued 
forth at the voice of his master, and began to 
caress him with his trunk. 

The doctor was an enthusiastic naturalist, not 
one of those stupid collectors of cm-iosities, who 
fill their houses with " stuffed specimens," of 
whicli caricatures he had an extreme liorror, re- 
garding them as mere tricks, of the same descrip- 
tion as the abominable })rofanation of embalming. 
It was the good man's delight to be able to in- 
troduce into liis family, and treat witli kindness 
and atl'ection, some poor faithful animal, by means 
of which he was often enabled to satisfy the idle 



VICTIMS TO KNOWLEDGE. 173 

curiosity of the savans of London and Paris. 
He was really attached to all the dumb creatures 
around him, taking an interest in all their habits, 
instincts, and passions. When they died, he 
buried them as he would have done human beings, 
for his kind soul revolted at the idea of depriving 
them of the natural clothing which their Maker 
had bestowed on them, for a garment in life, and 
a shroud in death. 

" I hope the time is not far distant,'' said the 
doctor to me, " when the zoological gardens and 
exhibitions will expel from their walls, all the 
wretched animal-corpses which they now contain, 
for the amusement of the unenlightened public 
who visit them ; and also, that it will please God, 
ere long, to deliver up to justice, all those abomi- 
nable impostors, who, under the pretext of pur- 
suing physiological studies, commit numberless 
assassinations upon the innocent and unprotected 
every year. Even in the nation which stands at 
the head of all others, for refinement and civili- 
zation, there are to be found numbers of this 
class of men, totally destitute of all scientific 
merit, except that of having sacrificed a multi- 
tude of harmless lives, merely to prove the differ- 
ent ways in which a wounded animal suffers and 
complains, and that it cannot act and exist in a 
state of mutilation, as it would have done, had it 
not become the victim of cruelty.'' 

These remarks he concluded with some allu- 
sions to PajKtvoine, and lafille Cornier; finishing 
up by saying, that the whole tribe deserved 
hanging ! 

I endeavoured to calm the good man's irrita- 
tion (particularly as he had spoken against som.e 



17-i BENEVOLENT ANGER. 

who were personally known and esteemed by me), 
by assui'ing him that he took too severe a view 
of the case ; that the savans, of whom he spoke, 
might certainly be ambitious of distinction, and, 
perhaps, unenlightened, but not so culpable and 
wicked as he imagined. I reminded him, that 
ambition without talent, was always senseless in 
its aims ; and that if a spare corner was filled up 
in the way he mentioned, the public were not so 
much to be blamed for ferocity and cruelty, as 
for folly and ignorance ; and assmdng him that 
they did not, in reality, delight in death and 
slaughter, and that if they could once behold the 
happy condition of the animals in the green 
woods around him, they would be animated by 
better sentiments. 

When my remonstrances had calmed my good 
friend's anger a little, we entered into a long 
conversation on the subject of animals, their in- 
telligence and instinct ; and we spent hours in 
recountino; curious facts connected with the mat- 
ter, both being of opinion, that among the crea- 
tures, ignorantly termed dumb animals, there 
were, as well as among men, all gi-ades of intelli- 
gence, from that of a superior order, down to 
positive idiocy ; and during these hom'S of pleasant 
conversation, probably made far more usefid and 
conclusive observations, than were ever kno^vn 
to the assassins of which my friend had Ijeen 
speaking. 

One evening, the doctor and myself were com- 
fortably seated in liis verandali ; a punkah (a 
large piece of stufi", the continual movement of 
wl)ich s])read a delicious freshness througli the 
apartment) was being worked by the hands of 



A DELICATE INQUIRY. 175 

a Malay servant, wliile two otlier natives were 
seated on mats ready to attend to our wishes ; 
the apes collected themselves into little groups, 
watching us smoking ; the birds, which in these 
climates go to rest early, and sleep little, nestled 
in the beautiful shrubs around the verandah ; and 
the tapir, in his brown coat speckled with white, 
laid his head on his master's knee, and watching 
him with his bright intelligent eye, listened to 
our conversation. As I gazed on the charming 
tableau, a sudden thought struck me, and, turn- 
ing to my companion, I inquired how long he 
had lived in this country. 

*' Ever since 1832,'" was the reply. 

" There is one question,'' said I, " which I 
should very much like to ask, if you would not 
consider it impertinent — how is it that having 
established yourself here in the veiy prime of life, 
you have not sought to render this Eden perfect ! 
You are, I think, like myself, totally without pre- 
judice as to shade and complexion ; besides, the 
females among the Malays are so gentle and poet- 
ical, that they could not offend even European 
scruples ; how is it then, you have never intro- 
duced a Malay Eve into this lovely place V 

The Doctor smiled, and was silent for a mo- 
ment, then removing his cigar from his lips, he 
inquired whether I had time to remain a few 
hours with him, and on my replying in the affirm- 
ative, exclaimed — " Well then. Doctor, I will tell 
you why it is, that my Eden is not rendered per- 
fect by the presence of a ' Malay Eve,' as you 
elegantly term it." 

And having called for a fr-esh supply of ginger 
beer, we established ourselves more comfortably 



176 THE FAVOURED PHYSICIAN. 

upon oui' mats, and the Doctor commenced his 
tale, as follows : — 

" When I first arrived at Pinang, I formed a 
great intimacy with the physician of the colony ; 
it was not my intention to practise in my pro- 
fession, and my principal wish was to be so sit- 
uated as to be able to pm-sue scientific researches. 
My companion was an energetic young man, en- 
dowed with a gi^eat spirit of enquiry : a minute 
and thorough investigator, he was somewdiat rest- 
less in disposition, seldom remaining long in one 
place, and continually moving about, here, there, 
and everywhere. His great ambition appeared 
to have always been, to obtain a complete know- 
ledge of the manners and customs of the native 
inhabitants of those countries in which he had, at 
different times, resided. For this purpose, he 
applied himself assiduously to learning theii' lan- 
guage, and visiting their houses, and succeeded so 
well in his object, as to gain a very large share of 
confidence and good will, and to render himself 
extremely popular amongst the natives ; the fjict 
that he was the only English physician at Pinang 
who had ever been freely admitted within the 
Malay families, being sufficient proof of this. 

^' One morning, very early, my yoimg fiiend 
rapped at my door — ' I am going,' said he, ' into 
the interior of the island, for the purpose of ^'isit- 
ing a Malay patient, about whom I sliould really 
be glad if you would give me your opinion ; if 
you will be kind enough to accomi)any me imme- 
diately, we sliall be able to get back before the 
heat of the day.' 

" Now I had hitherto, always refused to join 
my young comjjanion professionally, knowing 



A MALAY FAMILY. 177 

that even between friends, the practice of medi- 
cine was a piece of machinery wliich required 
very delicate handling ; but as the patient in this 
case was a poor native, who was of course count- 
ed as a cypher in the population of Pinang, I 
made no objection whatever, and we set out on 
our expedition. 

" As we journeyed along, which we did very 
rapidly, in a palanquin, my friend gave me a few 
instructions as to the part I was about to play — 
' We are going,' said he, ' to visit people who are 
continually watching all your motions, and who 
are frightened by the merest trifle ; I shall not at 
first tell them that you are a physician, nor in- 
deed shall I call in your assistance unless it is 
positively required.' 

'' This was exactly what I wished. After 
sometime, we arrived at one of those delicious 
dwellings, which always look as if they were 
sustained by some invisible hand amid the foli- 
age which surrounds them. A group of men and 
women were seated in the verandah, apparently 
awaiting anxiously the arrival of my friend, for 
the moment they perceived him they all cried 
out as if with one voice, that ' the patient was 
gradually growing worse and worse \ but of this 
announcement we took no notice whatever. 

'' The group of Malays was composed of seven 
persons, three women, two young girls, a man of 
about sixty years of age, and a youth, the elder 
of the two latter, being, I supposed, the father of 
the family. My companion left me in the veran- 
dah with the old man and the boy, and entering 
the house, followed the three matrons into the 
chamber of the sufferer. 



178 AN EXCITIXG SUBJECT. 

" However, desiroiis you may be to enter into 
conversation with people of the description of 
those with whom I now found myself, there is 
nevertheless, great difficulty in doing so, for you 
might as well address yourself in the human lan- 
guage to wild animals and expect them to under- 
stand you, as to find subjects within the range of 
capacities like theirs. However, after several in- 
effectual efforts, I at last found a topic which 
seemed to interest them — an account of a piratical 
encounter in which the Malays had been victori- 
ous, a very rare thing with them, and we were 
conversing quite fluently, when an incident oc- 
cmTed, wliich immediately an^ested my attention 
very agreeably, in the shape of a pair of very 
small hands, wliich made their appearance from a 
half-open window, spreading out a piece of wet 
cloth to dry. These little hands were quite yel- 
low, it is true, but they were nevertheless beauti- 
ful, with slender fingers, and rosy well-shaped 
nails : all over the world, there is nothing niore 
rare, than a beautiful hand ; it bears with it the 
seal of aristocracy, and expresses what no other per- 
sonal advantage can do. The pair of which I 
speak, might, in size and form, have been en^^ed 
by a duchess, and took my attention so evidently, 
that the young Malay perceived the circumstonce : 
coming closer to me, and pointing to the window 
where the apparition was still visible, gatliering a 
garland of volkameria and tuberoses, he said, in 
a low, mysterious voice — ' Ada aonil' peranipocan 
njciiuf bafjoes selull,' whicli signifies, ' It is a 
young gh-1, and a very pretty one, too.' 

' A pa sarani dia V I inquired — ' Is she a 
Christian V 



THE WELCOME PHYSICIAN. 179 

" Tida, Islam, dia ada saya poenja soedara 
misan.' — ' No, she is a Mussulman, and my 
cousin/ 

" I had just received this piece of information, 
when my friend rejoined me, and not thinking fit 
to enlighten him on the subject of my discovery, 
I inquired anxiously after his patient. 

' The poor man is no worse,' he replied, ' not- 
withstanding what these idiots told me ; but to 
relieve me of a little responsibility, I should be 
glad if you would come and see him. He is pre- 
pared for your visit, if you will accompany me.' 

" And I did so. 

" I will not weary you with the medical part 
of my visit : suffice it to say that my manner 
produced such a favourable impression on the sick 
man, that he invited me to come and see him 
again. It is surprising when we reflect how often 
the motives of om^ conduct are misinterpreted. 
Here was an instance of this, for the reason of my 
apparent anxiety about the sufferer, was certainly 
misunderstood by every one, with the exception 
of the young Malay, who probably guessed the 
cause. 

" The insatiable desire of seeing and knowing 
everything, is one universal trait in all who have 
seen much of the world ; and the most charming 
object in nature merely appears, in their eyes, a 
subject for observation and curiosity. I was not 
unacquainted with the Malay tribe — had seen the 
ronguins, the free women of Java, the tagales of 
Manilla, the native princesses of Bantam, the 
soendals of Malacca and Sincapore, and now that 
an opportunity presented itself for becoming ac- 
quainted with a young Malay girl in the midst of 

N 2 



180 THE FISH-MAJRKET. 

her own family, I was determined not to let it 
slip. 

" It was generally my custom to go out very 
early in the morning, for I was extremely fond of 
walking about the streets inhabited by the natives, 
in which they were arranging theii' merchandise 
for the day : one of my domestics, who was aware 
of my predilection, enquked upon one occasion, 
whether I had ever visited the fish-market, and 
on my replying in the negative, proposed to con- 
duct me tliither. Tliis young man was a very 
intelligent Malay, who acted at once as my valet, 
interpreter, gTOom, &lc., and indeed filled so many 
offices about my person, that I used to call liim 
my " inseparable/' 

" The fish-market of Poulo-Pinang is situated at 
a little distance from the town, and is a lai-ge place 
built on stakes, which are incessantly laved by 
the sea : at the time of our visit the tide was 
high, and the lower portions of the stakes were so 
entirely surrounded by the waves, as to give the 
whole place the appearance of an anchored ship, 
a resemblance rendered still more striking, by the 
number of little fishing-barks which surrounded 
it on all sides. The market itself was completely 
crammed with small fishes, the greater numl^'r 
of which were not yet dead, and were in general of 
a species entirely unknown to me ; some were orna- 
mented with beautiful rays of yellow and black, 
and fin-nished with a long, sharp, gilded horn, 
which rose like a graceful arch ; otliers with 
beaks like those of i^arroquets — had fins more 
brilliant and dazzling than the wings of the hum- 
ming-bird, and a gi-eat number were covered with 
prickles as sharp and hard as the point of a 



FISH OF THE MALAY WATERS. 181 

poniard, all glowing with the most vivid colours ; 
even tlie rich plumage of the native birds — the 
wings of the butterfly, and gilded coleoptera, 
would have appeared dull and sombre by the side 
of these lovely inhabitants of the deep, varied as 
though they had caught the reflection of the beau- 
tiful colours of the clear waves, when lighted up 
by the first rays of the morning sun. By the 
side of these exquisite little creatures, glittering 
with purple, azure, silver and gold, were gigantic 
crustaceous specimens, some of them still moving 
about, and all in a state of confusion and disorder ; 
with their hard black and brown shells, their 
projecting antennce, and sharp claws, stretched 
out as if ready for action — they looked, by the side 
of their gay companions, like monks in their sable 
robes. A great number of purchasers surrounded 
the fish-staUs ; but they were forced to submit to 
a great deal of bargaining, before being able to deal 
with the fishmongers ; however, all these trans- 
actions passed off much more quietly than in 
European markets, which might probably be attri- 
buted to the fact that the purchasers were princi- 
pally men, and there were very few women to be 
seen. 

'' I was very busy examining all the interest- 
ing objects around me, when I suddenly felt a 
light touch on my shoulder, and at the same mo- 
ment heard a respectful salute of — ' Tabe toean ! 
Good day, your highness.' 

^' Turning round to ascertain whence this pro- 
ceeded, I was delighted to recognise the young 
Malay whom I had seen in my visit to the sick 
man. He had exchanged the somewhat primitive 
costume in which I had first seen him, for one 



182 THE INVITATION. 

more suited to a Malay of his condition, and wore 
a pair of pantaloons, a jacket confined by a girdle, 
and a sliort waiscoat. 

^ I trust you have not forgotten us, seigneur V 
said he. 

' By no means,' I replied, ' and I mean to visit 
your invalid to-morrow, along with the doctor.' 

' Come to-day, seigneur. My aunt and cousin 
are the only ones at home, it is true ; but your 
patient is very anxious to see you.' And scarcely 
had he thus spoken, when he immediately disap- 
peared, for the Malays are remai'kably spaiing of 
their words. 

" The invitation I had just received from this 
young man, was something quite extraordinary 
fi'om one of his tribe, who have generally a gi-eat 
objection to strangers ; and as I imagined, from 
hiii manner, that the patient was really in danger, 
I set out immediately to visit him ; but what 
was my astonishment when, fi'om the road which 
led to the house, I saw the person, whom I had 
expected to find confined to his bed, comfortably 
stationed in his balcony, playing with a large 
ape, which was his constant companion. The in- 
stant I approached, he overwhelmed me with a 
shower of welcomes and thanks, which being mis- 
interpreted by his companion, the animal, second- 
inof what he believed to be the hostile intention 
of his master, threw himself upon me open 
mouthed. Attracted by the sound of the man s 
voice and tlie cries of the ape, a woman came to 
the spot, and on perceiving me, hastened to join 
in the expressions of gTatitude which the Malay 
was still p<juring forth, and a most homble noise 
was produced by the combination. 



MALAY ETIQUETTE. 183 

" When the enthusiasm had in some measure 
subsided, I seated myself in the balcony with these 
good people, internally wondering what could 
possibly be the object of the young Malay in 
bringing me here, and after exchanging a few 
words with the man, on the subject of his health, 
turned to the female, with whom I conversed a 
little regarding her family affau's, in a manner 
which would have quite alarmed her, had I not 
become on such intimate terms with her ; but far 
from seeming annoyed by my inquiries, she 
talked a great deal, and informed me that she had 
two daughters, one of whom was absent. 

" I inquu-ed where the other one was, asking 
whether she were indisposed. 

' She is in her room,' said the mother, pointing 
to the window where I had seen the pretty pair 
of hands, in my former visit. 

" I now saw, that in order to attain my object, 
it was necessary to take some very decided step, 
and therefore abruptly asked, whether she had 
any objection to allow me to see her ; but it ap- 
peared, that according to the limits of Malay eti- 
quette, I had rather overstepped the boundary of 
propriety, and allowed interest to get the better 
of discretion ; for, pretending not to hear my 
question, the matron feigned a pretext to with- 
draw ; and her absence was so prolonged, that I 
began to think the hopes I had entertained were 
completely ruined, and was thinking how I could 
best make my retreat, when she reappeared, and 
again seating herself at my side, remarked, that 
a merchant from Malabar, with some very beauti- 
ful stuffs, had detained her. 

" This remark I suspected to be a mere excuse 



184 THE INDIAN MERCHANT. 

on the part of the manoeuvering mother, and felt 
vexed and disappointed as I saw myself the victim 
of what I supposed a paltry pretext ; however, in 
order to carry the matter oft* with as much indif- 
ference as I could, I observed, that as I had seve- 
ral purchases to make, I should rather like to see 
the merchant's goods, to which the old woman 
replied, that he was in the chamber of her daugh- 
ter Neiza, whither she would conduct me. 

" The very name of Neiza revived all my 
hopes ; and, as I thought, that in order to have 
the pleasure of being introduced to a young lady, 
who onight be as pretty as her name, it would be 
worth while buying a little Indian silk, Manilla 
cloth, or even a few yards of Manchester muslin, 
I was by no means unwilling to follow my con- 
ductress. 

" On arriving at the apartment of Neiza, I could 
at first perceive nothing but a mass of Indian 
prints, Chinese silk, and muslins, spread out 
upon the floor, upon which was seated the Mala- 
bar merchant, with liis back against the window, 
which faced the door. He was a handsome young 
man of thirty, very dark complexioned, but with 
featm^es of statue-like purity, and a most expres- 
sive countenance, large black eyes, and a small 
moustache. His costume consisted of a turban of 
embroidered muslin, })laced lightly upon his short 
dark hair, and long white robe, which completely 
envel()])ed his whole person, tirelessly confined 
with a girdle, and a pair of slippers. 

" The instant he })erceived me, he began to fold 
up liis stufis ; and on my expressing a wish to 
look at them, re])lied luistily, that they were all 
sold, but if I wished to deal with him, he would 



THE ANGRY RIVAL. 185 

bring me some stuffs of a similar kind, to Pinang ; 
from which conduct I inferred, that the yonng 
man was not acting in concert with the old wo- 
man, and that he shrank from taking any share 
in a proceeding which he did not approve. But, 
alas ! I was quite wrong in attributing his con- 
duct to the delicacy of his sentiments, for, as he 
was leaving the room, his whole demeanour sud- 
denly changed, and bestowing upon me a look of 
unmistakeable passion and hatred, he departed, 
banging the door violently after him. 

" This rude manner of expressing his disgust at 
my visit, incensed me greatly, and I should cer- 
tainly have followed the man, and chastized him 
for his insolence, had it not been for the entrea- 
ties of the old woman, who begged me to desist, 
assuring me that he was a friend of hers, and a 
most excellent Mussulman ; and I thus permitted 
myself to be pacified. 

" The matron did not seem in the least annoyed 
at the sudden departure of the merchant and his 
goods, and perceiving that I had mistaken the 
motives of her conduct, and put an unfavom-able 
construction upon them, I hastened, in my own 
mind, to do her justice. 

" The presence of the pedlar, and the little 
scene which followed, had prevented me from 
observing Neiza, who was seated in one corner of 
the apartment, but I now approached her, and 
offered the most respectful salutation (in the 
Malay language) with which I was acquainted. 

' Salamat i^agi perampoean moeda hagoes.' — 
* Allow me to salute you, my pretty girl ;' — 
to which she made a suitably courteous reply. 

^' Neiza was a girl of about fifteen, very small. 



186 THE GOLD-COLOURED VENUS. 

and rather stout ; she was a perfect specimen of 
Malay beauty ; but perhaps you would like a fall 
description of her. 

" Her forehead was high and smooth, large 
drooping eyelids, added to the exquisitely soft 
expression of her countenance, and gave her the 
appearance of being scarcely able to open her long, 
languid, almond-shaped eyes ; the graceful arch 
above these sleepy orbs, was as delicate as if 
traced by a pencil ; her somewhat high cheek 
bones rendered the perfect oval of her infantine 
countenance still more apparent ; the ruby lips 
were constantly painted, reveahng a perfect set of 
little brown teeth, while her long, well-oiled 
tresses were wound round her head, in thick 
braids of the jettiest dye. Her complexion was 
as deep a yellow as the gold of which her neck- 
lace and bracelets was composed, these orna- 
ments looking as if merely chiselled from a block 
of the same precious material, so that she re- 
sembled one of those valuable statues, which 
sometimes adorn the pagodas in India. 

" The young Malay was di-essed in a manner 
whix^h exactly suited her style of beauty ; a sort 
of light corset, descending a little below the bust, 
with short sleeves, displayed to advantage her 
pretty shoulders, and round, supple arms ; a short 
petticoat fastened round the waist, revealed a pair 
of feet as small as those of a child, the well-sliaped 
nails of wliich were evidently taken great care of, 
and looked hke little pieces of mother-()f-})earl. 

" The small chamber which Neiza inhabited, 
had white walls, and her bed, which was elevated a 
little from the floor, to escape the annoyance of 
the insects which tu'o the scom'ge of tropical 



THE REJECTED OFFER 187 

climates, was covered with a rose-coloured coun- 
terpane. But for this latter article of furniture, 
the whole apartment would have borne a great re- 
semblance to that of an humble European grisette. 
A table with two drawers, stood near the door, 
and was loaded with vases and flower-pots. 

*' When I entered, the young girl was busily 
employed in sewing what appeared to me a dress 
of Indian print, and was seated before a table, 
upon which, besides the implements for her work, 
stood a box of betel-nut. 

" As if to pay me every possible attention, she 
now left her work, and putting into some little 
brass vessels the various ingi'edients of which the 
preparation of betel is composed, invited me to 
partake of it with a very sweet smile. 

' Toean niakan sirih V — 'Do you like betel-nut, 
seigneur f 

" Not knowing the sharp astringent taste of 
the composition, I accepted some, the old woman 
remaining in the room all this time, fidgetting 
and buzzing about, like a noxious insect. 

' I am sorry,' said I to the girl, ' to be the cause 
of sending away the Malabar merchant, as he was 
doubtless transacting some interesting business 
with you."* 

* Had he remained,' replied Neiza, ' I dare say he 
would only have repeated what he tells me every 
time he comes with his silks.' 

* And what may that be V I enquired. 

' Merely that if I were his wife, or even his 
sister, I should be dressed in the most costly 
silks of India, and the most brilHant tissues of 
Madras.' 

' WeU then, why do you not become the mer- 



188 LOVE AND COWARDICE. 

chant's wife ? He is very good looking, and I dare- 
say ricli/ 

* I would on no account do so/ replied the 
young Malay, with animation ; ' these Indian 
merchants are not so brave as the Europeans, or 
even the Malays ; and if you had chastised him, 
he would have fallen on his knees and beofo-ed 
yom- pardon for having offended you/ 

* And what would a Malay have done in such 
a case V 

' He would have died sooner than have begged 
for mercy, and had you struck him, would have 
revenged himself some time or other,' answered 
the young girl, energetically. 

' Then you would like a very courageous hus- 
band, I suppose — one wdio would go to sea occa- 
sionally, like the inhabitants of these islands V 

" Neiza smiled as I said this, evidently under- 
standing that I alluded to the pirates of Sumatra, 
Borneo, and Holo, and shook her head as she re- 
plied — ' I should like my husband to remain near 
me, at least only to go as far as Pinang to sell 
cane, and the kriss : when he visited the neigh- 
bom'ing isles, it should only be for the pm*pose of 
obtaining bird's nests, and ores : as for myself, I 
would remain at home, cultivate rice, and take 
care of the house.' 

* Well, the females in my own country, which 
is far away beyond the sea, live sometliing in this 
manner : will you accompany me tliither, and I 
will soon find you a husband V 

' Oh, no !' exclaimed the Malay girl, eagerly ; 
* I could not live amongst the women of your 
country, whose feet are imprisoned in thick stuffs, 
and whose lieads ai'e loaded \N'ith heavy, suffocat- 



A YOUNG lady's DEEAM. 189 

ing veils. Poor creatures ! tliey have never 
roamed bare-foot over the soft, yielding turf, or 
the rocky cliffs of the sea-shore — nor felt the soft 
evening breeze playing amidst then* locks ; they 
know not the delights of enjoying the coolness of 
the water, and abandoning one's self to the current 
of the waves, like a flower blown about by the 
"wind — No ! they never taste these pleasures, be- 
cause they are always so cold,' and she threw 
an expression of extreme commiseration into 
her countenance. 

* Then you know what it is to feel cold V said 
I, in some astonishment. 

* I have heard of it,' she replied, ' and may 
perhaps form some idea of what it is, for on the 
top of the mountains it is chilly.' 

' It is true,' I continued, ' that the females of 
my country have not the pleasures of which you 
speak, but these are replaced by others — they are 
able to go out alone, and they spend their even- 
ings in pleasant houses, in which are assembled a 
number of persons, who amuse themselves with 
singing, laughing, and talking, until late at night.' 

' I would rather pass the evening in this balcony 
with my husband,' replied the Malay, leading 
me to the window, ' and sing to liim alone — it 
is only ronguins who allow every one to hear 
them.' 

" I enquired whether she knew any pretty 
songs. 

' Yes, some so beautiful that you would never 
be tired of listening to them : there is one in par- 
ticular, which I sing almost every night, and all 
my family come to listen to it,' exclaimed Neiza, 
exultingly. 



190 A MALAY ROMANCE. 

' And what is the subject of this charming 
song V 

' It is the history of an ancient king in this 
country, who had married a young girl more 
beautiful than any other in the Avorld — yellow as 
honey, and with hair so long that it entirely 
covered her. The king was passionately attached 
to his wife, but was compelled to leave her, in 
order to take arms against one of his neighbours, 
who had commenced a war against him ; the 
princess would have accompanied him, but as he 
persisted in reflising to allow her to do so, she 
resolved to follow, unkno\vn to him, and taking 
her nurse into her confidence, set out, accom- 
panied by this poor woman, first making her pro- 
mise that should her husband fall in action, she 
would put an end to her sufierings by killing her. 
The princess and her servant encountered all 
kinds of danger ; upon one occasion they were 
carried ofi* by a di'agon, who kept them some time 
in his den ; another time, they fell into the hands 
of an old rajah, who tormented the young girl 
with his addresses ; but some invisible power 
seemed always at hand to relieve them fi-om their 
distresses. At last the king was taken prisoner 
by his opponent, and as he only recovered his 
liberty by marrying the daughter of his cruel 
conqueror, the poor deserted young girl died of a 
broken heart/ 

' Til at nuist indeed be a very pretty song ; 
perhaps when I understand your language a little 
better, you will sing to me.' 

' Most willingly,' she replied ; ' when I am 
singing of these adventures, I always fancy tliem, 
for the time, my own, and shoidd like to have 



THE ONLY LOVE. 191 

some one by my side whom I loved very much, 
and who would never leave me/ 

' But with your Mala}^ customs, how would you 
like to have a husband with several other wives V 
' Oh !' replied Neiza, rather sadly, ' the man 
whom I should choose, would possess but one, be- 
cause he would be too poor to have more. It is 
only rajahs and princes who can afford to keep 
several wives, in Malacca." 

' But some people would tell you that you 
would soon learn to regret the poverty of your 
husband, merely on account of his not being able 
to keep another wife.' 

' Well !' exclaimed Neiza, ' it does not so much 
matter after all, whether a man have several 
wives or not, provided he is rich enough to pro- 
vide them with numerous attendants, beautiful 
clothes, and everything they require.' 

" Tliis speech was I thought rather a blemish 
in the character of the fair Neiza. ' Perhaps, 
said I, ' you will marry the young man whom I 
saw with your father when I first came here V 

' No, my cousin is too fond of roving about, 
both by sea and land — I shall never marry him. V 
' But do you know that it was he who first 
told me what a beautiful young girl lived here V 

^ Indeed !' cried Neiza, smiling ; ' well, I dare 
say he might do so ; but you are aware that I 
could never become his wife.'' 

" The little incidents which accompanied this 
conversation, occupied of course, a much longer 
time than I have taken in recounting to you the 
principal part of our interview, and as I now 
began to think it would be prudent for me to de- 
part, I took my leave ' la Ute monUe' as the 



192 MALAY LADIES AT DINNER. 

French say, by this lovely young creature, who 
was, in trutli, most charming, and in my opinion, 
preferable to a European woman ; there was 
something in her soft, innocent, unaffected man- 
ner, and her perfect fi-eedom from jealousy, 
which formed a delightful contrast to those of a 
whining, sly, and deceitful character. 

" I now made frequent visits to Neiza ; indeed, 
there was scarcely a day, some portion of which 
I did not pass with her ; at the same time, I can- 
not deny, that now and then I saw her do things 
which did not quite harmonize with my civilised 
ideas ; but these little faults I endeavom'ed to for- 
get, thinking they would be remedied in time. 
For instance, she always took her meals on the 
floor, squatted do\vri before a great plate of rice, 
which she ate with her fingers, forming it into ht- 
tle balls like those with which turkeys and fowls 
are fed, and devouring the gTain with a degree of 
voracity quite equalling that of these animals. 
Any other method of taking her food seemed irk- 
some to her, for if I tried to make her eat with 
a spoon, she handled it as awkwardly as an 
ourang-outang, and whenever I offered her a fork, 
she invariably pricked her lips or tongue, and 
soon rejected it in a passion, as a useless and dan- 
gerous instrument. 

" Another thing I did not like, was that in 
spite of all I could say, she wouhl persist in 
blackening her mouth and teeth. Euro})cans en- 
tertain tlie idea that it is by means of the betel- 
nut tliat the teeth of the Malays ai'c rendered 
dark, but tliis is an error ; it is their custom fii*st 
to remove the enamel fi'om the teeth, by means 
of a kind of lime, and then to make u«e of a 



THE PROPOSAL, 193 

horrid composition, which Neiza prepared in the 
following manner — into a brazen vessel she put 
some fragments of cocoa-frnit, covering it over 
with the half of a nut, which had a hole pierced 
in its upper part ; the pieces of cocoa soon be- 
came calcined, leaving at the bottom a peculiar 
sort of oil, and with this bitter, black, and nau- 
seous substance did she take pains to spoil her 
pretty little teeth ; in fact, Neiza's manner of 
eating and anointing her person, considerably 
cooled my admiration of her whenever I was 
present, either at her meals or toilet ; but then 
again when away ft-om her, I remembered no- 
thing but her elegant costume, wild romantic 
songs, and graceful dances, and as I said before, 
my head was completely turned with her fasci- 
nations. 

" One day, after having carefully weighed in my 
own mind the advantages and inconveniences of 
such a union, I decided upon speaking to the 
parents of the young girl, determining to do this 
in a manner which would make them respectful 
to Em^opean dignity. Accordingly I asked the 
father and mother whether they had any objec- 
tion to my taking their daughter as menagere, 
which was a term frequently adopted under simi- 
lar circumstances by the Dutch officers in Java. 
As I expected, the good people saw no reason 
whatever to prevent the accomplishment of my 
wishes ; but when Neiza herself was consulted 
on the subject, she hesitated, and requested a few 
days to consider the matter before giving her final 
reply ; and I, ever anxious to keep up my dig- 
nity, begged that instead of a week, she would 
take a fortnight for reflection. 

o 



194 THE RIVAL. 

" At the expiration of that term, I returned to 
the village ; but on aiTiving at the foot of the 
staircase which led to the verandah, was sui'- 
prised to hear loud conversation and laughter 
going on ^vitliin, and bounding up the stakcase, 
found the whole of the family assembled in the 
first chamber, where, to my further astonislnnent, 
I also perceived two Europeans, Neiza, perfectly 
radiant with delight, leaning upon the arm of one 
of them, while the rest of the party looked gi-avely 
on. The two strangers were about five-and- 
twenty years of age, and almost as dark as Portu- 
guese ; notwithstanding the heat of the weather, 
both were enveloped in large coats, of blue cloth, 
a waistcoat and cravat of all the colom-s of the 
rainbow, a large gold watch-chain blazed on then* 
chests, while their fingers were laden with heavy 
rings ; and to complete this striking costume, 
their ears were adorned with long gold ear-rings, 
falling over a sliirt-collar as stiff as a piece of steel. 
Both the young men had large fieiy eyes, and 
there was a degree of rapidity in their movements, 
which gave them no small resemblance to steam- 
engines, or windmills.'' 

As the good doctor di*ew this portrait, I could 
not help interrupting him by crying out — '' Surely 
these sailors must have been fellow-countr^^ilen 
of mine — were they not ?" 

" You are right> — they were from Marseilles, 
and I recognised them in a moment ; for in 1815, 
I liad often had ])lenty of o])portmiity of becom- 
ing acquainted with men of their class, having 
been six montlis in a garrison at Mai-seilles as 
physician to an English reguiient. 

" It appeared tluit I had arrived at a most in- 



THE THRIVING WOOER. 195 

teresting turii of the conversation : the sailor, upon 
whose arm Neiza leaned, spoke the Malay lan- 
guage with remarkable ease ; but so violent were 
his gesticulations, and so peculiar the manner in 
which he pronounced his words, that he made it 
quite a language of his own, fiery and passionate 
as his own voice and countenance. Tm^ning 
tenderly to Neiza, he exclaimed : — 

* If you should say to yom^self, " well, it is 
over, Marius will return no more I" you would 
be very wrong ; when I have once said a thing, 
I always keep to it, and never break my word. 
I said to myself at Sumatra, " Marius, whither 
wilt thou repair ? — to Pinang, to see " la petite,'' 
or to France V"^^^ i' 

-ii'^^' As the wind was favourable, I decided upon 
going to Marseilles, thinking to myself — ' If " la 
petite" is truthful, I shall retm^n to her ; if not, 
why, I shall select some one else. And now it is 
but a question of leaving and taking. I can an- 
chor here, or I can put to sea ; but if you will 
accompany me, well ! to-morrow you shaU bid 
adieu to your fiiends, and sleep on board ; but do 
not let me hear you afterwards say — ^' I am un- 
comfortable here, it is so cold." I warn you be- 
fore hand, that when the wind, of which you can 
have no idea, but of which I have told you, blows 
keenly, it wiU cut you in two like a razor ; but 
you must defend yourself as well as you can, and 
make the best of things." 

* I wiU go with you,' replied Neiza, without 
stopping a moment to consider. 

* Well said — well said !' exclaimed the Mar-^ 
seillais, extending his hand to the young ffirl ; 
who placed hers in it. ^^^il IjyT^oqqB ii 

02 



196 A maiden's dower. 

" But after looking at her lover for a moment, 
she inquired — ' Have you not brought me any- 
thing V 

' I have brought you myself — not a great gift, 
perhaps ; but what do you want more V • i 

' Oh, nothing/ replied Neiza ; ' still I do wish 
you had brought me something else, were it only 
to have the pleasure of giving presents to my sis- 
ters/ 

' But, my dearest, I really have nothing,' said 
the sailor, playing with his compass ; then, as if 
a sudden idea occurred to him, he exclaimed — 
' Mao saya poenja fjintjin Jwepinr/ f which sig- 
nifies — ' Shall I give you my ear-rings V 

" At this original idea, I had the greatest diffi- 
culty in retaining my gravity ; and the young 
girl, who seemed delighted with her lover, gave 
free vent to her hilarity. 

" Until this moment, no more attention had 
been paid to me than if I had not been present ; 
but the father now approached, requesting me to 
wait a little while, as he wished to speak to me, 
after the departure of the strangers ; to wliicli 
proposition I willingly consented, being desu'ous 
of witnessing the termination of this anmsing ad- 
venture ; besides, I now began to think, that 
this peculiar individual, bedecked with rings and 
chains, like a South-Sea islander, would make 
Neiza a much more suitable husband than I 
should have done. 

" The party now separated ; the family with- 
drawing to discuss their private affairs — the two 
friends also conversing together ; wliilst I, lK?ing 
left quite to myself, turned my attention prinoi- 



A lovee's doubts. 197 

pally to the colloquy between tlie two Marseil- 
lais, whose discourse ran something as follows : — 
' Well, Louiset, you see the girl is faithful, 
after all ; she will go with me/ 

* But,' replied the other, ' what will your pa- 
rents, who are so respectable, say to this ? For 
my part, if she were to die on the passage, I 
should advise you to throw her overboard, with a 
weight attached to each foot, and think no more 
about her. But if she should live to reach Mar- 
seilles, why, you know your mother will be no 
Jbetter pleased with her than she was with the ape 
you brought home last year, which broke nearly 
every thing in her room. Idiot that you are ! — 
if you really do mean to act thus, / will not ac- 
company you to Marseilles, but will renounce 

cyou altogether V 

' Imagine yourself, for a moment, in my place," 
answered Marius ; ' the child is a brave one — I 
have said that she should go with me, and she 

.isluill do so ! no one shall take her from me I' 

' The devil !' exclaimed Louiset, in a passion. 
* I should think not, indeed ! She wiU disgust 
.other people too much for that !' 

. ' Disgust, indeed !' said Marius, pettishly. * I 
only 1-Giow, that as soon as she is seen by the mer- 
chants and sailors on board, they will all be in 
love with her ! — besides, I have promised to take 
her with me, and so that settles the matter.' 

* An idea has just occurred to me,' said Louiset, 
striking his chest with his hand. * You see the 

-Ponantais, who stands yonder ; for any thing he 

tcan understand of our conversation, we may 

Ispeak as we should do before a wall. Well, I wiU 

undertake, in the first place, to have every thing 



198 A DIFFICULTY SOLVED. 

in readiness to set sail to-night. At eleven this 
evening, we will return here, and, in the course 
of conversation, assert that the Poiiantais is the 
lover of the girl, as every one here has told us ; 
thus we shall create a disturbance both with the 
father, mother, and " la jyetite" herself Of this 
we will avail oui^selves, by taking oiu- departure, 
and who will know any thing about it J^^No 
one. — Well, what say you to my plan V - ■ '■'^ 

* It is far from being a bad one/ replied Ma- 
rius, rubbing his ear ; ' but hush, not a word 
more V and in another moment he was at the 
side of Neiza, paying her all sorts of compliments, 
which he presently interrupted by suddenly ex- 
claiming — ' And your cousin, Neiza ! what of 
him V 

* Oh, he will be here to-night,' she answered. 

" Then, with that impetuous restlessness pecu- 
liar to the people of the south, he abruptly turned 
to his companion, and said — ' With regard to him, 
my friend — I have already given him a lesson ; 
he was on board my vessel, and of no more use 
there than an ape, breaking everything, and 
doing nothing. I did not speak a word, but took 
him by the nape of the neck (for these Turks have 
no hair), and then with a r/arcette, gave him such 
a shower of blows, that his skin actually smoked 
under the chastisement, the natives of this country 
not being very difficult to undress. Since that 
time, I have not been troubled with liim.' 

"After a little more time spent in conversa- 
tion and badinage with tlie father and mother, 
the two sailors eml)raced Neiza jmd departed. 
This conversation made one or two thiui^Ts nither 
more apparent to me ; for instance, I now under- 



THE DENOUEMENT. 199 

stood better how it liappened that Neiza knew 
what it was to feel cold — why she had delayed so 
long in giving me an answer ; and also conjectured 
the motive of the young Malay boy in taking 
such pains to make me acquainted with his friends. 
I did not make known to this interesting family 
the conspiracy I had discovered, and was about 
to take my departure, when the old mother came 
up and begged to remind me that she had still 
another daughter, who might probably suit me as 
well as the one who was going away, 
yiij' I will think about it,' said I, and ironically 
wishing a happy voyage to the fair Neiza, I de- 
parted. However, I have reason to believe that 
the plan talked of in my presence by the Marseil- 
lais sailors, was successful, for about six months 
afterwards, I espied Neiza leaning on the arm of 
one of the dirtiest sailors to be found on board any 
Portuguese vessel, but he was, nevertheless, amply 
bedizened with rings, bracelets, and ear-rings of 
silver. And now, my dear friend, you are ac- 
quainted with the circumstance which has hitherto 
prevented me from introducing a " Malay Eve 
into my Eden.'' 

• The interesting adventm-e of the good doctor 
amused me greatly, and indeed, taught me a 
lesson I have always remembered since ; for from 
that time I have ever looked upon the native 
princesses of these barbarous countries as mere 
automatons, worth only of the passing attention 
of an educated being ; and this impression was 
further confirmed by a still more serious adven- 
ture, which some time afterwards shewed me even 
more plainly the disadvantages of mesalliances of 
this sort, to Europeans. 



200 BRITISH PHILANTROPY. 

Poulo-Pinang is not only a mere resort of plea- 
sure to the merchants, Indian nobles, and others 
who frequent its delightfrd shores, but also the 
centre of a considerable intellectual movement. 
Thanks to the civil and religious liberty which 
ai'e enjoyed in this country, the various creeds re- 
cognised have founded several establishments of 
considerable importance, the most flourishing of 
which is the college of Pulo-Ticoux, belonging to 
the French Missionaries, and containing two hun- 
di'ed Chinese, Siamese, and Cochin-Chinese pupils ; 
the same society hi\s also founded a house of resort 
for the native orphans, and a preparatory school 
attended by more than two hundred Portuguese 
and Malay children. 

The Protestants of Penang have also an Anglo- 
Chinese college, whence numerous publiaitions are 
issued every year ; in short, British philanthi-opy 
has effected many noble works ; by means of sub- 
scription, a house of refuge for the aged Chinese, 
an asylum for the natives, and a hospit;il, 
have been built here, and yet Pinang does not 
contain more than twelve hundred Em'opeans ! 
But on this favoured spot of earth, all the good 
sentiments and instincts of the human heai't seem 
to be developed ; innumerable generous and noble 
actions have distinguished every one of the Chris- 
tian sects ; and it must be confessed that the 
English peoj^le, who have ever been tlie guardians 
of freedom, and who have never emj^loyed any 
other tlian lemil me<'ins for tlie establishment and 
maintenance of their rights and institutions, are, 
of all other nations, the most stanch i)rotectors 
of human liberty, in the present day. 




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20J 



CHAPTER lY. 

BASILAN. 

And now for a concise account of a most liomble 
tragedy, tlie particulars of which have never been 
brought before the authorities, nor found their 
way into the pages of the Gazette des tribunaux. 

On repairing to China, M. de Lagi-ene received 
a special order from His Majesty King Louis Phi- 
lippe, to select from the Malay Ai^chipelago, some 
beautiful perfumed oasis, bathed by the waters of 
the Indian Ocean, upon which it would be pos- 
sible to found an establishment, the old king 
having an extreme desire that France should not 
be destitute of a spice-island, but possess a pearl 
in the magnificent treasm^es of Oceania, the most 
precious of which were under the respective do- 
minion of England, Holland and Spain. 

In order to fulfil the wishes of his sovereign, 
the head of the Chinese Mission made it his first 
care upon his arrival in these parts, to fit out a 
cutter, which he sent into the Archipelago of 
Holo, for the purpose of selecting some island, 
fi:ee from all European power, which could be 
taken possession of in the name of France. 

The naval officer to whom this scheme was in- 
trusted, anchored before the island of Basilan, 
and under pretext of studying the geography of 
that place, began to look around for a favourable 
spot for hoisting the national standard of France. 
This part of the afiair was conducted with admi- 



202 PLAXTIXG A COLONY. 

rable Scagacity and prudence by M. Guerin, who, 
whilst he retained his officers and sailors on 
board, intrusted the engineers who went on 
shore to proceed in their labours, with the utmost 
cii'cumspection, at the same time increasing his 
acquaintance with the natives by means of an 
agent who bore no official character, but had 
been invested with the title of interpreter, by 
the naval commander of the fleet in the Indian 
Ocean. 

The expedition of M. Guerin had nearly anived 
at its termination, when one of his ensigns, a 
young man of great energy and promise, asked 
his permission to explore the banks of the river 
upon which the cutter was sailing. The com- 
mander was somewhat unwilling to gi'ant this 
request, but at last yielded to the entreaties of 
the young officer, on the express condition that 
the little vessel was never to touch the land, nor 
to lose sight of the cutter, to which the ensign 
was to retm-n upon the first signal from his su- 
perior officer. 

Gladly accepting the permission upon any 
terms, the ensign set out, accompanied by the 
owner of a canoe, two very young sailors, or 
cabin-boys, and a young Dutchman, who filled 
tlie same ca]iacity to tlie Parisian interpreter, 
which tliat officer held under government. Tlie 
little canoe was under the manafjement of its 
owner ; the two sailors rowed, while the ensign 
and the young Dutchman, seated o})posite each 
otlier, confined their attention to the shores of 
tlie river ; both of them were provided with 
muskets, which, however, they had negligently 
thrf»wn down (^n the benches of the canoe, not 



MALAY CUNNING. 203 

expecting to meet with any occasion for using 
tliem ; indeed, that belonging to the ensign had 
not even been removed from its case. 

On arriving at the mouth of the river, they 
descried a group of natives, approaching the 
banks with an appearance of great cmiosity, at 
the same time making vehement protestations of 
their pacific intentions. The young officer answer- 
ed their salutation, upon which a dozen or more 
of their number leaped towards the canoe, declar- 
ing their readiness to accompany its crew in their 
excursion. This my countrymen would not allow, 
but after some entreaty on the part of the 
barbarians, permitted two of them, who seemed 
to be the chiefs of the party, to come on board. 
These two men had all the distinctive character- 
istics of the pure Malay race, being small, 
nervous, and yellow-complexioned, with the dark, 
restless eye of the hyena or jackal ; both were 
armed with a kriss, not however of the kind 
made at Malacca, with a thin fine blade, but of a 
different species, compared with which those I 
have mentioned were mere playthings. Their 
demeanour had that air of confidence and even 
noblesse which the constant habit of command 
never fails to give. One was a very young man, 
but the other wore a grey moustache, and looked 
about fifty years of age. By means of the Dutch 
interpreter, the following conversation was carried 
on between the young officer, and the elder 
Malay. 

i, " Are you the chief of this island V 
r{+" This young man is my son-in-law,'' replied 
the Malay, pointing to his companion, and wilful- 
ly misunderstanding the question. 



204) SUSPICION AWAKK 

" Ai'e there a gi^eat number of warriors in this 
country V 

" Yes, but they are not well provided with 
arms for fighting ; it is only the Europeans who 
have good weapons and plenty of them." 

" But youi" companion and yourself are both 
armed with an excellent kriss !" 

" They are not worth so much as your campi- 
Ian/' replied the savage, touching the sword of 
the ofiicer. 

'' I have a musket,'' said the latter, " which is 
much more worth attention than my sword — 
would you like to see it V 

*' Yes, show it me/' 

The ensign drew the musket from its case, 
and presented it to the Malay, who, after examm- 
ing the precious weapon for a few minutes, 
exclaimed — " Give me this musket !" 

" No," replied the officer, " I cannot do that — 
it is too valuable to give away." 

" Give one the musket," repeated the other, 
" and I will do whatever you tell me." 

*' You are foolish," said the ensign shrugging 
his shoulders ; " and ask me to do impossibilities." 

" Give me the musket !" persisted the Mahiy, 
more earnestly than before ; but the young man 
only replied l)y taking the weapon, and rephicing 
it in its case. 

During this dialogue, the canoe had reached a 
part of tlie river, the banks of which were over- 
grown with vegetation, whicli gi-ew tliicker every 
moment tliey advanced, and the master of the lit- 
tle boat, liaving been struck with the manner in 
wliich the savage liad sj)oken, turned to his com- 
mander, and remarking that they were no longer 



MALAY TREACHERY. 205 

in sight of the cutter, asked whether he did not 
think it would be prudent to return. 

" What can we have to fear from these men V 
replied he ; " we are five against two — by all 
means go on.>^-; - 

Scarcely had he pronounced these words, when 
a violent blow agitated the canoe, and the old 
Malay, springing on the unfortunate young man, 
ran him through the body with his kriss, wliile 
his companion, attacking the master of the canoe, 
split his head with one blow, and the two French- 
man fell dead without a struggle. The three 
smwivors would now have seized their muskets, 
but the son-in-law of the Rajah, with his legs apart, 
kept the weapons firmly beneath his feet ; it was 
he who had, in the first instance given the blow 
to the canoe, which had been the signal for the 
double assassination. The whole of the frightful 
scene had passed with the rapidity of lightning, 
and the youths, perceiving that all resistance was 
useless, jumped into the water to save their lives, 
but were unfortunately pursued and taken pri- 
soners by the Malays, who carried them in triumph 
to their village. 

; The commander soon received an account of 
this awful tragedy ft-om several of the island 
chiefs, who informed him that the mm-derer of the 
young officer was named Youssouf, and was 
king of one of the numerous principalities into 
which Basilan was divided, and whose Machia- 
vellian character was well known to the rest of 
those petty monarchs, who were not sorry to 
take advantage of an occasion by which it 
might be possible to expel fi^om their shores so 
powerful and dangerous a rival. 



206 REVENGE. 

Furnished with these details, M. Gu^rin set 
sail for Mindanao, for the purpose of treating with 
Youssouf for the ransom of liis three prisoners, re- 
serving for some favouraljle opportunity the task 
of reckoning with the blood-thirsty assassin. 
This negociation was carried on through the me- 
dium of some Spaniards at Sambaonga, who are 
intimately connected with these scom-ges of the 
ocean, and for the sum of tln^ee thousand piastres 
the captives were finally restored. 

In the eyes of the Malays, the Sultan of Holo 
is the legitimate monarch of Basilan and its pro- 
vinces ; and M. Guerin, with the intention of as- 
certaining how far the power of this prince ex- 
tended over Basilan, resolved to ask satisfaction 
from him for the death of his countr^nnen, and 
for this purpose fitted out the sloop Victorious, 
and set sail for Holo. 

On receivinor the first commimication from the 
French commander, the Malay Sultan repaired on 
board the Sabine, and at their first interview, 
declared that Basilan had long since emancipated 
itself from his sovereignty ; that he possessed no 
power whatever of punishing the offenders, but 
that he would glatlly join any fi-iendly power in 
an attempt to subdue and chastise them. 

With this undei-standing, the Sabine and Vic- 
torious set out for Basilan, where they had no 
sooner anived than the two cutters entered the 
river wliicli traversed the dominions of You{<sout] 
and a bloody combat took place between our 
trooj)S and those of that monarch ; the Malay 
army amounted to one hundred, of whom twenty 
were slain, and YoaMoaf himself taken ])risoner ; 
but in spite of this, the intrei)id savages still main- 




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THE COAST OF BASILAN. 207 

tained a hostile attitude, and made no indication 
of a wish for peace. 

At the time that intelligence of all these trans- 
actions reached M. de Lagrene, he had quitted 
the Syren to go on board the Cleopatra, com- 
manded by Vice-Admiral Cecille, his intention 
being to visit Java, Sumatra, and several other 
islands, but postponing the execution of this pro- 
ject until another time, he at once set out for 
Basilan, and in anticipation of an encounter with 
the. Malays, Admiral Cecille staid a short time at 
Manilla in order to make a few preparations for 
war, upon the completion of which we set out for 
that hot-bed of Malay piracy, the Archipelago of 
Holo, wliich is to the neighbouring shore as much 
an object of dread, as Tunis, Morocco, and Algiers 
formerly were to Spain, Italy and Provence. 

Thanks to a favourable wind, we reached the 
coast of Basilan in three days, passing by the 
islands of Mindoro, and the little continent of 
Mindanao, which is more than thi^ee hundred 
leagues in extent, and upon wliich Spain possesses 
the province of Sambaonga. 

The Cleopatra anchored before the small island 
of Malamawi, situated to the north-west of Basilan 
itself, and had scarcely done so when M. Guerin 
made liis appearance, and after the first exchange 
of civilities, began to give an account of the late 
proceedings to the Admiral. The principal officers 
engaged in the expedition were of opinion that it 
would be advisable not to run the risk of another 
immediate attack upon the savages, but were in 
favour of waiting the result of the negotiations 
already commenced with the native chiefs, the 
enemies of Youssouf, and in order to turn the 



208 GEMS OF THE OCEAN. 

intervening time to account, they proposed ex- 
ploring the boundaries of the island in the steam 
boat Ai'chimede, which had accompanied the Cleo- 
patra. 

From the summit of its high mountains, do^Mi 
to the very seashore, Basilan is, as I may say, 
covered Avith tall, thick trees ; the waters which 
flow at theu' base are limpid and sparkling as dew, 
and through the azure veil which hangs above 
them, may be perceived all the wonders of this 
strange, beautiful world, the marvels and immen- 
sity of which astonish alike the philosopher and 
the traveller, who make them the object of his 
studies. We, children of old Europe, accustomed 
to her civilization, and the laborious eftbi*ts with 
which she is constantly endeavouring to extract 
from her comparatively barren soil, an adequate? 
supply for her pressing wants, can indeed enjoy 
and appreciate the delicious freedom of primitive 
natin-e, where the hand of man has left but feeble 
traces of its presence, and where the reproductive 
powers of the earth, exercise themselves without 
difficulty or restraint. 

But before imparting to my readers the various 
impressions I experienced, I will endeavour to 
make them fully acquainted with the position of 
the island of which I am about to speak. Basilan 
is situated in that part of the Malay territories 
which belongs to the Ai-chii)elago of Holo, in the 
sixth degree of latitude, to the north-east of Min- 
danao ; its extent is about twenty-five or thirty 
leagues, nearly equalling that of our colony, the 
Isle of Bourl)on, to which it certainly does not 
yield in i)oint of fertility : it is traveled from 
east to west, in the centre, by a chain of moim- 



PORT OF BASILAR. 209 

tains, the peaks of which are of great height ; 
other less important elevations are also spread 
over its surface — little spherical hills completely 
covered Avith trees ; the edges of the coast are in- 
dented and cut up by numerous creeks, some of 
which serve as outlets to the streams of water, 
which flow from the upper to the lower parts of 
the island, finally mingling mth the waves of the 
ocean. 

The general aspect of Basilan is that of a per- 
fect mass of verdm^e, so thick and luxuriant as to 
hide completely the soil whence it springs ; no 
bare lofty rocks, or naked barren peaks are to be 
found here ; the conical tops of the mountains, 
which have probably been formed by volcanic 
agency, are covered with the most magnificent 
specimens of the vegetable creation, and the level 
parts of the soil are luxuiiant in beautifid trees, 
loaded with fr-uit and flowers. 

At present there is no other entrance to Basilan 
but by the Strait of Maloso, which is a somewhat 
insecure one, yet preferable to those of Samba- 
onga, Manilla, and Soulou ; here the sailors have, 
dui'ing their various excm-sions in these pai^ts, 
discovered a port of the greatest beauty, which 
is completely sheltered from the gales which re- 
gularly blow around these shores, by the eastern 
part of the island, which protects it fr'om the 
south-east wind on the one side, and the shel- 
tering isle of Malamawi on the other. 

It is not sui^prising that the travellers who have 
at different times visited Basilan, should never 
have discovered this magnificent bay, so com- 
pletely is it concealed from view by the island 
of Malamawi ; indeed, they might easily have 

P 



210 THE CONTINENTS OF THE FUTURE. 

mistaken it for a creek, large enough only to 
admit the proas of the Malays, and other liglit 
canoes, for certainly no large vessel would ever 
have ventui-ed into such a narrow passage, the 
termination of which was totally unkno^ai. Our 
sailors may therefore claim the merit of having 
made the very-important discovery, of a poi-t 
capable of receiving more than two hundred 
vessels of all sizes, and wliich may easily be 
entered by two different ways, in either of which 
the deep waters are capable of sustaining a ship 
of the largest dimensions, wliile the banks aromid 
present favourable situations for quays and land- 
ing places. 

But besides all these advantages, which are 
principally valuable in the eyes of the sailoi*s, 
this locality is also possessed of others, which if 
not so materially precious, are still no less real. 
1 allude to the extreme beauty of a situation, 
which realizes all that the most vivid fancy 
could paint, if endeavouring to represent one of 
those Elysiums, which form the end of almost 
all men's hopes, in wliich evergTeen shades, a 
temperatm-e of unvaiying softness, and a deli- 
cious calm and silence, are to form the i)rincipal 
of man's enjoyments. Its calm waters are never 
disturbed by 'the tumultuous gale, and if a liglit 
breeze ruffles their surface for a moment, their 
glassy tran(iuillity is innnediately restored. Two 
or three lovely little islands, at jn-esent without 
names, are situated in its neighbourhood, looking 
like beautiful bou<|uets of flowers, rLsing fi'om the 
bosom of the ocean, sustained by pedestals of 
coral. These seem to point to some future day, 
when places, yet unlmowu, will transform this 



KATURAL BEAUTIES OF BASILAR. 211 

arcliipelago of innumerable islands into one grand 
continent ; when the contrary eifect will perhaps 
be experienced by the great countries of Eirrope ; 
however, before this far-distant time arrives, I 
trust that the bay of Malamawi will bear on its 
clear waters the vessels of many great nations, 
whose rise and fall it may witness, while cradling 
on its bosom the human generations of many years 
to come. 

■' Upon several occasions we visited this splendid 
bay, and never without being struck by its ex- 
treme beauty ; the silence of its deep forests was 
unbroken, except by the soft voice of the doves 
which inhabited the tops of its noble trees, the 
chattering of the green, yellow, red and white 
parroquets, and the cries of the apes which are the 
veritable monarchs of the sylvan retreat ; now 
and then beautiful green king-fishers skimmed 
over the water, and the souiraanga, balancing 
itself on the flexible branches of the paletuviei^ 
watched our proceedings from the shore. If we 
withdrew our eyes from the land and fix:ed them 
on the waves, the spectacle which met us there 
was not less attractive ; as far as the glance could 
wander, we could perceive immense caryophyllees 
extending their branches, covered with little blue, 
red and white flowers ; beautiful starry or mean- 
dering objects, covered with a soft green moss ; little 
fishes of all colours, and the most singular forms, 
sported around those living rocks ; while the sea- 
ranunculus, various kinds of black shell-fish with 
long sharp horns, spondiles, polypi, and cones, 
were all fixed in this interesting bed of coral. 

When night sm-prised us as we gazed on this scene 
of fairy-land, the sky, earth and sea, seemed alike 

p2 



212 PRIMITIVE GROVES. 

illuminated ; every twig shone like a spraj' of 
diamonds, or a body of liquid fire ; and yet it was 
owing to the appearance of the meanest animals 
in the creation, mollusks, heroes, 'pyrosoiiieSy and 
other microscopic clusters of creatures, that this 
beautiful scene, which almost resembled the work 
of an incendiary, and which all the riches of the 
most powerhd monarch on earth could never have 
imitated, was produced ; and every evening the 
ej^es of the Malays who sail about these coasts in 
their little proas, are gladdened by this lovely 
sight. 

After wandering through the forests of Brazil, 
I had imagined that primitive nature had nothing 
further to reveal to me— that I had experienced all 
the impressions which could be made b}^ the pro- 
fund solitude, silence and obscm-ity of the thick 
interlaced branches above my head ; but I had 
not seen nature in its savage state, for in Brazil 
it was always easy to perceive that the Eurojjean 
race was in possession of the country ; the footstep 
of man was imprinted on the soil, and the native 
birds and beasts fled, and were alarmed at his 
a])proach ; but here, every path was solitary ; or 
if the parted branches indicated that some living 
creature had passed through the apei-ture, it Wfvs 
impossible to know whether the intruding foot- 
stej) had l^een that of some wild antelope, or of a 
Malay, who was probably conceided at some little 
distance. 

The birds knew nothinor of the ao^a-essions of 

o on 

man, and if by chance one of their number fell by 
the stroke of our murderous weai)on, the rest 
continued tlieir song .is merrily as ever ; they Avere 
the offspring of creatm-es which, for innumerable 



THE EIVERS OF BASILAR. 213 

generations, liad lived without restraint or toil, 
and met with nothing to invade their security. 
There was not one of our party who did not ex- 
perience a wish to wander about on these beautiftil 
shores, but the terrible drama which had so lately 
been acted by the natives, compelled us to be cir- 
cumspect ; however, as it seemed probable that 
our number and strength would awe the Malays, 
who had now had reason to believe that the 
smallest offence would be punished with extreme 
rigour, we began to make little excursions in 
canoes, well armed, and in such numbers as to be 
able to offer vigorous resistance in case of an 
attack. 

Our first expedition of this kind was to the 
river Gunambarang, which empties itself into the 
sea on the eastern coast of Basilan, and is about 
three miles distant from Malamawi, where we had 
taken up our quarters. The banks of this river, as 
well as the sea shore, are covered with paletiiviers, 
and enormous mangliers, the elongated fruits of 
which, as they bend in the breeze, and overhang 
the waves, resemble the sharp darts which the 
Malays use with then* sarhacanes. The sort of 
whirlpool formed by the falling of this river into 
the sea, may be traced for more than a hundred 
metres from the spot, the waters even at that dis- 
tance being rendered saltish in consequence ; fifty 
metres further up the river, is a kind of cascade ; 
this forms the limit to the progress of the little 
vessels which ventm-e thus far, and is also the 
only part in which the water is quite pure, for 
just in this spot it merely contains the quantity 
of salt which is almost always to be found in 



214 VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. 

streams ; this fact I ascertained by means of 
analyzing it, whilst on board the Cleopatra. 

We now stepped on to the banks of the river, 
but so numerous were the large Ijlocks of basalt, 
and so thick and spreading the roots of the trees, 
that we found progress extremely difficult — indeed, 
almost impossible ; however, by dint of great 
effort, we at last reached the summit of a little 
eminence, and turned our attention to the various 
vegetable specimens with which it was covered ; 
these consisted chiefly of arequiers, cocoa-nut and 
bread-fi'uit trees, several different species of palm, 
nutmeg-trees, oiiangoustaniers and tecks, the 
latter of wliicli spread their strong protecting 
iDranches over their more feeble brethren. Everv- 
tiling we saw convinced us more and more of the 
fertility of tlie soil in Basilan, which is indeed so 
productive that without labour or trouble, man 
may here find everything requisite for his exis- 
tence ; and yet the inhabitants of this favoured 
isle, not content with makino- lonef excursions in 
theii" proas, for the pm^pose of forcibly obtaining 
some of the productions of civilisation, much more 
advantageous to some of their Malay brethren 
than to themselves, are continually at war with 
each other, and never spend a moment in a condi- 
tion of peace and security. 

Although we were not at very great distance 
from the banks of the river, we nevertlieless deem- 
ed it prudent to retrace om* ste|)S, content AN'itli hav- 
ing overcome great obstacles in our progi-ess to the 
place we had visited. On returning to our canoe 
we found those in charge of it busily engaged in 
various ways ; some seeking for shells, others 
cutting up the branches of palm, to ol)tain the 



MALAY POULTRY. 215 

esculent parts of the stem, whilst some had brought 
away the wild fruit of the pajMyer, and of another 
sort of vegetable, which from its thick shell- like 
leaves, they named the artichoke of Basilan ; each 
had indeed made a prize of whatever appear- 
ed to him the most curious or agreeable in ap- 
pearance. 

On returning down the river, we saw myriads 
of apes, quietly playing among the trees, so un- 
disturbed by our approach, that I almost thought 
they must imagine us to be of their own tribe, but 
of a different species, so indifferently and calmly 
did they look upon us ; but whatever might have 
been the motive for their conduct, whether it 
were confidence or disdain, it was cert?inly an 
unfortunate one, as many of their number paid 
for their temerity with the price of their lives. 

We spent the greater part of our sojurn in this 
island in making little excursions of this kind, and 
always with the same degree of pleasure and suc- 
cess, occasionally meeting with some Malay proas 
manned by two or three of the natives, who did 
not manifest any desire to make our acquaintance ; 
but wherever we turned, we invariably observed 
the same luxuriant vegetation, and infinite variety 
of the animpJ species ; the little island of Malamawi, 
for instance, resembles a park in the midst of the 
waters, filled with deer, wild boars, partridges, 
fowls, and birds of every kind. The extreme 
elegance and brilliant plumage of the wild fowl is 
very remarkable ; it is true that the Malay cock 
in om- countries has preserved a few of the traits 
which distinguish his noble forefathers, the free 
sons of the forests of Malacca, but in many respects 
he resembles them only as an effeminate king, 



216 AX INCONVENIENT APPENDAGE. 

the descendant of a warlike race, does his an- 
cestors. The characteristic trait of this bird in 
its savage state, is an extreme degi'ee of cou- 
rage ; there is no kind of danger it will not 
face boldly ; and when siuTOiinded in its native 
state by a seraglio, kept in excellent order, 
partly by means of its beak, it permits no one 
to approach or examine the beauties of its 
harem, and is indeed so jealous and exacting, 
as scarcely to suffer the absence of its slaves 
for a moment, even to attend to then' pro- 
geny. 

Whenever I beheld this singular bird in the 
forests of Basilan, its crest falling on one side of its 
head, rollmg about its bright, but not very intelli- 
gent eyes, extending its sharp claws, and proudly 
displaying the elegance of its plumage, to the ad- 
miring crowd of slaves around, I was always re- 
minded of some of the inmates of our gariisons ; 
however, in spite of all the advantages possess- 
ed by these animals, their corn-age, confidence, 
and beauty, a gi-eat many of them fell into the 
hands of our scullion, although it must be con- 
fessed, that even in death, their powers of resist- 
ance were not entirely conquered, as their extreme 
toughness required the most vigorous efforts of 
the sharpest teeth. 

There was also Jinother bird, which frequently 
arrested our attention — this was tlie calao, which 
bears a crest on its head, and whose enormous 
beak is quite a source of inconvenience to its pos- 
sessor, which after having seized its jn-ey, is 
oljliged to throw it up in tlie air, receiving it in 
its narrow throat, and thus devouring it witli 
more facility. 



PLANTATIONS IN DANGER. 217 

The calao is much prized in the Philippine 
isles, on account of the beak, which is used by the 
Chinese in the manufacture of the pretty little 
cases in which they keep their tobacco, or the 
small stock of money which they habitually carry , 
about with them. "^•-^* 

Some of the other animals of Basilan are not 
quite so inoffensive as those of which we have just 
spoken, many of the rivers and streams contain- 
ing immense crocodiles, which, whatever may 
have been asserted to the contrary, sometimes de- 
scend upon the seashore, and wage fearful war 
with the large fishes and other creatures within 
their reach ; some of them have been attacked in 
the island Lanpinig'han by intrepid hunters, for- 
saking the pursuit of the deer and wild boar, for 
this sport. 

In paying a visit to the river Pasang'han, 
which rises near the interior port, and is in my 
opinion, more a stream of salt water than of 
fresh, on alighting upon the right bank of the 
river, and mounting to the top of a little ele- 
vation which overlooks it, vast plains covered 
with immense plantations of cotton-trees, and 
rice-fields, may be discovered. It will be fortu- 
nate indeed if this adventurous project of cultiva- 
tion does not prove fatal to the intrepid men who 
have undertaken it. At the very time when Ave 
were stationed upon the hill I have mentioned, 
ten Malays armed with lances, the kriss stuck 
in their girdles, and their forms protected by 
huge black bucklers, which rendered them almost 
invisible, threw themselves upon the men at 
work, uttering loud cries, and bearing in their 
whole demeanour an air of unmistakeable hatred 



218 NATRT] MERCANTILE PRODUCTS. 

and brutality. Happily some other Malays be- 
longing to the fleet were not far from the spot, 
and interposing between our countr3rmen and 
their barbarous aggressors, thus prevented a con- 
flict, the issue of which could not have failed to 
have been hazardous, if not fatal. 

Rice and cotton are, as I have before stated, 
the most important production of Basilan, for I 
do not reckon among these the immense quantity 
of fruit it possesses, consisting chiefly of bananas, 
and cocoa-nuts of various species. Besides, no- 
thing would be easier than to cultivate all the 
native productions of India upon such a soil as 
this, its I'ich and fertile organization being sufli- 
ciently moist to aflbrd sustenance for an immense 
quantity of vegetation. Pepper, cinnamon, and 
nutmeg, would all flomish well in this verdant 
land, which is deficient in nothing but the want 
of intelligent and industrious masters. 

The geological structure of Basilan, pai-ticu- 
larly in the upper parts, is partially of volcanic 
nature — the mountainous elevation I have before 
named is probably of similar construction, for its 
highest points have a conical form indicating the 
existence of the craters, which are so common in 
Malacca. According to the assertions of some, it 
would a}>pear that the island is inliabited by di- 
verse I'aces, the mountainous parts being peojiled 
by negroes, simiLir to those found in the interior 
of Lu(;on ; a tribe comparatively Avhite occu]>ying 
the centre, while the coast is inliabited bv Ma- 
lays. These latter, whom we saw frequently, 
are of middle height, and well-formed, with 
yellowish brown complexions, long black hair, 
and large brown eyes : the line of face is more 



MALAY COSTUME. 219 

Open, and the head better formed than with the 
Tagals of Manilla ; the nose is somewhat flat, 
but the lips are firmly cut. The eyes of some of 
them were sKghtly drooping and oblique, and 
wherever this peculiarity is observable, it denotes 
a onelange of the Chinese and Malay races. In 
general the physiognomy of these men is very 
expressive, particularly of artifice and cunning. 
The first whom I had an opportunity of observ- 
ing, came on board our vessel for the purpose of 
exchanging fowls and fruit for a few cotton hand- 
kercliiefs and articles of household use, of which 
they are extremely covetous. 

These people prefer the commerce of exchange 
to any other, and as they have not the slightest 
idea of the value of coin, they would fr-equently 
give for an earthenware vase, or bottle, articles 
of merchandise for which they would refuse seve- 
ral piastres. 

Most of these Malays were naked down to the 
waist, and indeed their only covering thence 
consisted of a pair of very short pantaloons ; their 
heads were decorated with a kerchief of red cot- 
ton, and the everlasting kriss was, of course, 
placed at their sides. The commander of the 
Sabine had established a sort of friendly relation- 
ship with some of the chiefs in the interior, the 
most renowned of whom was named Tuan-Baram, 
and was much respected by his neighbours, more I 
suspect on account of his well-known cunning than 
for his sanctity. Day after day were we promised 
a visit fr-om this august personage, and as often 
disappointed ; Panglamet-Tiram, the father-in- 
law of Baram, and chief of the tribe, and Arac, 
son-in-law to the Iman, always appearing in his 



220 NOTABLES OF THE ARCHIPELAGO. • 

stead, and apoligizing to the Admiral for his 
absence. 

The conduct of the Iman was quite in hannony 
with the rules of savage policy : these barbarians 
never take any important step ^\athout nicely ba- 
lancing the probable inconveniences or advantages 
arising from it. Baram, who was one of the most 
influential men of liis country, would not enter 
into any personal communication with the French 
until well assured of their friendlv intentions to- 

ft/ 

wards him, and therefore intrusted two members 
of his family, his father-in-law and son-in-law, 
with the task of ascertaining their \dews. 

Panglamet-Tiram was more than seventy-seven 
years of age, but nevertheless erect and Arm on 
his legs ; his appearance had something of the 
Arab about it, probably from his white mous- 
taches and beard, the round eminence at the top 
of his head, and his slightly aquiline nose : when 
he visited us he Avore a robe and turban as white 
as snow, and also a pair of sandals ; in walking, 
he laid his left hand on the scabbard of his ki'iss, 
and his whole demeanour was indicative of confi- 
dence and dignity. 

Arac was the very type of the pure Malay race, 
small, dark, and admirably formed, A\ath strong 
limbs, well-opened eyes, and a physiognomy full 
of energy, and that sort of savage jissurance which 
belongs to animals that have never been tamed. 
He wiis di-essed in a rose-colom^ed robe, which 
had been presented to him by some European, 
and wliicli rendered tlie tint of his almust-sable 
complexion still more conspicuous. 

Wlu'U Tiiaii-Baram, as he was called by his 
countrymen, did at last visit the deck of the Cleo- 



MALAY DENTIFRICE. 221 

patra, we were all exceedingly disappointed with 
his appearance ; instead of discovering in this cele- 
bratecl man any particular traits of distinction 
from the rest of the natives, we beheld merely a 
barbarian of repulsive aspect, common-place and 
rather embarrassed manners, and a disagreeable 
cunning expression ; his physiognomy had neither 
the savage energy of Arac, nor the patriarchal 
dignity of Panglamet-Tiram. 

In order to appear to advantage, in this his 
first visit, he wore a light-coloured robe, and a 
French sabre, which had been a present to him ; 
his feet were encased in a pair of slippers, great 
rarities in this part of the world, and his fingers 
were loaded with heavy rings, containing worth- 
less pieces of stone of various colours. 

The appearance of these three men quite reali- 
zed the most romantic imaginations of the pirates 
of the isle of Sonde, the archipelago of Holo, and 
the coast of Borneo ; courageous, cruel, and cun- 
ning, with the kriss in their waistband, and their 
lance in hand, they seemed ever ready to face 
the most imminent danger with indomitable 
energy. There was something absolutely fearfid 
in the expression of their naturally-harsh physi- 
ognomy, when mth then- long hair falling over 
their faces, one could perceive, fi^om between their 
blood-stained lips, a row of black teeth, from 
which the enamel had been removed by means of 
some preparation of lime. The custom of covering 
the teeth with this destructive substance, so as to 
render the exterior quite concave, is practised by 
all the inhabitants of the archipelago ; they after- 
wards smear them with the black oily substance I 
have before described, and this mode of disfigure- 



222 NATIVE WAR DANCES. 

ment constitutes the mark of civil emancipation 
from control. 

We had several times an opportunity of seeing 
the Malays execute their war dances, which com- 
pletely initiated us in the manners of these people, 
who, even in their pastimes, seem to delight in 
scenes of fury and slaughter : two men, aimed 
with buckler, lance, and kriss, advanced into the 
arena, while the sound of a tambourine, which 
was at iii-st played very gently, beciime louder 
and quicker as they approached each other ; each 
now endeavoured to strike his antao-onist witli 

o 

the lance, while the other either parried the blow 
with his enormous buckler, or endeavoured U:> 
save himself by flight. As the conflict proceeded, 
the faces of the men lighted up, as if excited to 
the highest pitch ; the tm-ban which conflned 
their long hair became loosened, the black, tresses 
thus falhng all over their shoulders, and throwing 
away their lances, they drew the kiiss and seemed 
to be preparing to finish the combat hand to hand. 

We were also present at another kind of Ba- 
silanese dance, but as it was executed by two 
Malays, who spoke Spanish fluently, and liad re- 
sided at Samboanga, we suspected it to be a sort 
of imitation of the Bolero. Never in my life did 
I behold such grotesque figures as these two lior- 
rible demons, who made all kinds of repulsive 
grimaces, to add, as they imagined, to the gi*ace 
and expression of their performance, as they 
heiivily executed their awkward steps. 

The arts among the Bjisilanese are, of course, 
in a very rude st;ite. We have seen what their 
idea of dancing is, and their music is not less 
barbarous, the principal instruments being the 



THE TENDER PASSION IN BASILAN. 223 

tambourine, a very primitive form of the bucciUj 
and a sort of wind instrument, of very monotonous 
and disagreeable sound. 

Whether there are any poets in Basilan I can- 
not say ; but however that may be, it is certain 
that the Malay language, which is simple, forcible, 
and harmonious, might easily be applied to the 
purposes of rhyme : of one thing I am very 
doubtful — viz. whether the poet would be able to 
commit his thoughts to paper, for even Tuan- 
Baram, the great intellectual star of the country, 
could scarcely write his own name. 
7/ We had not much opportunity of becoming ac- 
quainted with the fairer part of the creation of 
Basilan ; but according to the testimony of the 
young interpreter, who was taken prisoner by the 
murderers of the ensign on board the Sabine, 
there were some among them neither deficient in 
beauty or feeling. This young man had, by his 
own account, received substantial proofs of affec- 
tion fi'om the daughter of Youssouf, in the shape 
of dried fish and cakes, of which she deprived 
herself to add to his daily fare ; and when she 
went to bathe in the river Maloso, it was her 
great delight to be accompanied by the young 
European, whom she would doubtless have been 
willing to instruct further in Malay manners and 
customs : a young sailor, who was observed by 
one of the native women in similar circumstances, 
immediately became the object of a very tender 
passion, which she did not fail to manifest in the 
most energetic manner, for, believing that the ap- 
parent indifference of the poor young man arose 
merely ft'om fear, she approached him with a 
drawn kriss in her hand, threatening to wound 



224 UNCLAIMED HOSTAGES. 

him with the weapon if he did not instantly ad- 
dress her in the language of love : of course the 
unfortunate youth, intimidated by the sight of 
impending danger, became eloquent in spite of 
himself, and made such vehement protestations of 
his affection, that she insisted upon having them 
repeated every time they met. 

Basilan contains about ten thousand inhabi- 
tants, divided into petty tribes, who are continu- 
ally at war with each other, the one side robbing 
the other of property, cattle, and horses, and the 
injm-ed party taking revenge in the most bloody 
manner. Panglamet-Tiram frequently offered to 
sell us two women, whom he had taken fi'om a 
neighbouring chief, in exchange for two oxen, 
which had been stolen fi'om him ; he evidently 
hoped, by means of these two females, to recover 
his lost property ; but after several intei-views, 
the affair was amicably settled between the two 
chiefs, who made a vow to forget all former dis- 
agreements, and to live henceforward in peace. 
What would French husbands say to this ? Is 
there one amongst them who would sell his wife 
for an ox, or even for two ? We obtained a sight 
of the females who had caused this quarrel, and, 
viewed from a distance, they appeared so old and 
ugly, that I certainly thought Panglamet-Tiram 
had the worst of the bargain: for my part, I 
should very much have grudged giving a cat in 
exchange for the old witches. 

Ill a situation of six degrees of latitude, Basilan 
enjoys a temperature which at this seiison, at any 
rate, was no inconvenience, for during our whole 
sojourn there, the heat never rose above twenty 
or thirty degrees ; hi the evening there was 



SANITARY CONDITION OF BASILAN. 225 

always a delicious breeze, and frequent gentle 
showers added to the coolness of the atmosphere, 
but I doubt whether this continued the whole of 
the year ; for if we may judge fr^om the sanitary 
condition of Basilan, and the appearance of some 
of the trees on the shore, which seemed to contain 
a gi'eat quantity of rotten matter, the island can- 
not boast of great salubrity. But if, on the other 
hand, we look further into the interior, at the 
mountains which rise in the centre of the isle, and 
the valleys which lie between them, and above 
all, at the robust forms of the Malays inhabiting 
these parts, we may conclude that the mountainous 
parts are tolerably healthy, a circumstance which 
proves, that in deciding matters of this kind, it is 
necessary to investigate both sides of the question. 



Q 



226 



CHAPTER V. 

HOLO, OR SOULOU. 

We had made such o^ood use of our time durinor 
our sojourn at Basilan, that for several days before 
we left, there really seemed nothing more to see ; 
so well had we made ourselves acquainted with 
every navigable river, and explored every part of 
the island where we could venture A\nth safety, 
that the whole surface of this beautifid, but some- 
what monotonous country, seemed perfectly fa- 
miliar to us, and we now began to be very impa- 
tient for the termination of the business wliich 
liad led us thither. 

This feeling was just at its height, when at 
about five o'clock on the morning of the 4th 
February, we were roused from slumber by the 
harmonious sounds of a sort of fife, which was never 
played on board the Cleopatra, except on parti- 
cular occf\sions ; its music was extremely varied, 
now plaintive, now Hvely, and served for the time 
to soften the hard labours of the sailors : from 
this circumstance, we felt quite certain we were 
about to depart, but were quite ignorant of the 
place of our destination, and our speculations on 
the subject reminded me of variations on the old 
air of " Bo)i voyage, M. Dumollet" Were we to 
return to Manilla, land of splendid cigars and 
Ijeaiititul Creoles ? or to visit Java, and make 
ac(jiiaintaiice with the ])hlegmatic Dutch mer- 
chants, wlium rej)ort described as rolling in gold, 



DEPARTUKE FOR HOLO. 227 

and surrounded, like the Sultans of Delhi, with 
numbers of lovely slaves ? — or (what was still 
more probable) were we about to make prepara- 
tions for approaching the coast, and commencing 
an attack upon the Malays ? 

These and various other suppositions occiu-red 
to our minds, but Avere all dispelled by the in- 
formation, that we were about to depai't for 
Holo, to demand from the Sultan of that place, 
that he shovdd either make us some handsome 
reparation for the loss we had sustained, or at 
once give up all claim upon a country in which 
his authority was scarcely recognized. 

Of course, as we thought of the prospect before 
us, we remembered the terms of horror in which 
the Tagals, and even the Spaniards at Manilla, 
spoke of " los MoTos de Jolo," who sometimes 
descended on their shores, boarded their vessels, 
and took the crew prisoners, wliile by land they 
pillaged and set fire to the villages. 

For my own part, I was by no means sorry to 
find that we should not at present take leave of 
this part of Malacca, for the Malay race was, in 
my estimation, so singular and interesting, and 
had been the subject of so much sagacious inquiry 
and observation, that I was delighted to have 
further opportunity of judging for myself of the 
various opinions which have arisen as to its ori- 
gin, and, moreover, was extremely desirous of be- 
coming acquainted with a country renowned for 
its daring piracies, and for being the last strong- 
hold of the perfidious but brave and adventm'ous 
Malay. 

The passage from Basilan to Holo, scarcely de- 
serves the name of a voyage, but is merely a 

q2 



228 THE AREIVAL. 

change of place, which we easily effected in two 
days, anchoring in front of the town, on the 6th 
of February, along with the Victorious and the 
Ai'chimede, both of which had followed the Cleo- 
patra. The aspect of Holo, from this point, is 
gi'and and severe, the centre of the island being 
traversed by a ridge of high mountains, less thickly 
wooded than those of Basilan, but interspersed 
with numerous rivulets, and crowned with lofty 
peaks, which are almost always covered with snow. 
The impression produced by our arrival, caused a 
very singular scene ; on the one side, we perceived 
numbers of men, apparently in a state of bewil- 
derment, moving to and fro on the shore, momited 
on horses, oxen, and buffaloes, all saddled and 
bridled ; on the other, a startled crowd of people 
stood at the doors of their habitations, casting 
restless and uneasy glances at the new comers ; 
while a whole fleet of little proas glided rapidly 
over the waters, till they reached the interior of 
the bay. The whole population seemed excited 
by our presence, which was accounted for by the 
fact, that the arrival of a Em^opean vessel in these 
parts, is always an event of gi^eat importance to 
the inhabitants, who, whether high or low, rich 
or poor, have generally committed some illegal 
deed, which compels them to dread the visit. 
The spot where tliis scene took place, was ad- 
mirably situated for allowing us to see the 
whole of it ; the houses on the shore, stretching 
almost into the sea, at the base of a tract of per- 
fectly-cultivated land, while the range of moim- 
tains in the distance, gi'adually rising liiglier and 
hiiihcr, formed tlie back-m-ound to tlie tahlnni. 
The town itself is composed ot a cluster of 



MALAY " CASTLES IN THE AIR." 229 

three or four hundred houses, which, from the 
humblest cottage to the residence of the Kajah, 
are all built exactly alike, that is to say, on 
stakes fixed into the ground, similar to those I have 
described in speaking of Malacca ; in the space 
beneath the house, the horse of the owner is 
lodged, when the dwelling is built on terra fir iina, 
ajid when it stands in the midst of the waters, 
the proa, that light traveller of the ocean, which 
often constitutes the principal property of the oc- 
cupant, is fastened to the bottom of the stakes. 

It is a singular circumstance, that all the Ma- 
lay tribes preserve the custom of erecting their 
dwellings on stakes, like a bird's nest in a tree ; 
many authors have sought to explain tliis fact, 
some pretending that this mode of construction is 
preferred on account of its forming a protection 
against the insects which are always to be found 
in damp places ; others asserting that it is done 
for the pm-pose of sheltering the domestic ani- 
mals : neither of these suppositions, however, are 
correct, for in places sometimes inundated by the 
sea, there are usually but few insects, and in 
general, the Malays care Little about keeping any 
kind of animal, being principally Mussulmen, 
sailors by profession, and paying little attention 
to agriculture, especially in the littoral parts of 
the country. We may rather attribute this cu- 
rious custom to the fact, that each different spe- 
cies of the human race, has its own separate style 
of architectm-e, as peculiar to itself in construc- 
tion, as the nest of a bird or bee, or the bun'ow 
of a rabbit, among the inferior animals. 

The houses at Holo did not appear to us very 
comfortable, though we had not, perhaps, a very 



230 TRADE OF HOLO. 

fair opportunity of judging as yet, being only 
able to observe the number of little hovels, inha- 
bited by the very poorest Malays, or such of the 
Chinese who lead a similar life among their fel- 
low-creatures to that of the Jews in the middle 
ages, and are banished as fixr as possible from the 
heart of the town. The formidable appearance of 
oui^ frigates, which presented to the gaze of the 
astonished Soulouans the unusual spectacle of an 
aiTay of cannon in excellent order, was by no 
means calculated to inspire them with confi- 
dence, and at first they did not seem at all dis- 
posed to make further acquaintance with us ; 
however, by degrees, cm^iosity predominated over 
fear, and they flocked in gi-eat numbers to ofier 
us the produce of their soil, viz. bananas, cocoa- 
nuts, onanr/oustans, durians, the sweet potatoe, 
and fowls of such size and beauty as to remind 
us of those of Bresse and Mans. 

Emboldened by the success of their first essay, 
a gi-eat number of Malay vessels crowded upon 
us during the first few days after our arrival ; 
they were manned by vigorous, athletic-looking 
men, better dressed than the natives of Biisilan 
(who are in general badly attired), speaking 
Spanish with gi^eat facility, and appearing quite 
au fait in the petty commerce of these countries, 
which requires those who engage in it, to be pos- 
sessed of much courage and sagacity. 

Like the other Malay tribes I have mentioned, 
they seemed to prefer the exchange of their mer- 
cliandise for ours, to any other kind of ])ayment, 
a mode of doing business wliich was extremely 
acce])table to our sailors, wlio souglit U]) eveiy- 
thing they could find that was likely to tempt 



NAUTICAL JEWS. 231 

the Soulouans, who entertained very exaggerated 
ideas of the value of such commodities as were of 
the slightest utility, or which pleased them by 
their novelty ; and an amusing spectacle it was, 
to see, issuing forth, as it were from all corners of 
the vessel, old shoes or bottles, shining glass but- 
tons, broken razors, the half of what had once 
been a pair of scissors, old pantaloons, &c., all of 
which were speedily exchanged for articles much 
more usefril to our crew, such as frniit and veget- 
ables, different weapons of war, the sarhacan 
lance and kriss. 

At this time there were four ships of war in the 
bay of Soulou, three French and one English ; the 
Samarang, the crew of which, having heard of our 
arrival, came to explore these regions, and thus 
accidentally gave us a meeting. But notwith- 
standing this influx of strangers, the fertility of 
this country is so great, that the constant supply 
of excellent fowls and fi-uit neither failed nor 
augmented in price ; we had, moreover, as many 
oxen and kids for the consumption of the sailors, 
as could possibly be required, and in addition to 
these necessaries, the inhabitants were eager to 
supply us with everything that they thought 
could be useful or interesting ; among the fii'st of 
their gifts I must mention the kriss, which as I 
have before remarked, possesses great reputation 
throughout Malacca for the excellence of its blade, 
and the beauty of its workmanship ; the kriss of 
Holo is quite different fr^om that manufactured at 
Malacca, being a two-edged weapon of about fif- 
teen inches long and three wide ; the blade, which 
is straight and pliable as the body of a serpent, is 
sometimes inlaid with silver filagree work of the 



232 THE ISLAND IDOL. 

most delicate description, while the handle is 
either of wood covered with horse hair, ivory, or 
silver, according to the value of the other part 

From their earliest infency, the inliabitants of 
Soulou wear the kriss habitually, and seem to 
regard it as a ready and faithfid friend, from which 
they never separate ; by its blade they swear their 
most solemn oaths ; in its polished sm^face they 
read the future results of theii' most dangerous en- 
terprises, and woe to the unhappy stranger who 
trusts himself in the presence of the island savage, 
who is induced by anger or revenge, to draw the 
h'iss from its scabbard, for if the Malay considers 
himself in the presence of an enemy, he will not 
hesitate to phmge it, with fatal aim, into the 
bosom of the latter. 

To the Soulouan, his Jcriss is his oi'acle — the 
superior power to which he prays, and which he 
consults on all occasions ; sometimes he addresses 
it in verse, and I have now and then seen the 
scabbards of these weapons inscribed with long 
wild poems in honour of theii* exploits. 

At Holo, the blade of this instrument is never 
poisoned, the least trace of its having ever been 
subjected to that process, being considered a flaw 
in its value ; as to the excellence of the weapon, 
no doubt whatever can be entertained, it being 
ftir preferable, both for elegance and solidity, to 
the inferior arms used by the French soldiers. 

When our enthusiasm on the subject of the kriss 
had somewhat subsided, the natives began to bring 
shells, birds, and apes for our inspection : some of 
the former were not in a very good state of jn-e- 
servation, a circumstance which caused great dis- 
appointment to the conchologists on board, ivs it 



SOULOU OBJECTS OF NATUKAL HISTORY 233 

prevented them from accurately determining whe- 
ther the numerous valves and indentations were 
natural, or merely the result of accident ; I have 
sometimes imagined that the little value the Ma- 
lays attach to the most beautiful shells, arises 
from an idea that the Europeans are barbarous 
enough to make use of them in the same manner 
as themselves, viz. : to break them up for the 
preparation of the lime with which they mix the 
betel-nut, for I have often seen them throwing 
the water out of their vessels with a delicate nau- 
tilus shell, or a volute crowned with elegant 
points, which of com'se soon disappeared under 
their rough usage. 

The birds they offered us were loriots of the 
most brilliant colours, red, yellow, and blue, white 
kakatoes, with yellow crests, green parroquets, and 
pretty little parrots, of the same kind as those I 
first saw in the Straits of Malacca ; all these 
beautiful creatm-es were sporting and chattering 
together like children, for the gay babbling which 
belongs to them in their native country bears no re- 
semblance to the few stiff monotonous words which 
we Europeans teach them at the expence of so 
much trouble and punishment ; the jargon of our 
parroquets soon becomes monotonous, but the 
wild birds of Malacca speak a lang^aage which 
though incomprehensible, is pleasant to the ear, 
just as the music of an Italian song may be agree- 
able and soothing, though the meaning of its 
words may be unknown to the listener. 

I only observed four diiferent species of the 
ape, at Holo, one of which was not larger than a 
squirrel, and was really a charming little animal, 
playful as a puppy, very intelligent and good 



234 THE INDIGENOUS APE. 

tempered : the poor little creature afterwards died 
at Macao, of a pulmonary affection. It certainly 
is a species of barbarity to take these poor animals 
fi'om the wild, noble forests in which Providence 
has placed them, and we ought to have more con- 
sideration for beings, which though unable to 
speak our language, are not less sensitive than 
ourselves to pain and suffering : when taken pri- 
soners, they mourn the loss of their liberty, and 
fret after those left behind ; and I have seen hun- 
di'eds of them in a foreign land, perish of sorrow 
and regTet for their native soil. 

The fourth curiosity brought us by the Malays 
was a species of ape of the most ridiculous ap- 
pearance ; if the reader can picture to himself an 
animal about the size of a child of fom- years old, 
the back arched, the legs, feet, and arms exces- 
sively thin, and of immoderate length, the head 
covered with thin hair, a spare lanky frame, small 
mouth, and prominent nose overhanging the lips, 
not much imlike that of a man, he will have some 
idea of the singular appearance of this creature ; 
it climbed about the mast and sails of the ship, 
with its arms crossed on its breast, in the modest 
attitude of a nun at the confessional ; indeed the 
sailors liad given it the whimsical name of " Sis- 
ter Gertrude," which accorded ludicrouslv "vs^th 
its quaint and melancholy air. Apes of this de- 
scription, if I may judge from tlie specimen j"ust 
mentioned, are fitted only to inliabit tlie depths 
of tlie forest, and to roam amidst the tliic-k som- 
bre foliage of liigli trees, their long thin limbs en- 
abling them to spring and climb from branch to 
brancli with the greatest ra])i(litv ; besides their 
diet is of a jnirely vegetable kind ; " Sister Ger- 



PEARL-DIVING. 235 

trade/' for instance, would never eat any thing 
from my hands but fruit or bread. 

This animal was of an extremely quiet and me- 
lancholy disposition, always keeping to itself, and 
never taking any notice of any other creature on 
board ; when I took it in my arms, it uttered a 
sort of plaintive cry, and as I saw that it would 
soon perish if kept in captivity, I endeavoured to 
save its life by setting it at liberty, and placing it 
in the midst of a wood which surrounded the re- 
sidence of one of my friends at Sincapore ; it 
climbed up the highest trees, and ate a large 
quantity of the green foliage, but in the evening 
found its way back to its habitation, where it 
continued its monotonous life for a few days, and 
then died. The history of the numerous pet 
monkies I have kept, would form quite a Book of 
Martjrrs ! 

Pearls are sometimes found at Soulou, and the 
Malays are extremely fond of this kind of fishing, 
as it affords them ample opportunity for giving 
proofs of their intrepidity and boldness ; for the 
oyster which famishes the pearl is found at a 
great depth below the water, and it is only by 
descending into this abyss, that it can be obtained. 
It is not uncommon to meet with a diver among 
the Malays, who will remain several moments un- 
der the water, and then return laden with more 
than a hundred shells. The latter are exposed on 
the shore, and as soon as they begin to decay, are 
carefully examined separately, for the purpose of 
ascertaining whether they contain any of the pre- 
cious treasure or not. 

I have often seen at Soulou, what appeared to 
me to be most beautiful pearls ; but it is not safe 



236 MANUFACTUEE OF FALSE PEARLS. 

to purchase them of the rude merchants here, who 
although ignorant of the science of chemistry, are 
nevertheless acquainted with a method of imita- 
ting these concretions, in which they succeed so 
well, as to have made many victims of cheatery 
amongst our crew ; the savans of our party were 
the most frequently imposed upon, for imagining 
it impossible that the art of imitation could exist 
among men so barbarous as these, who had never 
heard either of a laboratory, or of M. Thenard, 
and who scarcely knew the use of a common cy- 
linder, they of com'se fancied themselves quite 
safe in dealing with them, and consequently be- 
came the dupes of the ignorant rogues who im- 
posed upon them. 

The substance made use of by the Soulouans in 
this operation is of a white pearly hue ; it effer- 
vesces on the application of an acid, but retains 
both its colour and lustre during the operation. 
What this substance is, I know not, but if we 
may believe the assertions of the Malays, it is a 
curious formation, sometimes, but rarely, foimd in 
the liquid of the cocoa nut ; however, I am of 
opinion, that very little faith should be placed in 
the assurances of the natives, as it certainly would 
not be to their own interest to divnilge the secrets 
of their dishonest occupation. 

Besides its Malay population, Holo contains 
several hundred Chinese, who brave all the bad 
treatment and extortion of which thoy are the 
victims, for the sake of being able to cju-ry on 
tlieu* own connnerce ; they are in fact the Jews of 
this part of the world, polite, obsetjuious, and de- 
ceitful ; carrying on a system of peculation, which 
always ends in bringing them wealth, they sur- 



THE PIRATES OF SCIENCE. 237 

mount all the obstacles thrown in their way, and 
never fail in the end to oppress the population, 
who make fierce endeavours to resist their power. 
At Soulou, where they are not very well received, 
their great commerce consists in collecting and 
selling bird's nests and holoturies, two species of 
trade, which essentially belong to the Chinese. 
As every one knows, the birds' nests eaten in 
China are formed by a pretty kind of swallow, 
the salangane, which inhabits Java, and almost 
all the islands of the Malay archipelago ; these 
nests are composed of a jelly-like substance, the 
purest being of course the best. During my stay 
at Java, I visited the grottoes in which the sa- 
langane builds, in order to examine its curious 
nests, and whilst studying the habits of these 
birds, I have, I believe, succeeded in discovering 
the nature of the substance of which they make 
use, but as I have not room to expatiate here 
upon this interesting point in natural history, I 
shall leave it for the subject of future discussion, 
and then take the opportunity of settKng an ac- 
count with one of those savans, whose only talent 
consists in borrowing here and there the disco- 
veries made by others, thus gathering up, for his 
own use, a sort of scientific booty, and who, when 
he dare not arrogate to himself the merit of having 
made a discovery, pretends to have seen some-' 
thing like it, either in the ruins of Herculaneum, 
the inside of an Egyptian mummy, or in China 
or Japan, rather than yield any praise to the real 
author of the circumstance. 

The nests of these birds are becoming more and 
more rare every year, in the archipelago of Holo, 
jiot that the salanganes are destroyed, but on 



238 DRIED FISH. 

account of the fact that they are so constantly 
disturbed during the pairing season, as to take re- 
fuge in places inaccessible to the visits of man ; 
they now build on the tops of the highest peaks, 
and among rocks, which even the daring Malay 
cannot climb. There is however some prospect of 
seeing this loss remedied by European industry, 
by a means which will furnish the Chinese with 
birds' nests of French manufacture, and make 
them forget those of Holo and Java ; the thought 
occurred to me, as I was examining a little cap- 
sule of gelatine by Mothes, that this substance 
would probably be one day formed into imitation 
birds' nests, and find its way to the tables of the 
sons of the Celestial Empire. 

The Jtolotitries which the Chinese find at Sou- 
lou are a most hideous species of fish, resembling 
a very lai'ge worm ; the Malays have given them 
the name of tripans, and they are fomid at low 
water on the rocks whither they have been wash- 
ed. They are very common at Basilan and Holo, 
and in the latter place their exportation forms a 
source of considerable profit, the benefit of which 
is partly reaped by the Sultan. The manner in 
which this creature is prepared for the culinaiy 
uses to which it is appropriated by the Chinese, 
is very simple ; the disgusting animal is opened 
longitudinally, the inside is taken out, and it is 
then dried in the sun ; they feed principally on 
small shell-fish and other dead creatures found in 
the j)laces tliey inhabit. In another place I shall 
be able to describe more fully the culinary pre- 
paration of birds' nests and trijKUu^, without 
which the rich Chinese would scarcely think it 



THE BANYAN TREE. 289 

possible to live and discharge ttie numerous duties 
which polygamy imposes on him. 

To the east of the town of Soulou is a supply 
of fresh- water for the accommodation of all the 
vessels anchored here ; it is formed by two diffe- 
rent sources, which ascend and flow together, fill- 
ing an immense reservoir situated amidst the sand 
of the sea-shore ; the waters of this basin are kept 
in a continual state of agitation by the influx of 
the two streams, whose tumultuous murmuring 
mingles with that of the waves. 

At a httle distance fr-om this spot, is a high 
road, in good order, leading from Soulou to an- 
other town in the interior ; a banyan-tree, of 
even more gigantic dimensions than the ches- 
nut of Mount Etna, which is capable of sheltering 
a hundred men beneath its branches, overshadows 
both the two sources and the road. This pictu- 
resque neighbourhood, situated exactly at an 
equal distance fr'om the two principal towns in 
the island, has become quite a place of rendezvous, 
not only for the merchants and tradespeople, but 
for the unemployed of all classes ; it forms a sort 
of caravansary for the repose of the traveller, a 
market for the dealer in cattle, and a kind of 
cabaret in the open air for the resort of the news- 
monger ; here business affairs may be settled, and 
the interests and politics of all Malacca discussed, 
while it also gives a favom^able opportunity for 
the idle and dissipated to indulge in the conver- 
sation wliich generally distinguishes them in all 
countries. 

When we visited this singular place, we found 
a great number of Malays already assembled there ; 
some on foot, others mounted on oxen or buffaloes, 



240 SOULOU CAVALRY. 

the former of whom appeared to be sellers of fruit, 
curiosities, &c., while the others seemed to me to 
be husbandmen, whose cattle were laden with the 
produce of tlieir land. All tliese men were well 
dressed, and armed according to the custom of 
thoir nation, with the lance, the kriss, and the 
sarhacane. 

The hump-backed oxen and buffaloes, which 
have the honour of figuring in the cavalry of the 
Sultan of Holo, are not bridled like our horses, 
but are guided by a cord passed through their 
nostrils, a mode of being dragged about, which 
cannot but be painful to the poor animal. 

The sailors who had left om* vessel in order to 
procure fresh water, divided themselves into 
gi'oups, and seemed on very good terms with the 
whole of the picturesque party, who liad at fii'st 
been so much alarmed by our appearance. As a 
general ride, the agricultm-al population who in- 
habit the interior are much less savage and fero- 
cious than those dwelling nearer tlie coast, and 
we soon became very familiar with tliese villagei'S 
(if I may so term them) who were eager to offer 
us sweetmeats, birds, weapons, and all the mis- 
cellaneous merchandise in which they dealt ; some 
of them were most remarkable in their appear- 
ance ; one old man in particular, whose snow- 
white beard, noble physiognomy, and regular 
profile, recalled the pure Ai-ab type : behind him, 
as a contrast, stood a hideous little being, a 
dwarf of most repulsive aspect, very much de- 
formed ; I was scrutinising the appearance of this 
Malay ^sop, with rather more attention than 
was perhaps })olite, when he suddeidy fiew into 
a violent passion, called me every tiling he could 



WISE SUSPICIONS. 241 

think of, accompanying his words with horrible 
gestures ; the other Malays seemed much diverted 
by this scene, but nevertheless, appeared to stand 
in some awe of the dwarf, as they were carefal to 
hide theu" merriment from his glance ; whether 
this arose from the fact of his possessing some 
authority amongst them, or from some supersti- 
tion connected with liis strange exterior, I am, of 
course, unable to say. 

Having now reached the end of the road which 
runs parallel with the two streams, we struck 
into a straight path which led to a little emi- 
nence very weU cultivated, at the foot of which 
stood several pretty dwellings, sm-rounded by the 
graceful columns of some beautifril cocoa-trees, 
the tufted foliage of which mingled with large 
clusters of immense fruit ; some hedges of pine- 
apple and bananas formed the boundary of each 
little tenement, and surrounded the fields which 
were either planted with cotton trees, or sown 
with rice ; a gTeat number of oxen, buffaloes, and 
horses grazed peacefully around, and there was an 
air of comfort and plenty about the whole place 
most agreeable to witness. 

The Malays have, in general, a great objection 
to having their territories explored by strangers, 
a proof of which we soon experienced. The 
beauty of the spot I have been describing had of 
course attracted numerous visitors, both on ac- 
count of the fr-eshness of its air, and the amusing 
scene produced by the assemblage of Malays ; be- 
sides, as some of the sailors fr'om our vessels, as 
well as fr'om the English frigate, repaired thither 
every day for fresh water, the natives thus found 
themselves suddenly surrounded by Em*opeans, 

R 



242 A CUNNING HINT. 

and probably finding their continual visits trouble- 
some, formed a scheme for putting an end to them 
by throwing into the stream a peculiar species of 
fruit, which communicated an unpleasant taste to 
the water. One day when the sailors came, ac- 
cording to custom, to fill their pitchers at the re- 
servoir, on putting their feet and hands into the 
stream, they experienced a sensation both of heat 
and pain, and looking round to ascertain the 
cause of this change, discovered that this dis- 
agreeable feeling increased every time the skin 
came in contact with the bei-ries of a green herb 
which was floating about in the reservoir ; some 
of this fruit they brought back with them to the 
vessel, and I immediately recognised it to be that 
of the caryota onusta, a species of palm, described 
in the herbal of Father Blanco, an Augustine 
friar, expelled from Manilla, who wrote a very 
valuable work during the time of his isolation in 
the cloister ; this learned botanist has been quite 
my model and guide, and from studying his 
works, I have obtained many valualde hints upon 
the natural productions of the Philippine isles. 
Some of the men who had remained longest in the 
water, suffered a great deal of pain, which, how- 
ever, disappeared in a very short time, and with- 
out the aid of any sort of remedy ; the Malays 
make use of the Saccharine matter contjiined in 
this fruit, as a sort of projectile, which, with tlie 
aid of a bamboo, they fling in the faces of tlieir 
enemies, thus forming a wound wliicli it would 
reijuire all the anodynes of M. Puigon to cure. 

It is an extremely difficult ta.sk to determine 
the place a\ hich the Malays ought to occupy in 
the classification of tlic human race, and as the 



ORIGIN OF THE MALAYS. 243 

subject is too lengthy to be discussed here, I sliall 
content myself with merely repeating the opinions 
entertained by many of the French anthropolo- 
gists, and stating my own reasons for agreeing 
with that of Blumenbach. According to the ma- 
terialist anthropologists, the Malays constitute 
one of the numerous distinct species into wliich 
the human race is divided ; Cuvier and his disci- 
ples assign them a place among the Mongol tribes, 
on account of their possessing several of the traits 
of the Chinese ; but no one who has visited the 
Malay peninsula, the Philippines, Sincapore, the 
archipelago of Soulou and Java, and had an op- 
portunity of observing the Malgaches and Dagates 
in their native climes, can entertain this opinion. 
The origin of the Malays is undoubtedly a cross 
between two races, the one with straight hair 
and well-opened eyes, the other woolly-headed 
and probably of that class of negroes inhabiting 
Borneo, Sumatra, and Lu^on, known by the name 
of Pelagian negroes ; tliis idea is confirmed by the 
fact that the negro inhabitant of the upper part 
of the Malay Archipelago, speak a language simi- 
lar to that used on the coast, and indeed seem to 
be acquainted with the mother tongue whence the 
Malay originated, as they appear to comprehend 
all the difierent dialects used by the various tribes 
who compose this division of the human race. 

The Malays may then be considered a mongrel 
race of people, who, whilst partly allied to other 
tribes, have borrowed so much from the circum- 
stances in which they have been placed, as to 
have considerably modified the original type ; it 
is, therefore, false to assert that, as a general rule, 
the Malay resembles the Chinese, the former being 

e2 



244 MALAY CHARACTERISTICS. 

small, slender, and supple, whilst the latter are 
large and heavy in person ; the Chinese women 
too are weak, sickly, and fragile, with yellowish 
complexions, and an emaciated appearance, whilst 
the females among the Malays are straight and 
robust, with a peculiarly brown shade of the 
skin : the hair of the two tribes is also very dif- 
ferent, that of the Chinese being almost as 
straight as our own, and as to the obliquity of 
the eyes, this peculiarity is never found in the 
pure Malay race, and is only discernible with 
those who have from time immemoricd dwelt 
among the Chinese, who are a people by no means 
remarkable for self-denial, and being, moreover, 
unable to take any females with them when they 
emigrate, they never fail to ally themselves with 
the inhabitants of any nation in which they may 
happen to reside, provided, of coui'se, they are 
not repulsed. Thus, at Malacca, Sincapore, Java, 
and sometimes at Holo, there are men to be 
found whose straight, regular features resemble 
those of the Arab, whilst some of the Malgaches 
have thick lips — hair almost like wool, and nearly 
black complexions ; but the proper way of study- 
ing the peculiarities of the Malay race, is to ex- 
amine the natives of those ])arts where the origi- 
nal tyi^e has not been modified by the conquering 
race ; in other words, where the Chinese have 
not been predominant ; for instance, at Borneo,^ 
Madagjiscar, and throughout the Archipelago of 
Soulou, the Malay inhabitants have neither the 
obliquely-placed eye of the Chinese, nor the tic- 
quiline nose of the Ai'ab ; but at ^Manilla, the 
Jagals bear a much greater resemblance to the 
Chinese, not only physically, but mentally, seem- 



ISLAMISM IN HOLO. 245 

ing to combine the passive submission of the lat- 
ter, with the idleness of the Malay in all matters 
relating to labour and agriculture. These facts 
are certainly sufficient to refute the mistake of 
reckoning the Malays among the Mongol races, 
their place being the one Blumenbach assigned 
them, between the Caucasian and Ethiopian tribes. 

But although it is difficult to ascertain the pre- 
cise origin of the Malays, there is much less per- 
plexity in determining the exact epoch at which 
Islamism first prevailed amongst them, an event 
which seems to have taken place about the time 
these shores were discovered by the Em^opeans. 
On these far-distant shores, Catholicism and Ma- 
hometanism were once professed, under the fana- 
tical domination of the Spaniards and Moors ; 
but Islamism, which is so much better suited to 
the manners of these barbarians, now promises to 
convert many to its tenets, and to make the most 
rapid progress : human fraternity, the equality 
of man and woman, can never be understood by 
savages like these, who hunt their slaves, and 
afready profess polygamy. 

It may therefore be reasonably inferred, that 
the inhabitants of Holo are descended from 
Mussulman zealots ; Soulou in particular boasts 
of its sanctity, having been the most fruitftil 
hot-bed of the new fauiih ; the most pious per- 
sons assembled there in numbers ; and even 
in the present day, the natives of this island 
make pilgi'images to certain consecrated parts 
of the country, which they regard with a degree 
of veneration quite equal to that which Mecca 
once inspired. It was about this time that 
the Sultans of this Archipelago acquired their 



246 VESTIGES OF FORMER GREATNESS. 

power, for the adventurous spirit of the people, 
excited by their new religion, led them to engage 
in a war of propagation and conquest ; in this, 
however, they were faithful to the natural dis- 
position of their race, for not trusting entirely to 
the force of their arms, they had frequent resource 
to cunning and perfidy, not deeming their scimi- 
tar and the Koran sufficient to ensure success. 

But times are altered now : when the Soulou- 
ans conquered a part of Borneo and Mindanao, 
and entei^^ained the project of subjecting Manilla, 
they were possessed of power, which would have 
enabled them to combat with that of the Euro- 
peans at that time ; but now, alas ! what are their 
resources ? A few little proas — gi-aceful it is true, 
and constructed so as to cut throucrh the waves 
with the swiftness of an arrow ; but these airy 
skiffs are totally incapal^le of standing an en- 
counter with our steam ships, which to the Ma- 
lays are objects of extreme astonishment and 
terror. They also possess a few misei^able pieces 
of cannon, vestiges of their former power, but 
these have become so rusty for wimt of use, and 
are besides, managed by such inexperienced men, 
as to be good for nothing, except to terrify the 
inhabitants of Manilla, who hold them in awe 
from tradition ; in short, the modern forces of tlie 
Malays are very insignificant, and should they 
ever achieve the slightest success in wai-, it will 
be more on account of their energy, or perfidy, 
than the result of tlieir power. ' ' 

A pix)a, when fitted out for any warlike piu'- 
pose, generally contains forty men, most of whom 
are carefully concealed fi-om view, it being the 
object of tlie little vessel cither to inspire its in- 



MALAY NOBILITY. 247 

tended prey with confidence, or to attack it 
under the shelter of darkness ; when the men are 
able to accomplish their purpose, and come up 
with a merchant vessel without being observed, 
or at least, suspected, the whole crew start into 
action at a given signal, and endeavour to board 
the ship, kriss in hand. It is impossible for any 
vessel, whatever its capabilities may be, to fight 
very successfully against demons like these, upon 
whom neither the most dreadful sufferings, nor 
even the prospect of death, can make the least 
impression, and who are, moreover, impelled to 
the utmost exertion by the knowledge, that in 
case of failure, their lives will be sacrificed ; here- 
in lies the true secret of the boldness of the Malay 
in time of conflict ; and if the European nations 
ever make an effort to suppress their piracies 
effectually, much discretion and wisdom must be 
exerted for the purpose- 
As to the power of the Sultan of Holo, it is 
now much weakened ; for surrounded as he is by 
patrician families, called datous, who interfere 
very much with public affairs, he can only be 
said to possess the shadow of his former greatness ; 
the authority he once held over the adjacent is- 
lands is fast diminishing, the natives refusing to 
pay the tribute they were ^formerly compelled to 
yield ; thus his sovereignty is limited to Soulou it- 
self, it being the interest of the datous in that 
place to assist Mm in maintaining it. 

The Sultan himself is the very image of his po- 
litical position ; not more than nineteen years of 
age, pale and debilitated, he lives amongst his 
family not as a king in his palace, but simply as 
the head of the datous, neither seeking to recover 



248 HIS SOULOUAN MAJESTY. 

his former power, nor to maintain the dignity of 
his situation. Emaciated in body by the too 
frequent use of opium, and fettered by the accu- 
mulation of debts he has contracted in endeavour- 
ing to fulfil the duties which his empty title of 
''king" impose upon him, his life is but a con- 
tinued scene of precarious pomp, and wilful inac- 
tivity, a condition which will only last so long as 
the English su]3ply him with money on the same 
liberal terms as at present ; when they cease to do 
this, he will resign his kingdom, rights and pri- 
vileges, and retire into one of the other states, 
governed by different laws, where he will live in 
obscurity upon an income just sufiicient for his 
wants ; and this illustrates the manner in which 
the English merchants proceed in this part of the 
world, now and then possessing themselves of 
whole kingdoms, to the amazement of the lookers 
on, and of our nation in particular. 

During om^ stay at Soulou, M. de Lagi-en(^ had 
an interview with the monarch of that place, who 
was not, as may well be supposed, treated with a 
very great amount of ceremony, his authority 
being as little recognised in a great portion of his 
dominions, as that of an English sovereign in 
France ; no gold -embroidered robes were donned 
for the occasion, but the French Ambassador re- 
paired to the Imperial residence attired in his 
usual moi'ning costume, and accompanied only by 
two attach(^s of the legation, and some of liis 
ofiicei's. 

The Tuileries of Soulou stands in tlie centre of 
the cn])ital, simply constructed of wood, not (litter- 
ing tlie least in a])])earance from the most insigni- 
ficant Malay residence. The French authorities 



THE INTERPKETER. 249 

were received in a large saloon, totally destitute 
of ornament, and furnished only with divans and 
arm chairs, covered with horse-hair ; truly the 
standard colours of La Fayette have given place 
to the invention of the great Oudinot, which has 
reached even to this distant part of the world. 

When I was at the Cape of Good Hope, I re- 
member one day meeting, just on the frontiers of 
the Boer country, a la^rge piece of household fur- 
niture covered with horse-hair, which was being 
carried over the sands in an immense car, drawn 
by six oxen, and I was informed that it was to be 
offered as a present to some Caffre monarch ; it 
appears that the Sidtan of Soulou also stretches 
his limbs on a couch of this hard material, and I 
beheve that the two great powers of these coun- 
tries, Soulouque and Pomare, follow the same 
custom ; however, it is a durable manufacture, and 
will last for ^ve years, a circumstance worth the 
consideration of royal economy. 

The conversation between the Ambassador and 
the Sultan was carried on through the medium of 
an interpreter, whom M. de Lagrene had engaged 
at Manilla, the interpreter of the Malay languages 
who had been sent hither by the Minister of Ma- 
rine affiairs being at that time occupied in acquir- 
ing further knowledge of them. This native of 
Manilla was a fat Tagal, plump and shining as a 
well-fed child ; his ample visage shone joyously 
beneath his little straw hat, and the rotundity of 
his figure caused his calico garments to crack in a 
fearful manner, at every movement ; the principal 
occupation of this individual was to fan himself 
three parts of the day with an immense bunch of 
palm-leaves, but notwithstanding this system of 



250 AN INTERPRETER IN DISTRESS. 

perpetual ventilation, he still resembled some of 
those plump statues which ornament the principal 
squares in some of the villages of Provence, and 
which are kept in a state of continual humidity 
by the action of some watery element. 

No one was ever able to discover the name he 
bore in his own country, and on board the Cleo- 
patra he was known by the appellation of Muclio 
Galor, which was conferred upon him on account 
of the fact that these two words formed the prin- 
cipal part of his whole conversation ; it wavS his 
constant custom to walk about the deck with his 
fan in one hand, and a pocket-handkerchief in the 
other, and when the vessel was sailing, he would 
come up to the passengers twenty times a day 
with the same invariable phrase : " Hace Tnucho 
color ; quieii sabe cuando llegaremos V When 
the ship was lying at anchor, his remarks were 
slightly varied : '' Hace onucho calor ; quieiisabe 
cuando saldvemios de aqui T' 

When M. de Lagrene announced to poor Mucho 
Calor, his intention of taking him on shore to 
visit the Sultan of Soulou, that worthy function- 
ary was visibly distressed at the intelligence, for 
being a tiTie born Tagal, the chief of los Moras de 
Jolo was, in his eyes, the most renowned and awful 
sovereign in creation ; under these circumstances, 
his habitual tacitm*nity forsook him, and with a 
very piteous face, he came to me to relate his 
grievances. 

" I was very foolish," said he, " ever to enter 
into ])olitical affairs at all, for should I now resign 
the elevated position I liokl, and return to my old 
profession of a sailor, what will become of mo, if 
i have the misfortune to be cast on these shores? 



RECEPTION AT COURT. 251 

The Sultan will never pardon me for having en- 
gaged in any service but his own, and will either 
treat me as a slave, or perhaps cut off my head : 
people like myself should never meddle with the 
quarrels of others, for they are sure, sooner or 
later, to suffer for it/' 

I assm^ed the distressed interpreter that his 
fears were quite groundless, for that the Sultan 
would respect his dignity. 

" Respect my dignity \" he exclaimed ; " alas ! 
a man who sets the governor of Manilla at defi- 
ance, and who is styled Monseigneur I'eveque 
vieux giraumon, would think nothing of eating 
me up at a single mouthful/' 

I endeavoured to represent to MucJio Color 
that he was much too substantial a person to stand 
in any danger of meeting with such a fate, but he 
scarcely paid any attention to my observations, 
and continually heaved forth dreadful sighs ; how- 
ever, on the appearance of the boat filled with 
armed men who were to accompany the ambas- 
sador, he seemed to take courage, and set out with 
something like resolution. 

: The French minister was received by the Sultan 
smTOunded by his datous, the latter of whom 
amounted to thirty or forty in number, and repre- 
sented the senate of the place ; they were, for 
the most part, extremely well dressed, that is to 
say they wore slippers and trousers ; pieces of 
Indian print or calico were rolled in the turban 
style round their heads, and they had also vests 
or floating garments either of white or coloured 
cotton. On the arrival of M. de Lagrene all the 
datous rose, and conducted him to an arm chair 
placed by the side of the Sidtan. 



252 A FALSE ALARM. 

The Soulouan public were present at this confe- 
rence, and occupied the benches placed at the 
lower end of the hall : this disorderly crowd of 
men, grouped together in the most gi'otesque 
manner, all armed with the kHss, and openly- 
expressing to each other their dissatisfaction that 
strangers and Christians should be allowed thus 
to transact business with the dignitaries of their 
empire, might have struck terror into the heai-ts 
of braver men than poor Mucho Calor, particularly 
when a ludicrous accident occurred, which seemed, 
at first, to give rise to apprehension : one of the 
benches upon which the natives had climbed, 
happened to give way, bringing down one or two 
others in its fall, while the occupants, tumbling 
in disorder upon each other, expressed their dis- 
comfiture b}^ loud shrieks and cries ; this noise 
being overheard by the Malays who had not 
been able to find room in the hall, and had been 
standing all this time outside, the latter immedi- 
ately conjectured that an attack had been made 
by the French upon their beloved monarch ; 
whereupon, they instantly rushed into the streets 
of Holo, announcing the fact, and accompanj^ing 
the information with all sorts of savage gesticu- 
lations. Meanwliile, the datous and company 
assembled inside, not being able to underst-^md 
the meaning of this sudden call to arms, imagined, 
tliat the crews of the French vessels liad landed, 
and that they tliemselves were the victims of 
treason ; under tliis im])ression, they manifested 
a very decided intention to sieze both M. de La- 
grend and his suite, but a seiious contlict was 
prevented by tlie coolness and self posses.sion of 
the ambassador, M'ho proposed to the Sultan that 



THE POLITICS OF SAVAGES. 253 

he should immediately show himself to his people, 
which the monarch had no sooner done, than the 
excitement of the multitude diminished. With 
these uncivihsed barbarians, who are always 
armed and disposed for combat, every little occur- 
rence is seized as a pretext for a violent conflict, 
which it generally requires the utmost coolness 
and presence of mind to prevent. 

When the general tumult had somewhat sub- 
sided, cigars and betel nut were oflered to the 
ambassador, as well as tea and chocolate in cups, 
after which, business afiairs were introduced. 

It is an admitted fact in political discussions, 
that the most subtle diplomatists are to be found 
amongst savage nations, who, although they have 
never studied under Talleyrand or Pozzo di Borgo, 
are generally well versed in their fundamental 
principles, and after having treated with the 
inhabitants of Soulou and the adjacent islands, 
M. de Lagrene used to boast of having been ac- 
quainted with the most crafty and subtle poli- 
ticians in the universe. 

Mucho Calor now proceeded to lay before the 
assembly, the propositions of the French Ambas- 
sador, in the following terms : " One of the Chiefs 
of Basilan,'' said he, " has murdered two French- 
men, and taken three others prisoners ; we re- 
quire that you should either deliver up the 
culprit, or immediately renounce your title to the 
sovereignty of that island ; if you refuse to make 
this reparation, the French will attack Basilan, 
and take their own vengeance upon it, and 
should they hereafter succeed in subjugating the 
island, they will take possession of it, as of a 
country which has been hitherto unclaimed." 



254 A TREATY PROPOSED. 

As soon as tlds speech was ended, a sort of 
Malay Ulysses rose, amidst a mui'inur of appro- 
bation, and prepared to answer it ; he was a man of 
about fifty years of age, small, thin, yellow, and as 
wrinkled as an old glove ; casting a side-glance 
upon the crowd assembled round him, he paused 
for a moment, and then addressed the French 
party as follows : — " His Highness the Sultan 
possesses no means of punishing the culprit in 
this case, but nevertheless, liis rightful claims 
upon Basilan are indisputable ; they have been 
recognised as such for a considerable length of 
time, and will continue so for a much longer 
period. Why should he be desired to resign his 
sovereignty entirely merely because it happens to 
be for the moment weak and powerless i We 
cannot tell but that to-morrow these rebel sub- 
jects may be brought to see their error, and 
return to obedience ; or perhaps our noble armies 
in Borneo and Holo may subdue the offenders by 
force of arms ; under these circumstances, we 
must choose a middle course of proceeding ; let 
our French brethren, themselves, chastise the ag- 
gi'essors ; their arms are victorious everywhere, 
and let them first fix the price to be paid upon 
Basilan, in case they should in future occu})y that 
island, and if in six months, the present under- 
standing which exists between tlie Sultan of 
Holo, our master, and his subjects in Bjisihin, 
should undergo no change, the sum of fifty-tliou- 
sand pitustres paid by the Frencli, AA'ill j)urchase 
the soverignty of the island." 

Not a single dissenting voice was raised against 
the orator, who wiis evidently higlily thought of 
by his countrymen. In plain language, Jiis ha- 



THE CONTROVERSY SUSPENDED. 255 

rangue was meant to express neither more nor 
less tlian this : " We are at present the monarchs 
of Basilan, par la grace de Dieu, and our rights 
are incontrovertible ; do as you please with your 
enemies, but do not expect us to espouse your 
quarrel ; if, when you leave these shores, the 
rebels become tractable and docile, we will then 
endeavour to regain om^ authority over them, or 
at any rate, to treat with them for the payment 
of tribute ; but should they still continue rebel- 
lious, and we find ourselves unable to manage 
them, we will then gladly sell them to you for 
the sum of fifty thousand piastres, unless we can 
effect a better bargain with England or Spain/' 

Poor MucJio CaloT might well fan himself more 
vigorously than ever, whilst negociating with 
this wily politician, who remained firm to the 
proposal he had made, and the assembly separated 
without having come to any conclusion. 

Dming the night which followed this meeting, 
we were suddenly awakened by a great tumult 
on board our vessel ; the sentinels gave the alarm, 
and called attention to the mysterious appearance 
of some individuals who kept swimming round 
our ships, apparently with the wish of coming on 
board ; after having conferred with the com- 
mander, an officer belonging to the Cleopatra 
gave orders that one of these men who had seized 
upon the chain of the anchor, should be assisted 
on board. 

He was a young Malay of about sixteen or 
eighteen, of most gentle and interesting appear- 
ance, and scarcely had he set foot upon the deck 
of the Cleopatra, than he fell on his knees and 
made the sign of the cross with apparent fervour 



256 THE CAPTIVES DELIVERED. 

and piety, and having briefly uttered his thanks 
to God, informed us that he was a poor Christian 
skive whom the Soulouan pirates had taken pri- 
soner on the coast of Manilla, and who now 
sought refuge in the protection of his French 
brethren. He said that the other men who were 
swimming about were slaves Hke himself, and 
that if we refused to take pity upon them, they 
would undoubtedly be cruelly mm-dered by their 
masters, who must soon become aware of theii' 
escape : it is scarcely necessary to add, that ropes 
were flung to the rest of the poor unfortunates, 
all of whom were taken on board, and never in 
my life did I witness a more affecting scene than 
that which took place when the poor creatures 
found themselves once more reunited : kneeling 
at the feet of the officers, they implored in the 
most moving terms the compassion which was 
readily yielded them, then embracing and con- 
gratulating each other upon their good fortune, 
they gave vent to their feelings in a Hood of 

tears. 

In Spanish romances there are always highly- 
coloured scenes on the deliverance of captives fi'om 
slavery, and the spectacle we now witnessed 
carried us Ijack, in imagination, to a period long 
gone Ijy, and we at once (comprehended the inter- 
est which attaclies itself to histories of this kind. 
The coasts of tlie Mediterranean were at this time 
continually visited by ferocious bandits, who seized 
remorselessly upon men, women, tind children, 
and ciirried'them off as slaves ; indeed so frequent 
were these occurrences, that the religious s})irit 
of the age was induced to call attention to them, 
and a man of obscm-e origin, born in the little 



THE ORDER OF MERCY. 257 

village of Foucon, in Provence, began to preach 
upon the subject of redeeming the captives, which 
created much excitement among the Christians in 
all parts ; and Jean de Matha, seconded and en- 
com'aged by some of the most powerful persons of 
the age, now founded the Order of Mercy, the 
aim of which institution was the ransom of the 
slaves ; large sums of money were bestowed t 
further the progress of the pious work, and ever' 
year a number of captives who had been rescue( 
by the persevering fathers from the dominion o 
the most barbarous countries in the world, fol 
lowed their liberators in procession through th( 
streets of the different towns and villages, anc 
hung the chains from which they had been de- 
livered upon the walls of the churches. But oJ 
late years, the power of the religious party has 
been considerably weakened, and the officers oi 
the English and French navy may now lay claim 
to the title of the real Fathers of Mercy, for nc 
sooner does the standard of civilization appear in^ 
the midst of these far-distant regions, where piracy 
still exist in its most dreadful form, than the poor 
captives by whom it is perceived, hail it as their 
signal of deliverance. 

The history of all our captives was almost exactly 
the same, all of them being poor Tagals from 
Manilla, who had been taken prisoners by the 
pirates of Holo, and had afterwards been sold by 
their masters to merchants or husbandmen, who 
subjected them to a rigorous degree of labour 
which was always augmented when they persisted 
in refusing to embrace the tenets of Islamism. 
'^ These poor men informed us, that amongst their 
companions in misfortune, were some Europeans, 

S 



258 THE CAPTIVES REDEEMED. 

who liad been sliip^va-eckecl on this coast, and that 
as soon as our fidgates had appeared in sight, they 
had been carried oft' by the natives into the inte- 
rior of the island, so that they might have no 
communication with us. 

The next morning at day -break, the main-mast 
of tlie Cleopatra was decorated with a red flag on 
which was blazoned a white cross, and a grand 
salute of cannon hailed the sign of redemption, the 
sound of which, awakening the silent echoes of 
the island, must have inspii'ed the hearts of the 
miserable captives with hope, and doubtless many 
a gi'ateful eye was raised to Heaven, and many a 
knee bent to the earth in thanksgiving for the un- 
expected succour. 

For several nights following, the number of the 
fugitives who thronged round the vessel wiis very 
considerable ; amongst them were a Spaniard, 
and an Indian from the coast of ]\lalabar, the 
latter of whom had Ijelonged to an English vessel, 
shipwrecked on the rocks of Borneo, where he was 
of course separated from his companions, and knew 
not what had become of them. 

The Sjjaniard had lived for fifteen years in the 
interior of Soidou, where his master treated him 
very well, and his only reason for escaping, was 
an unconquerable yearning to behold his native 
country once again. 

Notwithstanding the continual desertion of the 
slaves, the little vessels of the natives fre(iuented 
our frigates as nuich as ever ; one day I was talk- 
ing to a Malay, of whom I had just bought some 
cocoa-nuts, when he informed me that he idso was 
a captive at Mindaneo, upon which 1 ent^uired 



THE UNCONSCIOUS PHILOSOPHER. 259 

why he did not profit by the opportunity to es- 
cape, and revisit his country ? 

" Why should I do so V he replied ; " there is 
something to regret everywhere ; here I am well 
enough off, my master treats me as if I were one 
of his kindred, I am well paid, and could save 
money if I wished ; in my own country I know 
I could not do better, and perhaps, should not 
fare as well ; therefore, I prefer remaining here/' 

I gave this unconscious philosopher a piastre, 
which he received with a shower of benedictions 
on my head. 

-- We remained a few days longer at Soulou, but 
finding that the Sultan, who was doubtless dis- 
pleased at the manner in which we had assisted 
the captives to escape, would not accede to om* 
propositions, or assist us in any way, the French 
ships once more set sail for Basilan. 

Dming our voyage thither, I one day observed' 
Mucho Color looking very grave, and casting 
mournful glances upon the prisoners whom we 
had saved ; so I approached, and striking him 
familiarly on the shoulder, enquu-ed what he was 
thinking about ? 

" Ah ! what a question, Monsieur, can you not 
guess ? I was thinking, that unless I have the 
good fortune to be specially protected by my pa- 
tron saint, I shall one day be a wretched slave at 
Holo." 

" Well,'' said I, briskly, " you must save your- 
self as these men did, by swimming/' 

Poor Mucho Color ! he turned as bright a red 
as a tomato, and replied, in a crest-fallen voice : 

■"Ah ! Monsieur, how easy it is to talk ; alas ! 
I do not know how to swim/' 

s2 



?M 



CHAPTER VL ^ 

THE KETURN TO BASILAN. '^ 

'.,t 

The young Ensign, and the party belonging to 
the Sabine, had been assassinated on the river of 
Maloso, and it was in the port bearing that name, 
that the Cleopatra now anchored. Viewed from 
this point, Basilan presented an aspect so rude 
and severe, that we scarcely recognised it, for 
during our visit to the port of Malamawi, the 
whole surface of the island seemed covered by 
one vast mass of foliage ; we could perceive no- 
thing but high mountains clothed with rich vege- 
tation, whilst om' vessels, gTacefully anchored upon 
beds of coral, looked like swans reposing in a 
■wilderness of flowere ; but here, the immense 
sheet of azure which surrounded us seemed to 
know no limits ; nothing was to be seen but a 
long chain of barren rocks rising fi-om a valley of 
palm trees and ferns, to mingle in the horizon 
with the deep Vjlue of the waters, and our gallant 
ships, tossed about by the tumultuous waves, sug- 
gested a resemblance to noble steeds impatient to 
continue their onward course. 

The first few days after our an*ival were de- 
voted to the task of making preparations for the 
contem])lated attack upon Maloso, for, as may 
easily be imagined, our sailors seemed anxious to 
leave warlike traces of their presence amongst 
the unha])]>y Malays ; various man(puvres were ex- 
ecuted by the ditierent vessels, signals exchanged, 



PEEPARATIONS FOR THE ATTACK. 261 

and as soon as the crew had disembarked, they 
gave themselves up to all the exercises required 
in the bloody art of war. 

A detachment of sailors was sent out for the 
purpose of clearing a road from the sea-shore to 
the top of a little island about half a league from 
the spot where we were anchored ; this island 
bore the name of the Great Govenen, and was 
nothing more than an immense block of basalt, 
rising from the bosom of the earth in the form of 
an enormous cone, covered from the base to the 
summit by noble trees, more than a hundred feet 
in height, the strong roots of which struck deep 
into the rocky pyramid fr'om which they sprung. 
Y The road up this mountain was constructed by 
the sailors in a very original manner ; as they 
contented themselves with making a sort of ba- 
lustrade by means of strong ropes passed from one 
tree to another, so as to be able to ascend to the 
very summit of this natm^al sugar-loaf I once 
made an ascent of this kind, but was obliged to 
descend precipitately, and am of opinion that it 
is almost as difficult a task as any that can be 
given to man to execute. 

The object of the officers in attempting to gain 
the summit of this elevation, was to be able to 
explore the vast plain of Maloso throughly, be- 
fore commencing the action they meditated, and in 
this project they were materially assisted by a sin- 
gular vegetable phenomenon in the shape of two 
immense trees, which crowned the extreme peak 
of the Great Govenen, growing to a most prodigious 
height, their interlaced roots resembling limbs 
twined together ; they were of the calophyllum 
genus, which furnishes the Indian sailor with 



262 AN ELEVATED RECOXNOISANCE. 

masts similar to those whicli, in Europe, we ob- 
tain only from Norway. The sailors fastened their 
ropes to the very top branches of these forest 
giants, upon which the commanding officers ven- 
tured for the purpose of studying the position of 
the future field of battle. 

Now, I must confess, not only that I myself 
had the weakness and vanity to make this aerial 
journey, but also, that upon finding myself raised 
to such an immense height from the ground by 
means of ropes, which might possibly break, I 
instantly demanded in energetic language, that I 
miorht be assisted down as^ain, and from that time 
I have solemnly believed the history of AoiUe 
to be merely that of a man who, under similar 
circumstances, was seized with vertigo. 

From the heicrlits of this observatorv, the hii^h- 
ly-cultivated pastures of Maloso might be per- 
ceived, i\s well as its peaceful-looking dwellings, 
scattered about here and there, sun-ounded by 
trees with splendid foliage, whilst the inhabittmts, 
with their herds of buftaloes and humped oxen, 
added to the serene and })e{iceful a^spect of the 
scene ; for the advantaoje of those Avho were en- 
gaged in the work of inspection, they were also 
able to perceive that the line of paWuviers which 
surrounded Basilan wjis not more than a league 
in extent. 

In descending: the Great Govenen, notwith- 
standing the Jissistance of the ropes, I managed 
to l)ruise myself a good deal against the hard, 
sloping edges of this rock, whicli ixMuinded one 
of the obelisk at Luxor ; I subsequently i)aid a 
visit to tlie Lesser Govenen, which is an exact 
miniat\n-e of the larger one, but this time I knew 



MONEY OF nature's COINING. 263 

better than to trust myself upon the hard slippery 
basalt, and therefore amused myself by collecting 
the shells which had been borne thither by the 
tide, thus indulging one of my favourite tastes as 
a naturalist. In a little creek some distance off, 
I found hurried amidst the sand a great number 
of those beautiful productions which are used by 
the natives of Guinea and Coromandel instead of 
money ; these elegant little white shells, some- 
times surrounded by a circle of gold, are known 
by the name of ccairy, and are certainly not only 
prettier, but more convenient, than the base coin 
of our realm, notwithstanding the grotesque figm^es 
with which the latter is decorated. 

I was fortunate enough to find many other 
treasures of this kind, of the most varied and 
beautifal colours, and though, perhaps, there was 
nothing particularly valuable in my collection, 
still I prize each of my pretty shells as a favourite 
souvenir, and call them by the names of different 
friends ; Requien, Hoiinorat, Solier, de Christ ol, 
and many others, respected by science, but un- 
known to the world in general ; they remind me 
too, how valuable I used to imagine these inhabi- 
tants of distant seas, when but a child, and I shall 
always remember the pleasure with which I dis- 
played them to some of my old friends, having 
gathered them myself after a lapse of twenty 
years, and at a distance of five thousand leagues 
i from our native country. 

I was still engaged in peaceful occupations of 
this sort, when I received the information that, 
om' ships were about to put to sea and commence 
the premeditated attack ; our forces were divided 
into two bodies, the one being ordered to sail up 



264 A MILITARY CITL-DE-SAC. 

the river Maloso,. and the other to disembark on 
the western coast of the island : M. de Lagren^ 
and several other members of the Legation took 
up their station in the vessels belonging to the 
latter division of the expedition, which I also 
joined myself, om* little party consisting of about 
two hundred men with two pieces of small 
cannon. - > 

On arri^^ng at the spot at which we intended 
to disembark, we hastened to establish ourselves 
on some place whence we could commimicate 
with the vessels by means of certain signals, and 
thus prevent much unnecessary trouble. Having 
selected a spot sheltered by the paletuv^iers on the 
sea-shore, we now proceeded to phice sentinels at 
certain distances, to give us timely warning 
should it be necessary to beat a retreat into the 
labyiinth by which we were surrounded. ^ ^ 

After a short time, spent in making these ar-: 
rangements, we entered an immense swampy fo- 
rest, which, from the top of the Great Govenen/ 
we had mistaken for a continuation of the planta- 
tion of ^-^a/e^itt^tei'S which surrounds the island ; > 
here we found it impossible to proceed without 
the gi-eatest exei-tion and dilhculty ; our pieces of 
cannon constantly sunk into the marshy giound, 
the shoes of the men clung fast to the clayey soil, 
and, at last, a large pond, overgrown with reeds, 
rushes, and herbaceous plants, stopped our pro- 
gi'ess idtogether. 

Having assured ourselves that it was an impos- 
sibility to proceed fruiher, we retniced om- steps 
to the phice where we hail landed ; and upon 
reaching the shore, we distinctly heard the report 
of cannon, and of a loud tiring which a})peared 



THE TRUCKLE-BED OF HONOUR. 265 

to be going on further down on the river ; this of 
course induced us to lose no time in stepping on 
board, and repairing to the scene of action, where 
we found, that the Malays had blocked up the 
passage of the river, by placing the stems of gi- 
gantic trees across it, a circumstance which had 
caused an infinity of trouble to the ships prece- 
ding us. For our own parts, though not dis- 
mayed at the prospect, we experienced great dif- 
ficulty in surmounting these obstacles, being obli- 
ged to abandon the Sabine, and one or two other 
vessels, which, fi^om their weight, would have 
been quite unequal to the task of pushing their 
way against the massive trunks imbedded in the 
mud of the river ; however, as the little bark, 
called a you-you, into which we stepped, required 
but very shallow water, we managed, by means 
of our light skifi", to reach the battle-field with- 
out much delay. 

On board the first vessel we rejoined, three 
were already killed, and a fourth so badly woun- 
ded as to be quite incapable of action. We re- 
ceived an account of what had happened from 
one of the officers, who stated, that after they had 
proceeded up the river, to the distance of about a 
league, they found their progress completely 
blocked up by an immense palisade, which they ^ 
had scarcely attempted to pass, when they en- 
countered a tremendous fire from the enemy, 
which had sacrificed the lives of the poor unfor- ^ 
tunates whom we beheld : this was of course re- 
tm-ned by our crew, who, at the same time, en- '■■ 
deavoured to force the blockade ; but finding all 
their efforts quite insufficient for the purpose, they 
had decided upon trying to land on the left bank 



266 THE VICTORY. 

of the river, so as to be able to attack Maloso it- 
self, and preparations for this manoeuvi'e were 
now in progress. 

While these particulars were being related to 
us, we were startled by a loud discharge of fire- 
arms, mingled with shouts of " Vive le Roi ! Vive 
la France !" and, at the same instant, beheld one 
of the officers planting the national standard on 
the barricade. 

I must confess (though perhaps the feeling was 
a wrong one) that upon hearing the voice of tri- 
umph and success, I joined in the general excite- 
ment, and springing on the blockade, determined 
to take a personal share in the action, accompa- 
nied by several of my companions, each eager to 
prove that we had true French blood in our veins, 
and just so much of the old remnant of barbarism 
in our hearts as to ferment upon the first contact 
with belligerent powers. 

The Malays fled in all directions, pursued by 
the French sailors ; now and then one of the yel- 
low-skins fell beneath the stroke of the enemy, 
but on the whole, the slaughter was not gTcat. 
The barricade formed a sort of angle, the point 
of which advanced into the bed of the river ; it 
was built of trunks of wood as thick as a man's 
body, strengthened by a wall of clay, sustained by 
a range of stakes, and was moreover defended by 
two pieces of cannon in very bad order, two curi- 
ous espi7igoleSj and a few nmskets, all of whicli 
remained in our possession, as well Jis the ammu- 
nition, consisting merely of a small quantity of 
I)Owder, and some singular projectik^ weapons. 

Instead of using balls for the heading of their 
cannon, the Malays employed a singular kind of 



MALAY BAERICADES. 267 

ammunition, composed of fragments of coral, in- 
serted into pieces of cane, something resembling 
the distaffs of the Provencal spinners ; the two 
extremities were firmly bound together, and the 
centre puffed out with pebbles. We also found a 
great number of bamboos in the barricade, about 
a metre in length, with one end very much shar- 
pened. At this time the use of these weapons 
was unknown to us, but we afterwards discovered 
from a Malay, that they were used as javelins, 
hurled by the hand, something in the manner of 
the ancients. 

The cannon, espingoles, muskets, &c., were all 
placed in the embrasures of the barricade, which 
were filled up with trunks of wood, when the 
arms were withdrawn for use. 
. As may be perceived from what I have related, 
the mihtary policy of the Malays was a mixture 
of the ancient Greek and the Arab, rather primi- 
tive, it is true, but in the arts of war, brute cou- 
rage is often of more use than intelligence, and if 
the intrepid Malays do not find these means suffi- 
cient to defend themselves against attack, they 
must fail in any attempt to surprise and vanquish 
the well-regulated troops of Europe. 

This blockade, although so well defended, as 
far as the river went, was totally unprotected 
from land attacks, the Malays having never con- 
sidered the possibility of their being assailed fi^om 
the coast, consequently, no sooner did they hear 
the trumpets of the troops, who had landed on the 
left bank of the river, than they at once under- 
stood that all further resistance was useless, and 
took to flight like a flock of scared birds. 

We left twenty men to guard the barricade, 



268 WHICH IS THE SAVAGE ? 

and sent several detachments into different parts 
of the surrounding countiy, to set fire to the habi- 
tations, cut down the cocoa-trees, and pillage the 
fields, in one of which expeditions I took part. 

We proceeded along the bank of the river for 
about half an hour, and then arrived at a deliofht- 
ful dwelling house, a beautiful edifice, built in 
the Malay style, but with perfect elegance, the 
staircase, which led to the verandah, being orna- 
mented with wooden cai-ving that would have 
done honour to the middle ages, while its various 
apartments, though totally destitute of any kind 
of furniture, betrayed the utmost propriety of 
taste : noble trees spread their branches over 
the roof of the house, and the sharp green stems 
of the palm rose into the air like the spires of 
the ancient gothic cathedrals, whilst a clear 
rivulet ran at a little distance by the side of an 
alley of bananas. Attached to this house was a 
large shed, thatched with the leaves of the 
nipjpa, and here we observed that four proas 
were being constructed ; the deserted work and 
solitary dwelling had an air of peculiar sadness, 
which seemed to appeal to the mercy of the 
foreign conquerors ; and even the soft voice of 
the little rivulet raised its gentle accents in a 
prayer for pity. But, alas ! the language of 
nature was not now to be reecarded ; the blazinoj 
firebrand descended upon the roof of the gracefrd 
habitation, the elegant stairciise crashed an«l fell 
beneath the destroying hand of the incendiary, 
the sculptured work of the proas crumbled into 
powder witli the action of the fire, the noble 
trees yielded to the axe of the sailore, disappear- 
ing like stubble before the reaper, and in the 



TIMELY REPENTANCE. ' 269 

space of a few hours, not a trace remained of 
the comfort and elegance thus destroyed. 
,' Of course, I could not help sharing in the 
work of destruction ; and observing in one corner 
of the garden a little hillock covered with turf 
and odoriferous plants, it immediately occurred 
to me, that at the Cape of Good Hope I had 
noticed similar elevations in the cemetery of the 
Malay Mussulmans, and imagining the object of 
my present attention to be a tomb of some kind, 
I determined to pillage it, in order to find, if 
possible, some skulls wherewith to enrich my 
phrenological collection, and calling two of the 
sailors to my aid, we commenced the work of 
profanation ; at the depth of about two meters 
below the surface, we discovered a layer of stones, 
and underneath this a wooden cofiin, containing 
the body of a little child of about three years 
5)ld ; I could not help regretting that I should 
thus have disturbed its remains, and gathering 
some banana leaves and sweet-scented flowers, 
I covered the poor little creature's body with 
them, and closing up the aperture with large 
stones, I walked sadly away from the spot. 
' Shortly afterwards, the signal for retreat was 
sounded, and all retm-ned to the barricade, as 
had been previously arranged ; the whole of the 
left bank of the river was on fire, the houses and 
rice stores blazing furiously, and the fields, which 
had been but a few hours ago covered with trees 
and crops, were now as bare as the prairies of 
our own country at the close of autumn. 

We proceeded down the river of Maloso, with a 
view of regaining the ship before nightfall, but 
the water being very low, our progress was some- 



270 THE ATTACK RENEWED. 

what difficult, and at this time, we were quite at 
the mercy of any Malays who might be concealed 
amongst the paletuviers, had they chosen to fire 
upon us, of which we were somewhat apprehen- 
sive ; however, it is a fact, that the Malays allow- 
ed us to proceed onwards without giving us one 
single shot by way of a souvenir. 

The following morning, at day-break, the ves- 
sels again put to sea, and we directed our course 
towards the village of Maloso ; the pieces of 
wood with which the barricade had been con- 
structed, and which had been set on fire the nio-ht 
before, were still burning, and long wreaths of 
smoke rose in all directions from the ruins of the 
houses destroyed by the incendiaries. 

It was now decided that a party of men should 
again visit the left bank, in order to ascertain 
whether anything had escaped the general work 
of destruction, while the principal body explored 
the right bank, which had as yet ])een lefb un- 
molested, and it was further arrano-ed that in case 
any unforeseen circumstance should occur, or it 
should be found necessary to give the signal for re- 
treat, the whole of the party should reassemble 
at the point which had been occupied on the pre- 
ceding evening by the barricade. 

I joined that part of the expedition directed 
to the right side of the river, and we first liglited 
upon an extensive plain bounded both by a chain 
of moimtains, and by the com-se of the watei- ; 
the soil in this part had evidently undergone an 
jirtificial inundation, either for some agricultural 
])urp()se, or more probably with a view to the o})- 
jK)sition of our marcli. Some stacks of rice straw 
which we met w^ith on om* way were set ou fire, 



THE BOOTY. 271 

and we bent oiu- steps towards a hill upon which 
stood a group of about six little houses, apparent- 
ly inhabited by a score or so, of Malays ; dividing 
ourselves into small parties we advanced towards 
this point, believing the place to be well defended, 
but on oui' approach all the Malays prepared to 
make a hasty departure, carrying on their shoul- 
ders large sacks beneath the weight of which they 
seemed to bend, the latter probably contained 
rice for the support of their families. 

The appearance of these houses was extremely 
comfortable, and their late occupants must cer- 
tainly have led tolerably easy lives. The sailors 
now dispersed themselves in diflerent directions 
in search of articles v/hich might be useful and 
worth carrying away, and it was not without 
some astonishment that we saw them issue from 
the dwellings which we had imagined totally des- 
titute of fmniture, laden with all kinds of house- 
hold utensils, clumsy brazen vessels, musical in- 
struments, and pieces of stuff and wearing ap- 
parel ; this search was conducted by our men in 
a manner which proved that they were accustom- 
ed to the proceeding, and they afterwards had a 
sale of the prizes they had brought away, in 
which old caldrons, stone vases, little silver 
chains, boxes of betel-nut, tambourines, hautbois, 
sea shells, old armour and sarrons, shone very 
conspicuously. 

As soon as the research was considered com- 
plete, the men preceded to fell all the trees, and 
not only to set fire to the mass of wood, but also 
to the dwelling-houses ; the scene of desolation 
was soon at its height ; four rice stores were in a 
blaze, and a few bufialoes which the Malays had 



272 THE HUMBLE APPEAL REFUSED. 

not had time to chase from the mountains, bel- 
lowed loudly as they rushed round the scene of 
destruction, while burning splinters from the trees 
shot forth from the furnace, in the midst of which 
the immense trunks crackled with the extreme 
heat. Every house we met with in this plain 
shared the same £ite ; accompanied by thirty of 
the sailors, I now proceeded towards a very steep 
hill, on the opposite side of which we discovered 
a habitation of very humble appearance, "^dth a 
thatched roof, and an entrance formed of hurdles 
without any lock or fastening ; the only apart- 
ment in tliis primitive dwelling contained merely 
a sort of coffer, and a kneading trough, the former 
filled with old clothes, and the latter with a little 
stock of rice ; a few eggs, fresh cocoa-nuts, and 
vases of water, were also standing about, and 
from the general aspect of the place, it seemed as 
though the proprietor imagined that the extreme 
poverty of his hut would be the means of sa\4ng 
it from destruction ; but the trust of the bar- 
barian in our pity for the unfortunate, was a mis- 
placed one, for the band of Christians merely 
raised a shout of " death to the vanquished,'' and 
the hut was pillaged and bm^nt without mercy. 

One of the sailors had found two eggs in the 
hovel, and coming up to me, asked whether I 
thought it likely they contained any poison ; at 
which absurd remark I merely shrugged my 
shoulders, wishing in my heart that the stupid 
fellow might be punished for his ignorance by a 
fit of indisposition after eating tliem. 

For more than ei<dit hours, the work of desola- 
tion proceeded rapidly ; sixty houses were burnt 
up, more than a thousand cocoa- trees felled, and 



THE TRUE CRIMINAL PUNISHED. 273 

three thousand rice-plantations completely de- 
stroyed by lire. Just as we were about to depart, 
and return to the river, we discovered the resi- 
dence of Youssouf, and recognized it by means of 
a description which we had heard of the place 
from a Malay spy. 

The mansion of the chief stood in the midst of 
a park, surrounded with railings, which gave it a 
repulsive aspect, very different from the hospitable 
air of all the other houses. A plantation of fine 
cocoa-nut trees, beneath the shade of which grew 
some luxuriant bread-fruit and coffee-plants, sur- 
rounded the royal residence, the haughty propri- 
etor of which had been wounded in the previous 
combat ; however, he lived long enough to wit- 
ness the utter destruction of his property, as his 
death did not take place until several days after 
our visit. We left not a single blade of grass upon 
the spot, and two proas, which were anchored 
just in front of the palace, looking hke two faith- 
ful coursers awaiting the commands of their mas- 
ter, were burnt to ashes. This was our last act of 
destruction, but every one must admit that it was 
at least one of justice. 

We carried back to our different vessels more 
than six hundred cocoa-nuts, and a great quantity 
of rice and wood. The retmm of the sailors on 
board was not the least interesting part of the 
affair, for they dressed and conducted themselves 
in a manner befitting a carnival, some carrying a 
kriss, old caldrons, bucklers or sarbacanes, whilst 
others made their appearance in half- worn sarrons, 
or little handkerchiefs, of light texture, and bore 
at the end of their bayonets the horns, or some 

T 



274 WAR, AND ITS TRIUMPHS. 

other part of tlie buffaloes tliey had killed ; how- 
ever, they had not, upon the whole, found any- 
thing very valuable, and, to use their own words, 
had scarcely " paid their costs/' 

And thus ended an expedition, which, besides 
causing us considerable loss both in life and 
money, cost the Malays a gTeat number of men, 
occasioned an immensity of misery, besides the 
total destruction of a very flourishing village, and 
all merely because one naval officer chose to dis- 
obey the orders of his commander ; true, he 
was the iirst to fall a victim to his disobedience, 
but while we lament liis fate, we must reserve 
the larger share of our pity, both for the white 
men and j^ellow-skins, who, without having 
shared in his fault, partook so largely of the ex- 
piation. 

This was the only time in my life in which I 
had been personally concerned in any proceeding 
of a warlike nature, and I then saw enough to 
make me detest it heartily ; perhaps it may be 
«aid, that I scarcely experienced enough of it to 
be competent to give an opinion, and this may 
be true, but, at the same time, I would reply, 
that many a man who talks largely about the 
arts of war, and prides himself both on his know- 
ledge and his epaulettes, has seen little more of 
sei'vice than myself 

The manner in whicli we conducted this expe- 
dition has proved fatal in its consequences to the 
pirates of Soulou ; for, since these lines were 
penned, tlie S])aniards, who had hitlierto exer- 
cised nuicli leniency towards tliem, have at last 
visited the marauders witli severe chastisement ; 



RESULTS. 275 

the government of Isabella II. has done for these 
regions what that of Charles X. effected in the 
Mediterranean ; and, in the present day, the 
archipelago of Holo yields to the authority of 
Spain, as completely as Algiers to the government 
of France. 



t2 



A YEAR IN CHINA. 



CHAPTER VIL 

MACAO AND ITS ENVIRONS 

After a voyage of eight months' duration, we 
anchored in the port of Macao, on the coast of 
China, looking forward with the greatest interest 
to the morrow, when we were to visit, for the 
first time, the famous city which the Portuguese 
heroes of the sixteenth century had founded by 
means of so much intrepidity and diplomatic 
sagacity : we gazed with feelings of the greatest 
curiosity upon the semi-circular shore of which 
the vessel commanded a view, and upon the out- 
line of the huge mountains towering to the sky : 
here the deep abysses between the rocks were 
not covered, as we had been accustomed to see 
them, with a mantle of verdure ; that rich lux- 
uriance of interwoven boughs of palm trees, ferns, 
sapans, and teeks, which in Brazil, Bourbon, and 
the Malay archipelago, covered the immense 
chasms of the mountains, being no longer visible ; 
the gigantic blocks of granite reared their forms 
in naked majesty, a few stinted pines being the 
only trees produced by the barren soil. 

At the distance of six thousand leagues from 
France, something in the scene before us re- 



278 GENERAL APPEARANCE OF MACAO. 

minded me of the shores of Provence ; there was 
the same iiTegularity in tlie aspect of the coast, 
and the summits of the mountains, like those of 
Toulon, were covered with that species of pine 
from the branches of which emanate such har- 
monious sounds, and which grow so luxuriantly 
on the shores of the Mediterranean, from Mai'- 
seilles to the Ionian Islands. 

To me there was something inexpressibly 
chai'ming in the landscape I now beheld ; and, as 
I gazed earnestly upon it, I experienced those 
sensations of gi^atitude and pleasm^e with which 
one hails the humble appearance of a thatclied 
cottage roof, after having been satiated with the 
pompous wonders of architecture ; it seemed to 
give a healthy tone to the imagination after 
spending nearly a year amidst the overpowering 
luxuriance of tropical vegetation. How beauti- 
ful and glorious are the works of the all-powerful 
Creator in each of their various manifestations, 
particularly to those who are capable of appre- 
ciating the wonders of nature, and possess the 
foculty of enjoying them to their very utmost ! 

From the place at which we were anchored, 
the general appearance of Macao was extremely 
pleasing ; the Quay of Praia- Grande, which was 
just opposite to us, seemed to be walled in on 
both sides by handsome houses, covered witli 
eitlier yellow or white plaster, and on the right 
side of the curved line thus formed, stood the fort 
of St. Francis, on the left, thjit of Nossa-Senhora- 
de-i)om-Parto ; these two forts are not tlie only 
ones by wliich this part of the coast is guarded, 
for on tlie top of the mountain of Charil (a high 
granite rock which advances into the sea), stands 



LANDING OF THE AMBASSADOR. 279 

the fort of La Guia, dedicated to the protection of 
the Holy Virgin by the Portuguese founders of 
Macao, who built within the walls of this warlike 
enclosure, an hermitage, consecrated to Nossa- 
Senhora-da-Guia ; these pious adventurers were 
courageous in the extreme, and when the travel- 
ler beholds, amid the numerous buildings of 
Praia-Grande, the crosses with which the four- 
teen churches erected by the Portuguese are de- 
corated, he becomes sensible of the fact that the 
&st religious efforts made in behalf of this em- 
pire were owing to their indefatigable exertions ; 
there is something in the appearance of this 
Christian citv, as it stands on the isolated shore, 
with the sign of redemption crowning its temples 
and pointing to the sky, which seems to rebuke the 
proud European fleet anchored in its bay, as 
though it would say to them, " Your cannons 
and your soldiers are powerless here — by this sign 
alone will you conquer/' 

The French Ambassador stepped on shore ac- 
companied by the whole of his suite and the offi- 
cers of the several vessels, and was received at 
the landing-place by the authorities of Macao, 
and the Governor of that place, with all the 
honom^s due to the representative of His Majesty 
King Louis Philippe ; during the process of dis- 
embarking a salute was fired from the forts and 
responded to by the French fleet, whilst the 
Quay of Praia -Grande and the neighbouring 
streets were crowded with Portuguese, Chinese, 
English, Americans, Indians, and Negroes, indeed 
the immense mass of spectators seemed to con-, 
tain a specimen of every nation on the face of the 
earth. 



2S0 THE PORTUGAL QUIXTUS CURTIUS. 

It was not without feelings of the deepest in- 
terest that I set foot in this singuhxr and celebra- 
ted city, which owes its origin and present posi- 
tion to the unparalleled eiforts of the industrious 
Portuguese ; and imagination led me back to the 
time when Perez de Andrade, Antonio de Faria, 
and Fernand Mendez Pinto (the Quintus Cmtius 
of his countrymen), first landed on this barren 
shore ; wherever I went, the bold energetic coun- 
tenances and pictm^esque costume of these brave sai- 
lors seemed to haunt me, and to be more in uni- 
son with the scene than those of the mild, pacific 
Chinese, who in the present day practise the arts 
of civilization here ; and whilst my thoughts took 
tliis tm^n, and dwelt upon the cmious revelations 
of Fernand Mendez Pinto, I felt suddenly seized 
with the warmest feelings of interest in the descen- 
dants of these intrepid men. 

In general, all who have wi'itten upon the 
subject of the Portuguese and their conquests 
(myself among the number), have been but too 
ready to consider them as a band of lawless 
bandits and adventurers ; it is true that the times 
in which they lived were not fiivom-able ones 
for the development of their character, and it is 
therefore unreasonable to expect fi'om the wild 
spirits who went forth in search of unknown 
lands with such dauntless enthusiasm, higher 
virtues and moral qualities, than were i)ractised 
by most of the European dignitaries of tliat age. 

Tlie loCrd authorities now conducted the am- 
bassador to the hotel prepared for liim, and tliis 
cereinouy Ijeing ended, we proceeded to take pos- 
session of our lodgings. 

Macao may be described as a combination of 



DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF MACAO. 281 

two towns, the one Chinese, the other Portu- 
guese ; the latter, of which I shall have more to 
say by-and-by, has been named by its founders, 
Cidade do Santo-NoTne-de-Deos de Macao, and 
when one becomes acquainted with the spot on 
which it stands, one cannot but wonder by what 
miracle of labour a city was ever erected on such 
a barren, rocky place, the streets, houses, and 
quaj^s being all built amongst huge blocks of de- 
tached granite, deep ravines and hills ; the pa- 
tient industry of the Chinese has overcome all 
these obstacles, and notwithstanding the enor- 
mous sums amassed by the English at Hong- 
Kong, Macao is in the present day the most 
EuTopean of all the cities in this part of the 
world ; it cannot be denied that the streets are 
narrow and crooked, but they are, at the same 
time, very clean and airy, their deficiency in 
width sheltering them from the burning heat of 
the sun, and their numerous windings favouring 
the free circulation of air ; in short, the Portu- 
guese have certainly made the most of the spot 
conceded to them by the parsimonious Chinese. 

Most of the houses have but two stories, the 
facade and interior walls being built of brick, 
while the stairs and roof are of wood ; the rooms 
are ventilated by large windows, and protected 
from the glare of the sun by long blinds, similar 
to those used in Spain and Portugal. Although 
the Eiu-opean Macaists have been connected for 
more than three centuries with the Chinese, they 
do not seem to have borrowed anything from 
them — in architecture they have not adopted a 
single ornament or arrangement which recals the 
taste or customs of the latter nation, whilst, in 



282 STRANGE NOTIONS OF DIGNITY. 

their mode of fiu'iiisliing, they appear to have 
scrupulously avoided all resemblance to them ; 
this is particularly manifested in the luxurious 
air of their apartments, the passages and the 
white walls of their saloons l^eing covered with 
frightful pictures, French and English cmiosities 
of doubtful taste, all of which seem to be prefer- 
red by them to any of the beautiful articles manu- 
factured at Sou-Tchou-Fou, Canton, or Ning-Po. 
There is something curious in the appearance 
of the Portuguese streets here, for the European 
buildings seem exclusively tenanted by Chinese 
merchants and workmen : one might almost fancy 
that the original inhabitants had departed, and 
had been replaced by Asiatics ; wherever any 
kind of merchandize is to be seen, or the sound of 
an anvil or saw is to be heard — wherever the 
shop of a tailor, shoe-maker, painter, or smith is 
visible, the industrious son of the celestial em- 
pire is sure to be recognised. As to the Portu- 
guese Macaists, they remain quietly in their 
houses, employing themselves in various in-door 
occupations, men and women alike awaiting the 
approach of evening to issue forth from their habi- 
tations. These poor people have an idea that it 
is derogatory to their dignity to learn any useful 
trade, and being the descendants of sailors and 
illustrious adventurers, would willingly assume 
the importance of their ancestors ; but, unfortu- 
nately, tlieir once-prosperous condition has shared 
the same fate Jis their political position in Europe ; 
their merchants carry on but very little com- 
merce, the navigation of their sailors is confined 
to coast-trade, and the ardent si)irits, who desire 
nothing' better than to engage in exciting adven- 



THE NATIVES OF MACAO. 288 

tures, are reduced to the smnggling of opium on 
the coasts of Fo-Kien and Shang~Hai : there is, 
however, one profession, viz. — that of printing, 
which forms an exception to their general ideas 
of usefulness ; but the misfortune is, that at Macao 
but few persons can be employed in it ; the Chino- 
PortugLiese town is as celebrated for this art, as 
Paris once was for its noble manufacture of glass. 
Almost all the Portuguese inhabitants of Macao 
were born in the city itself, and as most of the 
ancient families intermarried with the Asiatics 
and Ahicans, the origin of their descendants is of 
a very mixed nature, and they have by this means 
acquired a peculiar cast of physiognomy, which 
may be regarded as the true type of the native 
of Macao : the males are in general short in sta- 
ture, with round, flat features, resembling those of 
the Asiatic and Ethiopian races, jet-black hair 
and eyes, and olive complexions ; as is frequently 
the case amongst other nations (the Jews and 
inliabitants of Provence for example), the females 
are much better-looking than the men, possessing 
delicate features, and a rosy freshness of com- 
plexion, almost equalling that of the European 
women, while their slender and elegant figures 
present a striking contrast to those of their bro- 
thers and husbands : one remarkable circumstance 
with regard to this heterogeneous mass of popu- 
lation is, that the members of one family rarely 
bear the slightest resemblance to each other, and 
now and then there reappears amongst them a 
striking likeness to some one long since dead and 
forgotten. 

I used often to go and visit a Portuguese family 
residing at Macao, near Praia-Manduco ; they 



284 COSTUME OF THE NATIVES. 

were the undoubted descendants of the ancient 
conquerors, and their Emopean origin was uni- 
versally acknowledged ; these good people lived 
in a little cottage of one story, and the family 
consisted of six persons, the mother, two sons, 
and three daughters ; the latter, who bore the 
names of Mariana, Maria, and Monica, were all 
as opposite in appearance as possible ; Mariana 
was a white negress, with rather woolly hair, 
thick lips, coarse features, high cheek bones, and 
a pale fiice : Monica, on the contrary, had the 
dark rich tint of the Andalusian, the upper lip 
covered with a light down, and remarkably beau- 
tiful hair ; as to the third, she was as yellow 
as amber, more resembling the women seen on 
the shores of the Ganges than her sisters ; the 
two sons were thoroughly Chinese. 

I was one day conversing on this subject with 
my friend Gallery, the learned intei^jreter to the 
Legation, and M. Paiva, a very respectable mer- 
chant residing in the country, and the latter 
proposed an excursion for the purpose of visiting 
some of the native families of Macao, and I 
then remarked, that amongst all who di'ew their 
descent from Ghinese, Indian, or negi'o ancestors, 
singular likenesses to the forefiithers of their race^ 
appeared at certain intervals. The costume of 
the men consists of a jacket, trousers, waiscoat, 
and cravat, all perfectly white ; they always 
reminded me of a fly fallen into a vessel of milk ; 
however, they do not always confine themselves 
to tliis sim])le toilette, for, on state occasions, they 
array themselves in richly-embroidered shiits, 
diamond buttons, showy pins, thick gold chains, 
and black garments ; the females weai* a sort of 



STATE OF EDUCATION. 285 

flowing robe, ornamented at the throat and wrists 
with embroidered muslin, they wreath their hair 
into a sort of coiffure, and encase the feet in 
loose slippers ; when they go out of doors, they 
lay aside this airy mode of dressing, and cover 
the head with a sort of helmet of stiff Indian 
print, part of which descends behind, and en- 
velopes them like a veil ; this species of mantilla, 
which they call the saraga, is quite the national 
garment of the native women, and I have 
frequently seen large numbers of them, elegantly 
dressed in other respects, assisting in the perform- 
ance of religious and other rites, completely 
smothered in this singular looking domino. 

As may readily be imagined, the education of 

both sexes is very much neglected here, and the 

means of obtaining instruction extremely limited, 

particularly as regards females, the suppression of 

some of the religious orders having contributed 

to the backward condition of this country when 

compared with the progress of the European 

nations ; it is true that the ancient communities 

of Santa Clara and Eosa still exist, but as they 

are strictly prohibited fr^om receiving novices, 

they may be considered perfectly useless, as far 

as education goes. In former times, when these 

establishments were at the height of prosperity, 

the metropolis of this country was now and then 

visited by religieuses who had been brought up 

in the convents of Lisbon, and were enabled 

by their superior training, to impart much useful 

information, but of late years the Macaists have 

been deprived of this intellectual advantage. As 

to the younger inhabitants, they pay very little 

attention to studies from which no pecuniary profit 



286 DOMESTIC MANAGEMENT OF THE FEMALES. 

can be derived, and the appellation of learned, 
considered so desirable on the other side of the 
wall which separates the Portuguese territories 
from China, is thought very little of in La Cidade 
de Santo-Nome-de-Deos de Macao. 

I need scarcely say, that with such a neglected 
state of education, the amusements and conversa- 
tion of the natives are not very interesting ; in his 
o^vn house the Portuguese reads little, yawns a 
great deal, and fans himself the whole of the day, 
while his wife in a light style of dishahille seats her- 
self behind the blind, and with her fan in her hand, 
and a cigarette or a morsel of arec-nut in her 
mouth, gazes listlessly at the passers-by, who are 
not ver}^ numerous in the quiet streets. 

All business and arrangements of every kind, 
fall to the lot of the male population here, for the 
women appear to think themselves quite exempt 
from duty, and take no trouble either about 
household affairs, or the state of their husband's 
income ; the Chinese, who are accurate observers 
of human nature, have a saying which exactly 
describes, in a few words, the life of a Portuguese 
couple ; upon being asked what are the principal 
occupations of a Macaist family, they invariably 
reply : 

" Nhorti rai Ccmido, nJiooihafca Macao comine 
halichcio !" which being interpreted, signifies — 
*' The gentleman repairs to Canton," (supposing 
him to be a sailor or merchant), " and the lady re- 
mains at Macao, eating balichan." 

NJconi et iihonha are diminutives used by the 
indolent Creoles, instead of the word senhor and 
scjihura, and the halichan is an highly esteemed 



POETRY OF MACAO. ' 287 

condiment used by the Macaists, of which I shall 
have more to say by-and-by. 

This truly Asiatic indolence, combined with 
that sort of languid timidity which almost always 
belongs to ignorant women, render these females 
very little better than mutes in the presence of 
strangers ; I have spent whole hours in Portu- 
guese homes, without hearing the fair imates utter 
any other words but si, ndo, ndo sahe, ndo pode, 
with which four syllables they answered all your 
questions, and make no other effort at conversa- 
tion. Nevertheless, these apparently inanimate 
natures, who appear almost nonentities, are possess- 
ed of a remarkable taste for the poetical in every- 
thing : I have heard them sing sentimental ditties 
in the most expressive manner, and the songs, 
which were generally the composition of one of 
their countrymen, combined elegant ideas, with 
happy expression — the great charm of poetry in 
every country. 

This natural love of poetry, renders the women 
of Macao very observant of the language addressed 
to them ; I was, upon one occasion, present at a 
reunion, at which several young people were ex- 
pressing to a charming girl, the feelings of 
admiration with which she had inspired them, 
and I was quite struck with the soft, elegant 
language they employed, when a discussion arose 
among the matrons of the party as to the merits 
of the songs which had been sung ; one of the 
party was particularly remarkable, among the 
female assemblage, for the correctness of her lan- 
guage, and although she made use of some terms 
somewhat foreign to the general custom, it was a 
charming discussion, and I could ahnost have 



288 CULINARY PREPARATIONS. 

fancied myself transpoi-ted into a legal court of 
fair speakers, so inspiring was the theme, and so 
gracefully was it treated ; as may be imagined, 
the one who liad flattered the aniour-propre of 
the Macaists, by the foreign terms she had used, 
was considered the conqueror of the rest of the 
party. 

The Macaists are very abstemious people, in- 
heriting this virtue from their ancestors ; rice 
forms the principal ingredient of their food, but 
like the inhabitants of the south, they relieve its 
insipidity by various condiments ; of the latter, 
the halichan is the principal, and is composed of 
prawns, fish, and aromatic spices, much better in 
flavour than anchovy paste ; whence it first came 
I am unable to say, as it must ever remain a point 
of culinary mystery, whether the halichan is In- 
dian or Chinese in its origin. 

Next to this condiment, the lam-si held the 
second place with the natives as a delicacy ; they 
are the fi^uit of a species of canariuvi, and liave 
a slightly resinous taste, not at all like anj'thing 
else, but forming an admirable substitute for the 
dark olives of Spain, Portugal, and Provence ; 
with a little rice boiled in water, some lam-si or 
halichan, an egg and a small piece of bread, witli 
a glass of clear water, the Macaist can make an 
excellent repast ; tea, known here by the name 
of iclixij is the j)rincipal beverage of the Portu- 
guese, and go wliere you will, a vessel of boiling 
water is sure to be sinj^in^c on the fire, whilst the 
first question you are asked, on ]:>aying a visit to 
your friends, is " Khom, quere tclta, que re to- 
baco T' the latter term refers to a sjiecie of ciga- 



CHINESE FRUITS IN EUROPE. 289 

rette, manufactured by the Chinese with infinite 
art, and execrable materials. 

Fruits of every kind are equally esteemed by 
the Macaists, particularly the banana, figo-caqui, 
litchi, long-gan, wampi, and orange ; in the 
South of France, my friend Kequien made an 
attempt some time ago, to naturahse the figo- 
caqui, or diospyros-kaki (to speak botanically), 
but, unfortunately the tree proved a wild one, 
with very acid fruit ; in Cliina, on the contrary, 
its flavom^ is more soft and luscious than that of 
any Em^opean fruit, and its skin exquisitely deli- 
cate, and as red as the tomato. 

This effort on the part of the learned manager 
of the botanical garden at Avignon, ought to en- 
courage horticultmists to transplant some of the 
other Chinese fruit into om^ European soil ; the 
litchi wou]d, it is probable, succeed admirably, 
and it would be worth a little trouble to cultivate 
this fr'uit, with its delicately tinted skin, and de- 
licious flavour, only to be compared to that of the 
grape ; the same might be said of the wampi, the 
thick yellow clusters of which bear some resem- 
blance to the Muscadine grape, with a flavom^ 
which nothing else can equal. Many of the Por- 
tuguese houses are furnished with beautifril gar- 
dens, in which all the fi^uits I have named flourish 
luxuriantly, orange trees laden with fruit the size 
of melons, and the delicate mandarine with its 
beautiful crimson tints. 

Macao, which may almost be termed a little 
island, is certainly the Provence of the East, for 
everything that grows on its arid soil is fr^agrant 
and delicious ; its numerous hills are richly cover- 
ed with lovely and brilliant blossoms, and the air 

V 



290 THE PORTUGUESE MACAISTS. 

seems almost alive with golden-winged butter- 
flies ; the climate is a happy medium between the 
burning heat of the tropics, and the sharp cool- 
ness of the north, and if its vegetation is less ma- 
jestic than that of some other countries, it is quite 
as attractive ; it is true that the tall palm, with 
its sharp lance-sliaped leaves, and the sonorous 
music they send forth, has disappeared, but it is 
replaced by the pine, not the wild dark tree, 
bearing that name, on the Northern shores, but 
such as grow on the fair coasts of Greece. 

The Portuguese Macaists can scarcely be said 
to form a distinct people, although there are some 
remains of aristocracy amongst them, and their 
European descent seems to regulate their privi- 
leges in proportion as it is more or less decided. 
In the pictm^e I have endeavom-ed to give of the 
appearance, manners, and customs of the inhabit- 
ants of La Cidade do Santo-Nome-de-Deos, I 
have rather sought to convey an idea of the tout 
ensemble, than to describe individualities. 

At Macao, as in other places, there are clever, 
intelligent men, free from the weaknesses of their 
fellow countrymen, salons in which as much in- 
tellectual conversation may be heard as in Lon- 
don or Paris, as well as elegant women and well 
educated youths ; for instance, I was acquainted 
with one young lady whose industrious life form- 
ed a striking contrast to the indolent habits of 
her conq^anions, as she was so good a linguist as 
to be able to read tlie French and EngUsh i)oets, 
Horace and Virgil, all in the original ; nor was 
she a solitary exanq)le, for I knew many other 
ladies who spoke several languages, and toolc the 
gi-eatest interest in all the new literutui-e of Lon- 



LITER AEY ATTAINMENTS IN MACAO. 291 

don, Paris, Lisbon, Madrid, and Calcutta ; can 
tins be said of Frencli ladies, or their philological 
talents ? And the same remark applies to the 
men, for those who have been educated in Europe 
are perfect gentlemen, and even among those who 
have been brought up in their own country, some 
remarkable persons may be found. I remember, 
in particular, a physician named Fitter, who had 
received his education at Goa, and was intimate 
with several of our fellow countrymen, the mis- 
sionaries of the Rue cle Bac, as well as with the 
Portuguese Lagaristes ; this intelligent man had 
become an able and distinguished practitioner 
entirely by means of his great perserverance, en- 
ergy, and natural good sense ; he possessed the 
most accurate knowledge of everything respecting 
his own country, and were he not of too retiring 
a disposition to publish all his information on the 
subject of Chinese medicine, he would be able to 
render great service to European science. There 
are many other men at Macao living and labour- 
ing in tranquil retirement, without even the wish 
for celebrity, loving art and science for their own 
sakes alone ; amongst their number I may name 
an excellent priest, Father Remedios, whose hap- 
py family was grouped around him in a state of 
harmony, delightfal to witness ; but as retiring 
characters are much too modest to intrude upon 
strangers, they must be sought for in solitude and 
obscurity. 

During the period in which my fi-iend Gallery 
resided at Macao, his house was quite the rendez- 
vous of the most intelligent and learned men in 
the Portuguese colony, and was situated on the 
summit of the mountain of Santo- Antonio, com- 

u2 



292 THE GAEDEN OF CAMOENS. 

mandinof a fine view of the vast ocean studded 
■with little isl^Qds. As we gazed forth on the 
prospect, oiu' discourse generally tui'ned on the 
wonders of this strange country, so mysteriously 
interesting even to those who have always lived 
in itj and we learned more in a few hours' conver- 
sation of this sort on the subject of Cliina, than 
we could have done in a residence of some years 
in that empire, as every individual present was 
possessed of some information, which he was 
delighted to im})art to strangers, or, as the Chi- 
nese term us, barbarians. 

And I cannot descend from the summit of 
Santo- Antonio, without fii'st conducting the reader 
to the habitation of M. Loren90 Marquez, a charm- 
ing place, rendered dear to those who have visited 
it, by the remembrance of the com^teous reception 
they met with there, and known to the world by 
the name of the Garden of Camoens ; it adjoins a 
Chinese village called Patain, which overlooks the 
sea ; and the ground belonging to it, which is 
founded upon a granite rock, has been cultivated 
Avith great care, and is planted with all the most 
beautiful shrubs and trees of the inter-tropical 
world ; sapotilles and the guanabana grow there 
most luxuriantlv, mino-linir their foliage with the 
strawberry-tree and Euro})ean inico couliers ; 
on the higliest point of the eminence is situated 
a grotto, whither the proprietor retii*ed to pm-sue 
his meditations ; it is partly formed by nature, 
and is overshadowed by trees, while from the 
depths of its retirement, the visitor may behold 
the angry, tempestuous, ever-changing sea, and 
liear the murmuring of the tide, which beats im 
patiently upon the hard granite, and which pre 



GENIUS IN DISTRESS. 293 

sents no bad type of the constant adversity which 
always pursued Camoens, while the unyielding 
rock is an equally good emblem of his calm, firm 
impassability. 

The Macaists have preserved many lively tradi- 
tional souvenirs of the great Portuguese Homer ; 
and it may easily be imagined that these wild na- 
tives regard with devotion the remembrance of 
the romantic adventurer, half-soldier, half-poet : 
to this day they are able to repeat the verses with 
which their illustrious countryman repaid their 
hospitality ; he was one of those majestic beggars 
who seem to possess the privilege of paying their 
debts, like those of great monarchs, with pearls 
and diamonds ; but although their forefathers 
have transmitted the verses of the poor exile to 
their children, they have also recounted the mis- 
fortunes which befel him, to impress upon them 
the truth, that genius cannot secm^e happiness, 
and the most ignorant Macaist is acquainted with 
the fact, that Camoens, banished by the Vice-roy 
from the territory of Goa, took refuge in the Por- 
tuguese city — abandoned by fortune, and oppress- 
ed by misery — harassed by his efforts to obtain 
the common necessaries of life, and the misfor- 
tunes with which his genius was so ill fitted to 
cope. 

Upon one occasion, Gallery, Pitter and myself, 
were seated at the foot of the rock consecrated to 
the memory of Gamoens ; the sun was obscured 
by thick clouds, and the sky and ocean seemed 
to shroud every object in a robe of melancholy — 
the sombre aspect of everything around us threw 
a feeling of tristesse over our minds, and led us 
to reflect upon the destiny of this great man, 



294 THE poet's to.mb. 

whose life commenced with a dream of unfortu- 
nate love, which triumphed over the ruins of 
fallacious hope, only to be destroyed at last in 
obscure despair ; and as these thoughts took pos- 
session of our minds, the spot upon which we 
were seated, seemed to us an appropriate emblem 
of the fatality which attended his career ; it was 
a high eminence shaped like an obelisk, and the 
place of his repose was hollowed out like the 
tomb of Pharaoh at the foot of the Pyramid, 
whilst gigantic trees, the eugenia and mico coulier 
overshadow with their branches the monument 
itself, looking as though the hand of Nature had 
erected it upon a dais of verdure. However, the 
grandeur of the mausoleum is completely des- 
troyed by a winding path which leads u}) to a 
kiosk on the summit, and the entrance to this 
poetical sanctuary is protected by a miserable 
wooden balustrade, frightfully painted with black. 
In the interior stands a miserable altar, a hor- 
rible bust of Comoens occupies the centre, while 
verses of the Lusiad are traced on the dismal- 
looking walls ; altogether the place is grotesque 
and fi-ightful, and amid the scene of protanation, 
I could not help remarking to myself, that in 
order to preserve the romance connected with 
Camocns, it would decidedly be better not to pay 
this rock a visit. 

Upon the stones of the monument were traced 
names, dates, and verses, in all the European 
languages, and in one place tliere is a marble tab- 
let containing a composition by some Frenchman.^ 
►So profoundly is man im])reysed with the idea of 
his uncertain abode in this world, that instinct 
itself seems to teach him to leave some memorial 



THE CHURCHES OF MACAO. 295 

of his existence behind him : the powerful do 
this by their own achievements, and the weak by 
endeavouring to add something to the works of 
others ; the child who, with his feeble and uncer- 
tain hand carves the letters of his name upon the 
wall — the tourist in France, who does the same 
with his knife upon the monuments and obelisks 
— ^and the philosopher, who engraves them upon 
the stones of the Pyramids, Mont-Blanc, or lung- 
Frau, are all actuated by the same sentiment, viz. 
that of perpetuating the remembrance of their 
names after they themselves shall have passed 
away. 

The prominent characteristics of Macao are 
essentially those of a Catholic city, and it is easy 
to perceive at the first glance, that its founders 
had the interest of Heaven more in view than 
those of commerce ; the spires of fourteen churches 
may be perceived from the landing place, and 
there is not a street which does not contain a re- 
ligious edifice of some description. 

The cathedral of St. Peter, is a monument 
which carries us back to the olden time, and 
makes us marvel how even these enterprising ad- 
venturers, scarcely settled in the country, could 
have erected so beautiful a building here ; the 
same may be said of the archbishop's palace, 
built in 1575, the architecture of which is quite 
appropriate to the dignity of the prelate who in- 
habits it. Macao is, in fact, the Rome of the 
East, and the spiritual potentate who resides 
there, the most important clerical power in these 
far-distant lands. 

Besides the Archbishop's abode, the chm'ches, 
chapels, and convents, this extra-oriental colo- 



296 MERCANTILE FACILITIES. 

ny contains other monuments which would not 
disgi'ace any European city, amongst which we 
may name the senate-house, a vast edifice, which 
gives an idea of the gi-andem^ of the Portuguese 
in their days of prosperity ; upon the gi^anite 
pilasters of the gi'eat hall are engraved the con- 
ditions upon which . the island was ceded ; alto- 
gether there is an air of magnificent simplicity 
about the building, of which the Macaists are 
justly proud. In the present day the place bear- 
ing the name of the palace is almost deserted, 
and the vast apartments which were thi'onged in 
former days are now but seldom visited. The 
massive columns of the governor's residence form 
an ornament to the Quay of Praia- Grande, and 
the interior is furnished with gTeat elegance and 
splendour. 

The Quay of Praia-Grande, a hasty glance of 
which we obtained fi^om the landing place, would 
be considered beautiful in any country ; the 
houses are extremely well built, and standing as 
they do, on the sea shore, give an excellent im- 
pression of the ancient gTandeur and wealth of 
the colony. Three places for unlading are situated 
on the sides of the quay, each of them guarded 
by a number of boats manned by Chinese sailors, 
of whom we shall have occasion to speak by-and- 
by, and in the evening, the Quay of Praia- 
Grande, and that of Praia-la-Guia (which is a 
continuation of the former) form a delightful jiro- 
menade, and are quite the rendezvous of the iMa- 
caists ; the breeze rendei-s it deliciously cool, and 
wlien t\u) evening closes in, the idionha. that 
white butterfly of night, frequents the spot ; there 
are two other Fra'ias on the borders of the sea. 



CONDUCT OF THE FIRST COLONISTS. 297 

the Praia Manduco, and tlie Praia de Patani, but 
they are now entirely deserted, and I merely 
mention them because such places actually exist. 

As early as the sixteenth century, the Portu- 
guese had founded commercial establishments on 
the coast of China, but the quarrelsome disposi- 
tion of some of their countrjnuen, caused them to 
be expelled from Liampoo and Sancian, and ren- 
dered them odious to all the inhabitants of the 
coast ; under these circumstances, their trade was 
exceedingly retarded, and possessed no territory 
wherever to disembark their goods, until they 
cast their eyes on the island of Hiang-Chan. 
Having ascertained the advantages of this locality, 
they presented themselves before the Mandarins 
of Kouanof-Tonof, and made use of such irresistable 
arguments, that they at last obtained permission 
to form a temporary establishment on its shores, 
and from that time to this, they continued to fre- 
quent that part of the island, of which they had 
taken possession, giving constant proof of the in- 
dustrious and enterprising spirit for which they 
have so justly been celebrated. They commenced 
by constructing little sheds for the accommodation 
of their merchandise, which were after a time ex- 
changed for small huts or cottages, and finally, for 
substantial dwelling-houses, and from such a com- 
mencement as this, the great city of Macao has 
sprung. 

But, notwithstanding the brave, enterprising 
conduct of these adventurers, they were looked 
upon with a somewhat jealous eye by the inha- 
bitants, and particularly by the Mandarins, who 
were well paid by the traders, and temporized 
in a somewhat underhand manner with their 



298 PIRATES SUPPRESSED. 

foreign visitors. However, the time was at hand 
for the proper position of the new comers to be 
established on this jealous spot of earth, and the 
following occurrence probably hastened its ar- 
rival. 

The shores of Fo-Kien and Konang-Tong were 
laid waste by pirates, and the Chinese govern- 
ment, not being sufficiently powerful to avenge 
its own wrongs, availed itself of the proffered 
assistance of the Portuguese, who, with their 
usual intrepidity, attacked the delinquents, and 
destroyed their vessels. As a reward for their 
valuable ser\dces, the reigning Emperor permitted 
them to make what use they pleased of the 
Isthmus of Macao, for a yearly acknowledgment 
of five hundred tiiels. However, succeeding 
events proved that this concession was not in 
reality quite so substantial as it might have ap- 
peared to be from the terms of the Imperial Edict. 
A Chinese Mandarin was elected governor of the 
new colony, with the title of Iso-Tang ; the great 
aim of this man was to bring all the Europeans 
under liis own jurisdiction, considering tliem 
merely as vassals of the Cliinese ; after a time, 
an edict from this son of the Celestial Empue 
summoned them to fight under his banner against 
the Tartars, who had menaced some of the north- 
ern portion of his territories. Various changes 
of fortune befel the Portuguese during tliese 
struggles, as well as those with the crown ; 
by degrees, tliey emancipated themselves from 
the contrf>l of the Mandarins, asserted and main- 
tained tlieir own riglits, and thus prevented all 
the Cliristian po])ulation of tlie adjacent ishmd 
from falling under the jurisdiction of Iso-Tang. 



NATIONAL HONOUK. 299 

Much censure has fallen upon the court of 
Lisbon for having submitted, for so many success- 
ive centuries, to the authority of the over-bearing 
Mandarins of Konang-Tong, and for allowing 
the reputation of the European character to sink 
before that of the Chinese : and this reproach 
is not wholly undeserved ; for at the time of 
which I speak, the star of the Portuguese was 
on the wane, and in this struggle with the 
Celestial Empire they engaged in a contest 
totally unworthy of their past glorious deeds, 
and one, moreover, from which they could not 
possibly derive any benefit, as far as their politi- 
cal or commercial interests were concerned. It 
was to the other portion of the Clnistian popula- 
tion, the merchants and sailors who visited at 
Macao, that this struggle was a matter of interest 
and importance, and it is a theme of astonish- 
ment, that the representatives of these nations 
(residing in China), should not have manifested 
more willingness to assist a feeble power, which 
had, for many by-gone centuries, borne away the 
palm of glory from the rest of the Europeans in 
this part of the world. The English, in parti- 
cular, who reaped the greatest advantage from 
the political disasters in Portugal, were bound 
in honour to proffer their assistance to that 
nation in its hour of need, for, be it remembered, 
tlie Portuguese preceded the English in the path 
of success and glory, and the latter certainly 
ought not to have forgotten their predecessors. 

Sir John Davis was the fu'st to call attention 
to this injustice ; in his valuable work on China, 
he has rendered himself quite the detractor of 
the heroes of the sixteenth century ; his observa- 



300 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 

tions are evidently made in a spirit of chagi^in 
and ill humour ; and it is quite visible that he is 
actuated by intense hatred for the first disco- 
verers of these far-distant shores ; indeed, this 
spirit is canied so far as to border upon meanness ; 
but let us not judge harshly of the fallen, since 
we know not ^vliat destiny may make of us. 

When the little community of Macao was first 
established, its government consisted of a presi- 
dent, nominated by His Majesty the King of 
Portugal, the bishop, the judge, or gi'eat magis- 
trate, his representative, and a Senate ; the latter 
is formed by election, its members being chosen 
by the most aristocratic persons in the country, 
according to Fernand Mendez Pinto ; it is com- 
posed of two judges, three assessors, a solicitor, 
a treasurer, a notary, and a director of alms ; 
thus, even in this comparatively small island, 
there are two rival governments, or rather two 
contesting powers, perpetually striving to ex- 
tinguish each other. 

The Portuguese had scarcely taken possession 
of their new dominions, when the Chinese com- 
menced the task of fixing the boundaries to their 
property with the utmost precision, and to efiect 
tliis object, proceeded in a manner peculiar to 
themselves, treating the Lilli])utian establishment 
at Macao as they would have done Tartary or 
La Cor(^e, by building a wall of separation betA\'een 
the conceded territories and the rest of the isLind 
of Hiang-Chan ; and in order to prevent tlie pos- 
sibility of encroachment u]K)n their own domains, 
tliey constructed a gateway in the wall, the 
management of which was confided to a guard of 
soldiers, with instructions to allow a free passjige 



MIGHT ABOVE RIGHT. 301 

to the sons of the celestial empire, but to prevent 
the barbarian Portuguese from ever leaving their 
own dominions. These orders were executed to 
the very letter, in such a manner, as to render the 
Macaists almost prisoners on their own territories ; 
whilst the Chinese population of Hiang-Chan, 
attracted by the prospect of wealth, descended in 
crowds upon the adjacent island — building vil- 
lages — opening shops, and establishing factories, 
in such a manner, as to render the subjects of 
Tso-Tang three times more powerful in the colony 
than its lawful possessors — the Europeans. 

Such was the state of affairs in the island, upon 
the arrival of Governor Amaral ; this brave and 
energetic man, impressed by the dazzling example 
of the English, was anxious that Portugal should 
hold the same position at Macao that Great Bri- 
tain did at Hong-Kong ; and to effect this object 
he recalled the cession which the Emperor Kang- 
Hi had made, by means of a tax, of which we 
have before spoken. The Mandarins made a vigo- 
rous resistance, but Amaral paid no attention to 
their importunities, and soon succeeded in bring- 
ing the whole of the inhabitants to acknowledge 
his authority ; he imposed equal restrictions both 
upon the Chinese and Portuguese merchants and 
land proprietors, and by his judicious government 
ensured to his coimtry the undisputed possession 
of a territory which had been contested for ages. 

In order to set a boundary to his own domi- 
nions, he caused a sort of road to be made all 
round the isthmus, without paying any regard to 
the various buildings and establishments which 
the Chinese had erected ; but of course such vio- 
lent and decisive measures as these, drew upon 



302 WILD JUSTICE. 

him the bitterest hatred of the Chinese inhabi- 
tants ; and, one day, when he was riding on 
horseback, on the road he had constructed him- 
self, a young couli, armed with a long stick, 
rushed upon him, and committed a bloody assault 
upon his person. Amaral lost not a moment in 
pursuing the miserable wretch ; but had scarcely 
taken a hundred steps, when two men emerged 
from a wood, knocked him do^vn, and cut off his 
head and right arm. 

This atrocious crime was committed in broad 
daylight, and all the Chinese inhabitants of 
Hiang-Chan might be termed accomplices in the 
outrage, for not a single person who witnessed 
this cruel murder gave the least information of 
the crime, or attempted its avengement. 

The annals of the intercourse between the Eu- 
ropeans and Chinese would furnisli many exam- 
ples of bloodthirsty assaults and murders, the his- 
tory of which has been for ever kept a secret by 
the inhabitants. 

In the beginning of the sixteenth century, the 
first establishment at Liompoo was one night sur- 
prised by a band of insurgents, who fell upon the 
Portuguese, and massacred them Avitliout mercy ; 
and this outrage w^as committed without tlie least 
notice or warninGf. Duringr the late war, the En- 
glisli at Ning-Po narrowly escaped a similar fate, 
being only saved by a signal from the sentinels 
on duty : the contest histed throughout the night, 
and no one seemed to know whence the marau- 
ders sprung. 

The conquests of Amaral over tlie cunning and 
di])l()matic Chinese, were however of ])ermanent 
advantage to tlie Portuguese, as they are at this 



DEPARTED GLORY. 303 

present time, masters of the land upon which 
they once held the mean situation of vassals, 
affording a proof of that sad truth, that some 
of our greatest benefits are purchased at the 
cost of much sorrow, and sometimes by the loss of 
the dearest and best among us. 

In the present day, Macao is stripped of all its 
ancient splendour, and its commerce is almost en- 
tirely transported to Hong-Kong and Canton. 
The English merchants have abandoned the city ; 
and in the Portuguese quarter, only a few French 
and American traders remain. But although the 
sons of commerce have deserted Macao, the Chris- 
tian part of the city still contains a number of 
soldiers who harass the Celestial Empire inces- 
santly with their incursions ; some French and 
Portuguese Lazarists, Italian priests, and Foreign 
missionaries have also established themselves there, 
and of course many plots against the superstitious 
Chinese are formed. 

I have had but little intercourse with the La- 
zarists, but have been acquainted with, and much 
attached to several members of the Missionary 
Society, and can speak of them as upright men, 
who would eradicate error with the greatest per- 
serverance. Besides our own devoted and ener- 
getic missionaries, there are also many others re- 
markable for their private virtues, and also several 
Protestant ministers equally zealous in the pro- 
pagation of religion, amongst whom may be named 
one in particular, Yells Williams, the celebrated 
editor of the Chinese Repository, which curious 
and valuable encyclopaedia has now ceased to 
exist. 

To the continual agitation of former years, and 



304 SPECULATIONS FOR THE FUTURE. 

the excitement of commercial affairs, a condition 
of perfect silence and inactivity has succeeded, in 
Macao, and this tranquillity seems well suited to 
the beautiful city, whose fine monuments conduct 
one's thoughts to the past ; Macao was, in early 
times, one of the first hattle-fields of CathoHcism, 
and therefore ought, by riglit, to belong to it 
now. 

Perhaps in after years it may become a sort of 
haven of rest for fatigued and wounded soldiers, 
as well as a school for younger European warriors, 
and may, at the same time, obtain the reputation 
of being the most learned and religious city of the 
east ; priests, and teachers both of the European 
sciences and holy creeds, may, at some fiiture time, 
meet and mingle here in peace, and the helping 
hands of literature and religion be once more ex- 
tended towards this island, for it must never be 
forgotten that it is entirely to those two great 
powers that so much has been efiected towards 
civilization. 

Up to the present time, I have contented my- 
self witli merely introducing my reader to that 
part of the city belonging to the Portuguese, and 
with allowing him to view only that part of the 
island which faces the sea ; but I must now 
abruptly turn my back upon the Praia-Grande, 
take the path straight before me, wdthout occupy- 
ing myself much with the streets through which 
I shall have to pass, and I shall presently arrive in 
the gi'eat Bazjuir of Macao, which is situated in 
the Chinese part of the city ; the very antijiodes 
of la cidade do Santo-Nome-de-Deos, in another 
world, as it were, and amidst a difierent race of 
beings. The M'ide but deserted streets, iind white 



THE BAZAAK. 305 

desolate-looking houses are exchanged for narrow, 
noisy thoroughfares, and low, dark, crowded 
dwelling houses ; an immense mass of men with 
long queues, some wearing a large bamboo hat, 
others with their heads bare, but shaded by a fan, 
some robed in a sombre black garb, others in a 
long blue garment, chatter and bustle about in a 
state of the greatest apparent excitement. At the 
corner of one house there is a shop for all kinds 
of iron ware, at the door of another stands a man 
selling fi-uit, farther on is a mountebank perform- 
ing tricks with a magic lantern, and in the midst 
of all this bustle, are a great number of porters 
rushing about, and swearing at the unfortunate 
passers-by, \\^ho do not immediately give way to 
their progress. 

The first time the traveller leaves the Portu- 
guese city and visits this bazaar, it would be no 
matter of surprise if he were seized with a vertigo ; 
the incessant noise and chattering, in a totally 
unknown tongue, are bewildering and oppressive 
in the extreme, but after a little time one be- 
comes accustomed to the confusion, and able to 
regain composure. The houses are in general 
dreadfully shabby and dirty : and have quite the 
appearance of places in which elegance and utility 
are sacrificed to business ; they consist of but one 
story, if that term can be applied to the miserable, 
low-roofed attics, in which the wretched inhabi- 
tants all herd together like dogs ; as to the owner 
of the hovel, he lodges elsewhere ; the fa9ade, 
when made of bricks, is dirty and discoloured, 
and when of wood, so broken and disjointed as to 
resemble wicker work, but the riches of the mer- 
chandise in these horrible dwellings, in some 

X 



306 A CHINESE TRADER. 

measure redeems the shabbiness of the exterior ; 
characteristic signs of the description of wares 
contained within are ostentatiously emblazoned 
on the outside, and the large doors are thi-own 
wide open for the reception of the public. 

A Chinese tradesman regards a shop simply as 
a means whereby he may entrap his customers ; 
and for this purpose he arranges his merchandise 
with the nicest art, and in such a manner as to 
attract the eye of the victim whom he intends to 
ensnare, and as man is flir less quick-sighted than 
many of the brute species, the shopkeeper acts as 
a bird-catcher would do towards his game, merely 
differing in one respect, viz. : that instead of con- 
cealing his person, he takes care to be always in 
sight, and standing quietly behind the counter, 
liis queue in the nicest order, his attire quite 
comr)ie il faut, and his countenance scliooled for 
the occasion ; he smiles pleasantly upon the passers- 
by in the street ; the coidi in liis tattered chaiii^ 
the youth in white pantaloons, decorated with 
blue ribbons, the wealthy citizen with blue cloak, 
and trousers of rich satin, and the newlv-arrived 
barbarian, are all equally the objects of his vigi- 
lant, but unobtrusive attention. 

Not an European arrives in the country with- 
out paying a visit to the accomplished cheat ! It 
is true that his merchandise is not of a description 
likely to prove very useful to the sons of the 
West, consisting chiefly, as it does, of blue porce- 
lain ]»lates, satin slippers with soles of felt, glass 
Ijracc'lets in imitation of jasper, lanterns, fans, 
purses intended to be worn outside, like the car- 
toucli-boxes of the hunters of Vincennes, little 
miirurs as thin and delicate in textm-e as a piece 



THE CHINESE ROUE. 307 

of paper, and a thousand other trifles of which the 
stranger probably does not know the nse. But 
then the shopman has such a pleasing manner ; 
the visitoj begins by stopping to look, then he 
enters, and finally issues therefrom with all his 
money exchanged for a host of little useless, worth- 
less baubles. 

That part of the town to which the name of 
Bazaar is given, comprises three or four streets as 
bewildering as the one I have just described ; for 
the most part, they run parallel with each other, 
sometimes crossing at right angels ; from the prin- 
cipal of these streets, open out narrow alleys, in 
which are to be found gambling houses, betting- 
houses, and other establishments of questionable 
respectability. The approaches to these dens of 
vice are crowded by dissipated-looking Chinese, 
with ragged garments, bare feet, and unshaven 
heads, the miserable habitues of these shocking 
haunts. 

During my sojourn at Macao, I also found that 
the Bazaar-quarter of the city contained the re- 
sidence of the Chinese functionary to whom be- 
longs the surveillance of this vast population, an 
immense building, with a court before it, in front 
of which rose two tall posts, supporting a sort of 
pavilion, constituted the dwelling of the police 
constable. 

In the very centre of this great concourse of 
population is the market for vegetables, fish, and 
butchers' meat, and the immense quantity of pro- 
visions heaped together in the stalls, may give 
some idea of the Chinese population of Macao. 
The vegetables consist, almost entirely, of species 
unknown in Europe ; the root of the water-lily, 

x2 



308 THE FISHMAEKET. 

small shoots of bamboo, tlie tubercles of an aquatic 
plant, called tlie cyperus esculent us, the fi'uit of 
the trapa hicornis, vulgarly called the water- 
chesnut, the pe-tsa'i, or cabbage of Nankin, and 
the sacred tanka-tcho'i The latter is the germ of 
a small green bean, and is preserved in a state of 
constant humidity, by keeping the vegetable in a 
cracked vase. 

The Chinese are an essentially practical people, 
but all their proceedings are characterised by ex- 
treme simplicity ; a proof of this is the manner in 
which they contrive, by means of a cracked and 
useless vessel, filled with a few withered leaves, to 
preserve, by the help of their stoves, a sort of 
garden, which supplies them all the year round, 
with a tender and delicious vegetable. 

Nor is the fish stall in this market less interest- 
ing than that of the vegetables ; it is an immense 
place, covered with bamboo, in which are ex- 
posed to view all the curious inhabitants of the 
ocean that rolls round the shores of Macao ; the 
cuttle-fish, pulpy creatui^es of the most extraor- 
dinary forms, skates of the most brilliant hues, 
and fishes with long, beak-shaped mouths. The 
female pait of the population, and the Chinese 
cooks of the European families, repair hither in 
great numbers, and the transactions of the mar- 
ket are as noisily caiTied on liere, as in the stalls 
of Paris or Marseilles, and in a language which 
adds not a little to the picturesque scene. As tlie 
traA'eller ]:)ursues his walk round the bazaar, he 
will also meet witli various kinds of slioi)s ; some 
in which are exposed for sale dried fowls, and rats 
in a similar state of preservation, gi'cat ban-els of 
sliell fish, vcnulUes, and many other species of 



THE CHINESE LABOUREK. 309 

tiny bivalves ; these little moUusks, when well 
salted, are eaten by the Chinese with their rice. 
There are also a number of washing-tubs full of 
large frogs with green skins and yellow spots, as 
well as a species of tortoise with a long neck, 
which is remarkable for displaying in its dying 
moments a degree of intelligence very extraordi- 
nary in so stupid an animal. 

At the time of the rice harvest great number 
of Chinese labourers are to be met with in the 
streets, their legs, feet, and arms naked, their 
costume consisting solely of a pair of demi-trow- 
sers, and an immense bamboo hat ; at each end 
of a long pole they carry two earthenware vessels, 
in which swim a number of little yellow ring- 
shaped creatures — they are a species of nereis, 
found in the rice fields when inundated with 
water, and greatly prized by the Chinese : this 
worm is not, however, more disgusting in ap- 
pearance than the jyalmitte, which our fellow 
countrymen in the American colonies consider 
such a delicacy. 

A great number of cats are eaten in China, and 
in the streets of Canton and Macao one may 
often meet with men carrying, in little wire 
cages, poor unfortunate captives, with faces so 
piteous that they almost seem to be aware of the 
melancholy destiny that awaits them ; the Chi- 
nese gourmands use the nicest care in selecting 
the unfortunate animal destined to grace their 
table, paying the utmost regard to its colour, age, 
and condition, examining it attentively, and rais- 
ing up its head, before making their selection, 
and finally carrying it away in their arms with 



310 THE RABBIT OF THE CHINESE. 

as miicli cai'e as a fail* lady does her " King 
Charles." 

In the Celestial Empire, the poor eat has the 
unenviable privilege of supplying the place of the 
rabbit, partaking this honour with another singu- 
lar animal without teeth, called the pangolin ; 
but as many of my readers probably may not 
know what a pangolin is, I will give them a 
short sketch of the animal. It is a quadruped 
about the size of a badger, the w^hole body covered 
with scaly plates lying one over the other like 
tiles upon a roof; its tail, which is about the 
length of half its body, makes a singular and 
metallic noise when in motion ; it has no teeth, 
and betw^een its hard horny gums is a long round 
tongue, resembling a red sausage, and covered 
with a viscous humour ; its fore paws are armed 
with very strong nails ; when caught, the animal 
makes but faint efforts to get away, but as its 
hard sharp claw^s act upon the fingers almost like 
the blade of a knife, the captor is generally glad 
to let his prey escape. 

The Chinese bring up this creature purposely 
for the table, and the Portuguese, amongst whom 
it is known by the name of the hicho vergognoso, 
are extremely fond of its fiesh, which is very 
white and tender. But it is quite a mystery to 
me how the animal is ever domesticated. I once 
procured one, intending to take it back with me 
to France, and having occasion to be absent from 
Macao, my friend Callery ofiered to take care of 
it for me ; on account of its singular nocturnal 
liabits, the Chinese domestics jilaced it in a little 
dark habitation wliere it a])])eared very comfort- 
able — ou the first night of its imprisonment, a 



PECULIARITY IN THE CHINESE CAT. 311 

strange noise was heard in tlie house, but next 
day nothing unusual could be perceived ; for 
several succeeding nights the same strange sound 
was heard, a sort of metallic noise, mingling with 
loud reports, as if some heavy weight was falling : 
one might almost have imagined that false coiners 
were at work — at last, but when too late, the 
mystery was discoved — it was the pangolin, which 
had pulled up some of the paving of its cave, 
overthrown a part of the wall, raised up the stone 
step, and made its escape, no one knew where. 

One word more about Chinese cats — a remark- 
able singularity distinguishes the whole feline 
race, from Macao to the borders of Malacca ; all 
the animals, comprised in tliis description, have 
invariably hair of a sort of fawn colour, shaded 
with dark brown or white ; their limbs are slender 
and delicate, and there is also a peculiar confor- 
mation of the joints of the back, one of the caudal 
vertebrae crossing the two others at a right angle ; 
this peculiarity seems to constitute a specific 
characteristic, and I can affirm with certainty, 
that it prevails without an exception throughout 
the whole of Malacca and the Western provinces 
of Ohina ; in the Northern part of the empire, 
the deceitful animal returns to its normal form, 
and wears a tail like its European brethren ; its 
coat also undergoes a similar change, and it re- 
appears in the customary black and white livery 
of all well-dressed cats. 

An arm of the sea, between the northern bank 
of the isthmus and the island of Lappa, is called 
at Macao the inner port, and is situated to the 
north-west of the Portuguese possessions. Before 
the reformation made by Governor Amaral, it 



312 RELIGIOUS RITES. 

was exclusively reserved for Chinese vessels, and 
it was only in cases of extreme danger that Spanish 
and Portuguese vessels took refuge there ; but in 
the present day, it is open to all European na- 
tions : this concession is not, however, of much 
value, as the port itself is but shallow, and only 
suited to light vessels ; on account of these incon- 
veniences, it belongs almost entirely to the Chi- 
nese, and is the exclusive domain of the fai-ting, 
the junk, and the tanha. The appearance of the 
interior port is extremely interesting ; from every 
part of the landing-place, the adjacent isles, and 
the numerous little creeks to be found all over 
the coast, vessels of every form and of all dimen- 
sions may be descried, sheltering there secm-e 
fi'om danger. Scarcely are all these vessels an- 
chored in security, than a most horrible noise is 
commenced by the sailors, who beat the gong — 
utter loud cries — rush about, and let off thousands 
of fire-works, while the frightened females add to 
the general uproar, by setting up horrible cries, 
and on shore an immense number of perfumed 
matches are burnt before the pouss«/i.§. The 
Chinese, those professed lovers of peace and 
silence, celebrate all their religious rites with an 
immoderate display of noise and uproar, this 
being one of their methods of putting to flight 
evil spirits, and it must be confessed that the 
Bouddliic demons nmst have the tym])anum 
formed of trij)le metal, to be able to resist the in- 
tolerable noise made to scare them away. 

Of all the maritiuie p()})ulation of China, the 
marinuis of Fo-Kieu and Kouang-tong are cer- 
tainly the most interesting, consisting of women, 
who manage the small vessels cidlcd tankas ; these 



THE COASTING-TEADE OF MACAO. 313 

little barks are shaped like an egg cut in half, and 
perform the part of transports along the coast ; 
the ianka is entirely destitute of keel, and its 
form renders it, in some degree, incapable of being 
capsized, although it rolls about on the water like 
a cork borne onwards by the waves ; it bears 
some resemblance to the cradle of an infant float- 
ing on the sea, on account of a sort of dome of 
twisted bamboo with which it is covered; this 
awning consists of two parts, and can be shortened 
or elongated at pleasure ; these httle vessels have 
a deck, but the floor is moveable, and somewhat 
resembles the lid of a canister ; the little hold of 
the vessel is quite a miniature magazine, contain- 
ing all the family possessions, garments, house- 
hold necessaries, and mats for sleeping upon, for, 
be it understood, the tanka is quite a little habi- 
tation. 

These female sailors assume the name of their 
barks, calling themselves tankas, or tankaderes, 
and this tiny moving edifice is their sole domain : 
here every scene of thek existence takes place, 
though of course the drama of their lives must 
necessarily be a very uneventful one, to admit of 
being acted upon so narrow a stage. 

The costume of the tankadere is suited to her 
laborious life ; the head is covered by a colom^ed 
handkerchief, tied under the chin, and completely 
surrounding her yellow visage ; she also wears a 
long bhie vest, of Nankin cloth, buttoned at the 
side, and large short drawers of the same mate- 
rial ; her arms and legs are ornamented with 
rings, either of silver, toutenague, or some other 
substance. 

This costume, though so extremely simple, is 



314 FE^IALE SAILORS. 

far from being ungraceful, particularly for the 
slender supple figures by whom it is worn ; the 
round robust forms seem to bound beneath the 
light drapery. Whole fleets of tankas station 
themselves before the landing-places in front of 
the villages, and nothing can be more pleasing and 
animated than the scene they present. 

These women never appear to take any rest : 
some are engaged in preparing rice for the family, 
in a sort of little plaster furnace, the fire of which, 
from the movement of the bark, sparkles and 
crackles incessantly ; some occupy themselves in 
needlework, or in washing their small stock of 
linen, whilst others, with the oar in their hands, 
stand firmly and gracefully upon deck, like the 
Nereid in her shell, and assail the passer-by with 
invitations to take a place in their boat. 

The infants are suspended to the backs of their 
mothers, in a sort of little pouch, something like 
a soldier's knapsack ; and this burden is continu- 
ally attached to the poor woman, whatever work 
she may be engaged in, never being free from it, 
except when asleep. 

The laborious inhabitants of the inner part of 
Macao, coiffed in their blue or red kerchiefs, and 
carrying their infants about with them, reminded 
me of the poor Avomen in the valley of Stura, in 
Piedmont, who, on tlie approach of winter, tra- 
verse the region of the Lower Alps, with the hope 
of obtaining a scanty livelihood in the western 
part of Provence ; these poor inhabitants of San 
Dahiiazzio invariably carry their beloved little 
nursling about with them, making it the insepa- 
ral)le ('()in])anion of their wanderings and labours ; 
their heads are covered in the same manner as the 



A TANKADERE NURSERY. 815 

tanlmderes, witli a coloured kerchief, and the re- 
semblance is completed by their countenances be- 
ing, like those of the poor women of Kouang- 
Tong, withered by hardship, and browned from 
exposm-e to the sun. 

So it is all over the world — on the shores of 
China, and in the mountains of Cuneo, the hard 
necessities of real life impose an almost equal 
share of labom' and suffering, of some description, 
upon every member of the human family. 

The infants of the tankaderes carry on their 
backs a gourd, fastened to them by a handker- 
chief ; this is an invention of maternal solicitude, 
for the purpose of guarding the tender blossom 
from the various dangers to which it is exposed, 
fr-om living always amidst the waters ; for in- 
stance, if the child should by chance fall over- 
board, the gom'd would at least sustain it above 
the waves, until assistance could be given. 

A tanka is generally inhabited by two women, 
the one quite young, the other somewhat older ; 
the oar is placed at the stern of the vessel, which 
is thus steered from behind, this method of row- 
ing being imitated from fishes, which use their 
tails for a similar purpose. The younger tanka- 
deres do not always closely adhere to the usual 
costume, but exchange the head-kerchief for a 
coiffure, composed of their own long black hair, 
and a hat with a very broad brim ; 1 have seen 
some of them dressed entirely in silk of the thick- 
est description, and quite adapted to the nature 
of their labours ; in general the tankaderes are 
fine-looking girls, the handsomest in China, gay, 
animated, and possessed of that fearless, confi- 
dence of manner, which a life of constant peril 



316 A EIVER FAIRY. 

and exposure always gives ; they are consequent- 
ly great favoui^ites with strangers, between whom 
and themselves, many little sentimental adven- 
tures take place. 

When we were staying at Canton, the mem- 
bers of the Legation who lived just on the banks 
of the river, honom^ed with their especial patron- 
age a certain tankadere, named A-Moun, whose 
especial privilege it was to convey us to the Itongs, 
the pagoda of Honan, or the gardens of Fati ; 
every one was unanimous in selecting A-Moun, 
on account of her being the prettiest tankadere 
in Tchou-Kiang, and by means of our spontane- 
ous and liberal payment, she was soon elected 
tankadere in chief to the Leo^ation. Nothinor 
could be more neat and elegant than the bark of 
A-Moun ; the little shell itself was as polislied 
as ivory, the deck as clean and smooth as 
glass ; the benches looked as if they had only 
just been made, and as to the equipjige of the 
vessel, it was perfectly enchanting, being com- 
posed of the lovely A-Moun, who plied the oar, 
and a little girl of about eight years old, called 
A-Fay, who managed the helm ; the latter styled 
A-Moun her sister, she was more probably her 
mother ; but no matter — it was all the same 
to us. 

When we were not in immediate want of our 
water-fiiiry, she fastened the bark to the ({uay 
nearest our habitation, until we required her ser- 
vices again, and during this rest enjoyed herself 
in tlie true Oriental fashion, liixhtimx her little 
})ipe witli its copper bowl, and stretching lierself 
luxuriously on the deck of the ianka. A-Moun 
was al)out six-and-twenty, tall for a Chinese 



THE CANAILLE OF CANTON. 317 

woman but so slender and pliable, that I should 
compare her to the stem of a bamboo, were not 
the metaphor at least three thousand years old ; her 
eyes were more oblique and her complexion more 
yellow than the golden-colom-ed Koua-nins, and 
she might have made a turban of her long black 
hair, which was rolled round the top of her head 
and fastened with two long silver pins, and her 
feet, which were bare like those of the rest of the 
tankaderes, were ornamented, just above the an- 
cles, with green bracelets, which looked like the 
little serpents found in the rice-fields. 

The open preference which we accorded to 
A-Moun roused the indignation of the canaille 
of Canton, the most horrible set of people in the 
world, who evinced their jealousy by public ex- 
clamations, and finally by menaces. A-Moun be- 
ing a true Chinese, was exceedingly prudent, 
and would not for a moment have thought of 
facing the storm, so one morning we were inform- 
ed that A-Moun, accompanied by A-Fay, had re- 
moved her little vessel, and betaken herself to 
another part of the shore. 

The husbands of the tankaderes are almost 
always sailors or workmen employed in the dif- 
ferent ports ; I have heard it said that they trace 
their origin to some Bohemian race, sprung from 
no one knows where, and for that reason, held in 
very light estimation. My friend Rondot has 
somewhere asserted that it is only since 1730 
that tankaderes and their husbands have been 
permitted to reside on shore, for that previous to 
that time, they were compelled to Kve always in 
their tankas ; tliis is not at all surprising, for the 
low-minded, coarse, and ignorant populace would 



318 RENEGADOES, AND WHY. 

most likely treat them as parias, and be quite at 
a loss to understand the merits of a race whose 
intelligence, mildness, and industry, presented 
such a striking contrast to the vices of their own 
character. 

The Macaists give the name of Cltristdo de 
arroz (rice-Cliristians) to certain Chinese fami- 
lies, whose conversion has been traced to interest- 
ed motives. This singularly original epithet 
arose fi'om the following circumstances. When 
the Portuguese first occupied this part of the 
country, they displayed more zeal than wisdom 
in offering high rewards for the encom-agement 
of religious fervour ; for this purpose, they estab- 
lished a sort of common fund, by means of which, 
every Chinese who had been baptized, might 
receive, weekly, a small present of rice ; as might 
be expected, conversions now became so very 
frequent, on account of the inducement offered, 
that the poor Macaists were obliged to give up 
their ruinous plan, and no sooner did the supplies 
begin to fail, than they began to discover tlie 
extreme frailty of the converted ; almost all the 
Chinese returned to their old superstitions, and 
when the renegades were remonstrated with, and 
asked how it was that they had abandoned their 
Cluistian ]^ractices, they quietly replied — 

" You did not continue to supply us with rice !" 
During my stay at Macao, several more of 
these conversions were made. It is well known, 
that according to tlie present administration in 
tliis city, tlie Claistians of the adjacent islands 
do not fall under tlie authority of the ^landarins ; 
conse(iuently, when any one of the Chinese (per- 
haps totally unlaiown to the Portuguese), is 



A CHINESE FIGARO. 319 

guilty of some misdemeanour which would place 
him in the power of Tso-Tang, the delinquent 
immediately cuts oif his queue, doffs his charrij 
assumes the European garb, becomes baptized, 
and thus appearing in a new character, braves 
the penal code of the Celestial Empire. Although 
Christians thus converted become so from fear 
of the bamboo, they are styled, like the others, 
Christdo de arroz, that name being the usual one 
in Macao, for all Christians of doubtful character. 
I heard the term applied, for the first time, when 
making enquiries of a domestic — 

" Are you a Christian V said I, one day, to a 
Portuguese. 

" Sim, senJior, Christdo de arroz ! — Yes, 
Seigneur, I am a rice-Christian,'" he replied, with 
a significant smile. 

My friend Fitter placed at my disposal one of 
his domestics, who was a veritable Christdo de 
arroz — an active intelligent, industrious youth, 
of a very joyous temperament — a perfect Chinese 
Figaro, clever at everything, and never at a loss 
about anything. This Sancho Fanza of Macao 
had been engaged in some dispute with Tso-Tang, 
about some miserable contraband afiair, the result 
of which was, that he found himself compelled 
to part with his dearest possessions, put on the 
Portuguese jacket, receive baptism, and place 
himself under the protection of a respectable 
merchant at Macao ; from that day, he abandon- 
ed his name of Vo-Long, assumed that of Vicente, 
and became the zealous servant of every Euro- 
pean who employed him. Vo-Long, or rather 
Vicente, soon became quite the regulator of my 
movements, telling me everything I ought to do, 



320 THE PAGODA. 

reminding me of visits I ought to pay, pointing 
out places which deserved my attention, and even 
naming persons whom he thought it advisable 
I should consult upon divers problematical points 
in my studies and researches. One morning, 
Vicente came to me, and said — 

" Senhor, I should like you to visit a pagoda 
to-day ; you will dine this evening with M. Fit- 
ter, and I want you to go with me to my house, 
to be introduced to my daughter, who is about 
to be married." 

According to my usual custom, I made no ob- 
jection to Vicente's progranune, especially as it 
seemed to me a very pleasant one ; so, we bent 
our course towards the west, and by the way, 
my cicerone gave me a short history of the 
chapel we were about to visit, in the following 
words : — 

" Senhor, the pagoda of La Barre, as it is called 
by the Portuguese, was in existence when they 
arrived in this country ; it was the only inhabited 
part of the island at that time, and there was a 
little village near the temple, which served as a 
place of refuge for the pilgrims who came to pray 
there." 

" And what is the name of the village ?" I 
asked. 

" It is called A-Makao." 

" I beg your pardon !" said I, not catching the 
word. 

" A-Makao," he repeated. '' It is the name 
given it by the Portuguese. You see they would 
not be at tlie troultle of inventing a new one." 

" And liow (.lid it hai)pen that a tenii)le should 



i: 



CHINESE SAILOES IN A STOEM. 321 

have been built in an uninhabited country ?" I 
inquired. 

" It was built by the sailors of Fo-Kien. Upon 
one occasion, dui'ing a frightful tempest, they were 
saved by their prayers to the goddess Matsou-Po, 
of whom they had a statue on board ; thanks to 
their intercession with this divinity, the vessel 
stranded gently on the shore, and no one perished. 
In remembrance of this miraculous protection, 
they carried the image of the goddess to the 
island nearest the spot upon which they were 
.shipwrecked, and then departed into their own 
country, begging in all the towns and villages, 
until they had obtained sufficient to build the 
temple you are now about to see.'' 

" Are you quite sure of the truth of what you 
tell me ?" I asked. 

'' Certainly,'' exclaimed Vicente, " I know it is 
true, though it happened before I was born ; but 
if you will ask my mother, whom you will see 
this evening, and who is nearly ninety years of 
age, she wUl assure you of the truth of what I 
have said ; it was related to her when she was 
i3ut fifteen, by persons then as old as she is now. 
How can we ever know the certainty of things 
that are passed, without the assui-ance of old peo- 
ple like these ?" 

Discoursing thus, he followed a road stretching 
the whole length of the mountain upon which the 
fort of La BaiTC, which overlooks the interior port, 
is built. At every step we met with gigantic 
Chinese characters, inscribed on the rocks, and 
amongst the detached masses of stone were enor- 
mous trunks of trees sheltering large gi-aves made 
in the shape of a crescent. 

Y 



322 A PAGODA AXD DEVOTEES. 

Tliis road conducted us to tlie flat summit, 
where we perceived, before a portico of granite, 
two poles of prodigious lieiglit, covered with flags 
and streamers ; this was the pagoda. There was 
a great crov/d in the place, resembling tliat gene- 
rally seen before the doors of a village church on 
a Sunday, or fete-day ; merchants sheltering 
themselves under large parasols, and selling trifles,^ 
used in the form of worship, inside, consisting of 
little matches, and prepared meats, for the Chinese 
gods are not content with mere incense. Huddled 
up on the sand were several men with bare heads, 
thin queues, brown and soiled chains, and cloth 
pantaloons reaching to the middle of the leg, play- 
ing with cards as long and narrow as a finger ; 
Chinese devotees, very well dressed, were slowly 
walkinof about, awaitino- the hour of sacrifice, and 
a few aged women, their heads almost concealed 
imder their half-shut parasols, pressed onvv^ards 
with the tottering step occasioned by their de- 
formed feet, towards the portals of the sanctuary. 

I sto])ped for a few moments on the shore, to 
take a glance at the general aspect of this conse- 
crated place ; it leans against a rugged mountain, 
and is composed of three diflerent parts, tuTanged 
something in the manner of an amphitheatre ; it 
stands in the midst of detached blocks of granite, 
and high rocks overlooking it, the tops of which, 
crowned with gigantic procelain monsters, with 
wide ga])ing mouths, mingle with tlie foliage of 
wicocouliers and Banians, hundreds of years old, 
wliilst wide and shady paths wind over the moun- 
tain in all directions. 

Before ])assiiig tlirough the portico, wliich is 
formed uf three blccks of granite; and the liiaze of 



CHINESE DEITIES. S23 

\Yhicli is sculptured with a degree of delicacy 
worthy of the gothic style, Vicente thus addressed 
me : 

" Senhor, allow me to solicit your most scrupu- 
lous attention to all that you are now about to 
see ; each of these temples and oratories, is the mi- 
niature model of one of the most celebrated pagodas 
in China ; and after having wandered over every 
part of this sacred place, you may consider your- 
self perfectly acquainted v^ith the temples of Chan- 
Tong, Fo-Kien, Tche-Kiang, and in short, with 
the whole empire/' 

I visited successively the three temples of 
A-Makao, or the Pagoda of the Rocks, and upon 
all the altars, amid the statues of fat unwieldy 
gods, and oblique-eyed goddesses, with slender 
figures, like those of the Chinese women, I ob- 
served fumigating balls with the most delicately 
prepared viands, odoriferous sticks for burning, 
and gilded papers. 

The higher temple is consecrated to the goddess 
of Misery, the one next to it belongs to the god of 
universal Benevolence, and the chapel facing the 
shore contains the celebrated statue of Matsou- Po. 
I walked for a long time among the micocouliers 
of A-Makao, never weary of contemplating the 
singular but gi-aceful architecture before me, vrith 
its doors and windov/s cut out of a single stone, ^ 
some perfectly oval, and others round, the roof 
horned like the head of the buffalo, and the ex- 
traordinary sculpture scattered around, reminding 
one of the unnatural creatures seen in a dream. 

As I ascended the granite staircase, which is 
decorated with a balustrade, carved with as much 
ingenuity as if the material had been silver or 

y2 



324 OPINIONS ON DEATH. 

ivory, I discovered a number of little oratories at 
every step, concealed either by excavations in the 
lock, or by the roots of some knotty and twisted 
tree ; they were perfect little gems of architecture, 
the beautiful sculptm-e of which would have 
served as a model for the casket of a queen ; all 
the immense rocks around were carved with Chi- 
nese hierogljq^hics^ and turning to Vicente, I 
asked the meaning of them. 

'' Senhor,'' he replied, " I am not able to read 
them to you, but I have been told that they are 
the work of sage and pious men, who came hither 
and inscribed their thoughts on stone, a custom 
which is continued to this verv dav." 

And as if on purpose to confirm the assertion of 
Vicente, I just at this moment perceived a vener- 
able old man, with snow-white moustaches, tra- 
cing characters on the rock with a pencil. 

" Ask him,'' said I to Vicente, '' what he is 
writing V and, upon his doing so, the old man 
replied : — 

" I have left the roof of my fathers, and the soil 
of my native land, to sleep the eternal sleep in 
these sacred shades.'' 

This sentiment is singularly characteristic of the 
Chinese ; the idea of death never inspires them 
with any terror ; they look upon a cemetery i^ 
we should upon some traucpiil country residence, 
as a place of refuge from the toils of the world ; 
to them, death is but another- word for perfect re- 
pose. 

Very numerous were the pilgi'ims among the 
shades of A-Makao, consistinji^ in general of old 
uicUj leading children, bonzes with shaven heads 



LIBERAL WOESHIPPERS. 325 

and long robes, and otlier grave and silent indi- 
viduals, dressed as bazaar merchants. 

As we came down again, on our way to the 
road leading to the city, we met with a number 
of tall, thin, sun-burnt men, their heads enve- 
loped in a piece of blue stuff, walking in a very 
quick manner, quite unlike that of the Chinese in 
general 

Vicente called my attention to them — " Those,'' 
said he, " are natives of Fo-Kien ; they are al- 
ways among the most zealous worshippers of the 
goddess Matsou-Po, and never set foot on this 
shore without coming hither to pay their devoirs 
to her. Some years ago, when this temple stood 
in need of repair, the merchants of Fo-Kien gave 
twenty thousand piastres towards the expences of 
the work. 

During my walk, I saw a great deal of the va- 
rious Bouddhic ceremonies ; but as I shall have 
occasion to describe them frequently in the course 
of my travels, I abstain from particular mention 
of them at present. 

On descending to the shore, we went on board 
a tanka, for the purpose of returning to the city. 
As we seated ourselves under the sheltering roof 
of bamboo, Vicente made an exclamation on the 
intensity of the heat. 

" Yes," replied the tankadere, a plump young 
girl, almost as rosy as a European, '^ it is hot, and 
we have no means of avoiding it. There,'' she 
continued, pointing with her finger to an idol, 
placed in a niche, " we have been burning per- 
fumed matches before that fat ])oussah these ten 
days, and not a drop of water has fallen yet ; he 
i^ too securely shaded from the heat to be incon- 



S26 REBELLIOUS IDOLS. 

venienced by it himself, and pays not the slight- 
est attention to our prayers. I will see whether, 
if I put him in the blazing sun, he will condes- 
cend to favour us vdih. a drop of water/' 

And so saying, she abandoned the oar to her 
companion, and taking the poussah from its 
niche, she sprang on sliore, and placed it in the 
crevice of a rock, where the heat was so intense, 
that one might, without exaggeration, liave boiled 
an egg there. 

" There, good-bye V she exclaimed, as she cjime 
back and took her place again in the boat ; " now 
we shall see whether we are to have any rain, or 

not r 

And this is the manner in which the Chinese 
treat their gods ; when they find their prayers 
ineffectual in obtaining what they wish, they have 
recom^e to a moi-e austere mode of conduct. 

I have taken for granted as truth, the various 
traditions I have heard respecting the Pagoda of 
the Rocks : the numerous authors who have wi'it- 
ten on the subject being all completely at variance 
with each other, I have endeavoured to transcribe 
that wliich appeared to me most likely to be true. 
It is somewhat sino'ular, that I never met with 
two persons who spelled the name of the j)lace in 
the same nifinner, sonie calling it Ama-Ko, Aman- 
kao, and others A-Magoa ; for my own part, I 
can only affirm, that whenever I siiid to a tanka- 
dere, on entering lier vessel, that I wislied to be 
conveyed to A-Makao, no matter wlience I start- 
ed, 1 invariably found myself conduc^ted to the 
Pagoda of tlie Rocks, from wliich circumstance, it 
is not very unfair to presume this to be its pvo[)er 
name. 



mNERANT TAVERNS. 327 

; At ten o'clock in tlie evening, Dr. Fitter, his 
brother, and myself, preceded by Vicente carry- 
ing a spherical lantern at the end of a long pole, 
went ont to take a promenade in the streets of 
the bazaar. This part of the city, so bustling 
and noisy by day, had not entirely lost all ap- 
pearance of life and animation ; the streets were 
still crowded, and the shops nearly all open, and 
those for provisions and tobacco crowded with 
visitors ; in some of them the masters and clerks 
were engaged in putting their accounts in order, 
and finishing up their business for the day ; the 
pieces of money, which were of copper or zinc, 
and had a hole in the middle, were all strung to- 
gether on long strings, and looked something like 
fruit. Seated on each side of the counter, oppo- 
site each other, two Chinese were talking over 
some business matter ; the brother rogues, fi'om 
time to time, making calculations and setting 
them down in chalk to facilitate their operations. 
At the corner of the streets were stationed iti- 
nerant cooks, cariying both their cooking appara- 
tus and their different viands at the end of a long 
bamboo ; there were also an immense number of 
labourers returning from their work, coulis, tra- 
velling merchants, and ragged mendicants, who, 
in exchange for a few sai^eques, bought a small 
quantity of rice seasoned with tao-fou, which 
they immediately devom^ed as they stood in the 
street ; every now and then a woman might be 
seen traversing this Babel of a place, with a large 
porcelain bowl, containing a ragout, either of 
frogs or ducks, while the luminous brilliancy of 
the lanterns, radiant with all sorts of colours, and 
agitated by the wind, threw a dazzling effect 



328 INTERIOR DOMESTIC ARRAXGEMEXTS. 

over the whole scene, and gave it the appearance 
of being lighted up by meteors. 

However, as we advanced further into this 
labyrinth of streets, the crowd began to diminish, 
lanterns became more rare, and it was only at 
long distances that we could perceive the light of 
some luminous body, when we suddenly found 
ourselves in front of a house built on the quay of 
the interior port, at the door of which Vicente 
knocked loudly, and we were then ushered into 
the residence of Vo-Long, the Chinese ; we enter- 
ed a large apartment on the gi'ound floor, very 
feebly lighted, in the centre of which stood a 
table of black wood as polished as steel, upon 
which were arranged tea cuj)s and confectionary, 
dried figo-caqui, ginger, and the root of the 7i€- 
lumbiuim ; gTeen and pink wax candles, not 
larger than one's finger, were fixed in a little 
iron stem which issued from a small chandelier. 
As to furniture, there was none to be seen, ex- 
cept a few wooden chairs standing against the 
wall, and a sort of partition of bamboo separated 
this apartment from an adjoining one, in which 
some female voices could be hejird lauo'hinjx and 
talking. The most remarkable ornaments in the 
habitation of Vo-Long consisted of two niches at 
the lower end of the apartment, bearing some 
resemblance to tlie little cribs which are to be 
seen in some Proven(;al houses, at the apjuoach of 
Christmas ; they were separateil from each other 
by a wooden partition ; one of them containing a 
re])reHentation of the Bouddhic 01ym])us, with 
Konan-In, Houchi, Chang-Ti, and many other 
divinities, anil the otiier representing the Chris- 
tian paradiise, tlie Holy Virgin, iuid a great mul- 



SUSPICIOUS TOLERATIOK S29 

titude of saints ; both these little chapels were 
lighted by an equal number of wax tapers. 

With the view of keeping up his character as a 
true Portuguese subject, Vicente professed to to- 
lerate a perfect liberty of religious creed in his 
household, and assured us that the Bouddhic 
altar was solely the property of the various mem- 
bers of his family, who had not yet embraced the 
true faith, but that he himself was the most 
zealous Christian in Macao ! " Besides," said he, 
" since I have determined upon the marriage of 
my daughter, we have made constant use of both 
altars, for it is impossible, on such a solemn occa- 
sion, to pray with too much fervour to the Gods 
of every creed. 

On entering the house of the Christao de arroz, 
we had observed no one in the apartment, except 
his aged mother, his wife and son, and a friend 
of the family, but we were scarcely seated when 
Mademoiselle Yo-Long made her appearance, is- 
suing from the apartment in which we had heard 
female voices in conversation. 

No one ever beholds a Chinese woman, with 
her small feet and curious attire for the first time, 
without experiencing a sort of feeling of repul- 
sion, and my friend De Montigny (now Consul at 
Chang-Hai) will never forget the effect produced 
upon us, when on our arrival at Macao, we first 
beheld this extraordinary apparition. A Portu- 
guese lady, for the purpose of amusing herself 
with our surprise, conducted us to a Chinese 
mansion, and introduced us to a woman with ex- 
ceedingly small feet, wearing the national cos- 
tume in full perfection — our horror is not be de- 
scribed, but by degrees the eye became accustomed 



S30 PORTRAIT FROM LIFE. 

to the singularity of these striking little figures, 
and ended by admiring the very appearance we 
had at first thouG^ht so fiicrhtfuL 

Whilst I paint the portrait of Mademoiselle 
Vo-Long, let the reader imagine to himself the 
astonishment of a European on being first intro- 
duced to one of these women, the usual pictures 
of whom are mere caricatures. Mademoiselle Vo- 
Long was a true Chinese of the South, yellow as 
the imperial standard, with a large fiat nose, 
which spread out in the centre of her \dsage like 
the blossom of a chrysanthemum ; her cheek- 
bones were very high, and her very small eyes 
extremely oblique, whilst a pair of very delicately 
arched eye-brows were pencilled upon a smooth, 
but narrow forehead, and in order to soften the 
somewhat metallic hue of her skin. Mademoiselle 
Vo-Long had made a liberal use of rice powder 
upon her cheeks. 

This sino^ular countenance was surmounted bv 
a coifi'are bearing more resemblance to the crest 
of some fabulous creatures than to any tiling else ; 
tlie hair was smoothly gathered into a bundle 
at the top of the head, and divided into two 
parts, one turned to the right, the other to the 
left ; crossing in front, they were then re-united 
just at the nape of the neck, and twisted into a 
round flat knot ; above all this scaft'olding were 
aiTanged, in a most singubir manner, a number of 
chenille flowers and natural butterflys, and final- 
ly two long pieces of hair, parted on the temjdes, 
encircled the ])o\vdered visage of the young girl, 
and desc(!:Tided to her shoulders. 

So much for the head-dress of Mademoiselle 
Vo-Long ; tlie rest of her toilette was not less re- 



A CHINESE BEAUTY. 331 

cherche, consisting of an elegant tnnic of blue 
silk, closed at the throat, and descending to the 
middle of the leg, fastened at the right side with 
a row of carved buttons. The double sleeves of 
damask were turned back upon the front of the 
arm, with an embroidery of gold ; beneath this 
garment was a satin petticoat, the lower part of 
wliich was black, and the rest canary-colour; 
upon the yellow stripe a garland of roses was de- 
licately embroidered in silk ; upon the right arm 
she wore a silver-gilt br?tcelet, on the other one 
of jasper. Her fee^t were encased in slippers of 
the most diminutive size, not more than two in- 
ches long, at the most, the lower part covered 
with embroidery and gold twist, the toe resem- 
bling those of the galoshes v/orn by our gi^and- 
mothers ; they were fastened to the foot by 
red silk ribands, and surmounted with large gilt 
bracelets. 

To be very minute in my description, I ought 
to add, that she also wore long ear-rings, and that 
upon each finger she wore a peculiar kind of ring, 
formed of three amulets, placed one above ano- 
ther, the middle one large and highly carved, the 
two others granulated and having a pearl-like ap- 
• pearance, except that the material was gold. To 
finish my description. Mademoiselle Yo-Long was 
extremely small, slender and delicate, just what 
a Chinese beauty should be. 

This curious little figure, with her outlandish 
yet gi^aceful toilette, was compelled, when mov- 
ing about, to make use of the same movements 
with the arms and upper part of the body, as are 
exercised by the mountebanks, who balance them- 
selves on poles, or on the backs of chairs ; the 



332 THE OFFICE OF THE PRIESTESSES. 

insufficiency of support afforded by her ridicu- 
lously small feet, rendered this necessary, and 
although this method of w;dking does not appear 
to us attractive, it is highly admired by the Chi- 
nese, and considered the ver}'- perfection of grace. 

Mademoiselle Vo-Long now approached us, 
carrying in her hand a sort of porcelain saucer 
filled with cigarettes ; each of us accepted one of 
them, offering in return a little cadean for tlie 
fair bride, according to the etiquette practised on 
such occasions : during all this time, we could 
still hear distinctly the laughing and tidking go- 
ing on behind the bamboo partition. 

" Vicente,'' said I to my host, " why do not 
the persons in the next room join us here ? Are 
they afraid of us V. 

" Perhaps so,'' he replied, smiling ; " there are 

two honzesses and two old women in that room ; 

the former have been in mv house eioht days, aiid 
..1. . '^ ® * 

it is their business to remain with my daughter 
until the moment of her marriage, to instruct her 
in her new duties." 

'' Indeed !" I exclaimed in great surprise ; 
" I thouglit these relvjieuses were devoted to 
celibacy !" 

" True, senhor," replied Vo-Long ; " but it is ' 
the custom here, and therefore we must submit to 
it, particularly as my wife is as fervent a Bud- 
dist as I am a good Christian ; as to the matrons, 
it is their office to accompany my daugliter 
amidst tears and lamentations to the tlnvsliold, 
on the day u])nii ^\llic]l she bids adieu to her 
parents ; ah, what a sad day that will l)e I" he 
arldod, feigning to wipe a tear from his cheek. 



BUDDIST NUNS. 333 

" But my dear friend/'' I persisted, '^ can we 
not see these ladies V 

Ni" jWell," said lie hesitatingly, " I will see what 
I can do, but I know it will be very difficult/" 
He approached his wife, and after exchanging a 
few words, the latter rose and went behind the 
partition, whence we could hear a sort of little 
debate going on, but as the invisible ladies were 
in all probability extremely curious to see us, 
they did not hesitate very long. 

It was now the turn of the Chinese to intiiide 
upon the barbarians, and issuing from this mys- 
terious cabinet came five females, and an equal 
number of little children. Our attention was un- 
mediately attracted by the honzesses ; these fair 
religieuses having renounced the vanities of the 
world, were very simply attired in a pair of pan- 
taloons, a blue cham, and men's shoes ; their heads 
were closely shaven, affording a striking contrast 
to the elaborate coiffure of Mademoiselle Vo- 
Long : having saluted them in the most respectful 
manner, we turned our attention to the matrons, 
the eldest of whom was accompanied by her 
daughter a girl of about fourteen ; the other might 
have served as a representation of the matron of 
Ephesus, had the latter been Chinese, and was 
surrounded by a bevy of little children. 

The company now seated themselves on two 
rows of chairs, placed opposite each other, and 
Mademoiselle Vo-Long, having poured boiling 
water on the tea, and tottered from one to the 
other offering a cup of the beverage, the conver- 
sation became general. 

Toleration, and a total absence of prejudice, 
are, I think, the characteristics of those who have 



S34< THE SISTERS OF MERCY. 

seen a great deal ; before knowing mucl) of the 
honzcsses, I mii;-t confess that I had but a veiy 
poor opinion of the sect, but in their presence a 
great part of my prejudice vanished. The eldest 
appeared about forty years of age, and had a 
countenance radiant witli the tranquillity which 
springs from a good conscience. She conversed 
in the most easy and pleasant manner, and in 
spite of myself, I could not help being remindevl 
of some of those good women who are met with 
in tlie villages of France, wherever there is any 
act of charity to be performed. Her companion 
was a liandsome young girl, with eyes veiled by 
lono; lashes, which threw an indescribable charm 
over her countenance ; her nose had the some- 
what flat appearance which I have mentioned 
in the countenance of Mademoiselle Vo-Loni:r, 
but her features were fine and delicate, a pecu- 
liarit}^ whicli I have observed in all the Chinese 
females of the higher classes. 

A long conversation took place between Vo- 
Long and the young bonzesse, which the former 
interpreted, and of wliich I would give the i-eader 
a sketch, were I able to convey an idea of the 
musical voice of the young girl, or to do justice to 
the soft flowing language which fell from her lips, 
as sweetly fis from those of a bird. 

" How does it happen," inquired Vo-Long, 
" that you are a bonzesse V 

" Because I wish to imitate the good example 
of my companion.'' '"" 

" But do you not feel great regi*et at leaving 
your parents and friends V 

** It is the destiny of woman to be separated 



A EEASON FOR CELIBACY. 8S5 

from her family, and therefore it is the same thing 
whether she becomes a honzesse, or a wife/' 

" But if she marries, she may still keep up in- 
tercom'se with her friends." 

" True, but at the same time she draws a great 
deal of misery upon herself" 

" But you would have had no difficulty in 
meeting with some one who would have taken 
care of you, and made you happy." 

To this remark the honzesse made no reply, but 
she blushed deeply, and drew her large hat fur- 
ther over her face, while the other women in the 
room directed their glances to the somewhat large 
feet of the young girl, with an expression that 
spoke volumes ; their piercing eyes seemed to say 
as plainly as if they had spoken it : — " How could 
you expect any man to marry a girl with such 
feet as those. The idea of such a thing !" 

The elder honzesse tossed her head, and thought, 
doubtless, of many a similar case, in which the 
honzerie had become the refuge of wounded vanity 
or slighted affection ; so it is in every country 
all over the world ; manners and customs may 
change, but the human heart remains unaltered. 

At this moment, a little child of about six 
years old, with the charming grace peculiar to 
Chinese children, came and took me by the hand. 
She wore a blue cham, with a black border, and 
her little queue, adorned with red ribands, floated 
down her back, whilst her hair in front was cut 
quite short, just reaching to her eye-brows. By 
way of returning the caresses of the pretty little 
girl, I took her on my knee, and then perceived, 
not without indigna^tion, that her poor Kttle feet 
were akeady imprisoned in bandages ; I could 



336 HOW TO MAKE A CHINESE VENUS. 

not conceal my disgust, and tui^ning to Vicente, 
exclaimed, in bad Portuguese — " How barbarous 
it is to torment tliis dear little child in this 
way I" 

The pretty matron of whom I have before spo- 
ken, a gay smiling woman, as fresh-looking as a 
yellow rose, immediately exclaimed in the same 
language : 

'' Senhor, when a particular inconvenience has 
to be endm-ed for life, we cannot be too early ac- 
customed to it ; the earlier the better, for when 
too long delayed, it becomes useless ; besides I do 
not wish my daughter to become a honzesse." 

" And how long,'' I enquired of the fair lady, 
" has your child wore these bandages V 

" Rather more than a year/' 

" Will you allow me to see her foot V 

"Willingly," she replied, and kneeling down 
before me, she took off the shoe of the little girl ; 
the slipper had a flat sole, the heel part being 
formed in exactly the same manner as our o^vn ; 
the foot was envelo])ed in bandages of red cotton, 
the flrst fold served to keep the toes together, 
the second was passed over the heel, and brought 
I'ound again to the front ; the rest of the bandage 
was put on in the same manner ; the foot of the 
child had already undergone some change, foi' 
the toes, bound down to the sole of tlie foot, were 
scarcely to be recognized in ft)rm, the other parts 
still retained their natural shape. 

Tlie time occupied in my examination of the 
shou, the bandage, and the foot, had be?n very 
short, and tlie little girl had at first seemed highly 
delighted with them, but suddenly she began to 
cry, and iiii})lore that we would bind up her foot 



VANITY, AND ITS PENALTIES. S37 



again : " If you do not put tliem on again/' she 
exclaimed, " my foot will become large V 

I was quite astounded, when Vicente and Dr. 
Fitter translated her words to me, and still more 
so, when the pretty mother remarked : "It is 
better to suffer a little pain in infancy, than to be 
miserable in after life ; the whole fortune of a 
young girl depends upon her figm^e, and the shape 
of her feet" 

" And in my opinion," said I, " she buys her 
fortune very dearly by so much suffering." 

" The pain," she replied, " is not so great as 
you imagine, for until the age of ten or twelve, 
little inconvenience is felt ; at that time, it is true, 
young girls suffer severe pain from the feet, and 
grow pale and tliin in consequence ; some indeed, 
die from it, but then, women were born to suffer ; 
besides, as to our family, we have quite large feet," 
she continued, displaying her little foot with its 
ornamental bracelets ; " you should see that lady's 
daughter ;" and she pointed to the other ma- 
tron. 

The young girl indicated put out her foot, and 
I must confess that it was the smallest I ever saw, 
not more than an inch and a half long ; the old lady 
was apparently fearful that we should pursue oui* 
enquiry too far, for she exclaimed in a very de- 
cided manner — " No one is to see the foot of my 
daughter, except her intended husband ; it is 
lovely as a lotus-flower, but its beauty and sweet- 
ness are reserved for him alone." 

About midnight we left the residence of Yo- 
Long, having offered many thanl<^ to our host and 
his family for their hospitality. As soon as we 
were in the street, Dr. Fitter exclaimed : — 

z 



388 CHINESE SOCIEIT. 

" Well, you have seen more of China this one 
evening, than Lord Macartney, or Lord Amherst, 
ever did \" 

And he was right, for we had penetrated into 
the very heart of Chinese society, and had been 
able to remark some characteristic traits of the 
sons of the Celestial Empire, which the two cele- 
brated characters I have just mentioned, had not 
the opportunity of observing, being always under 
the surveillance of the Mandarins. 

As we traversed the Bazaar-streets on oiu* way 
home, we scarcely saw a single soul, except a few 
watchmen ; the Chinese policemen walk about at 
night knocking two pieces of bamboo together, 
and striking them against the wj\L1 ; the noise 
was very peculiar, harsh and disagi'eeable, and it 
appeared to me a very appropriate one, to warn 
the prowlers of night that their enemies were at 

hand. 

Before the war with the English, Macao and 
its environs were the only parts of China open to 
travellers, and consequently offered the sole op- 
portunity for strangers to become acquainted with 
the customs of the Chinese ; on this account, tra- 
vellers in former times resembled persons who 
profess to give a description of a })alace, after 
having seen it only through the key -hole ; some 
\dllages half concealed among the rocks of tlie 
Portuguese possessions, a few islands situated in 
tlie interior port, and three parts of the isle Hiang- 
Clian, were the only places accessible to European 
curiosity. We will now take a genenil survey of 
the neighbouring localities. 

Exactly in the centre of the Portuguese ])osses- 
sions, is a mountainous cone, on tlie sunnuit of 



THE VANQUISHED DUTCHMEN. 339 

which is built the fort Bo Monte ; this citadel is a 
sort of momiment raised to the memory of the Por- 
tuguese by their vanquished enemies, and its can- 
nons overlook and defend the great landing-place 
and the interior port. In former times the Dutch 
attempted to seize on Macao, but the garrison 
which defended the place repulsed them heroi- 
cally, and made a gi-eat number of prisoners ; the 
unfoi-tunate Dutchmen were then compelled, by 
their enexorable enemies, to build this citadel, 
which was destined in after years to be a check 
upon the aggressions of their fellow-countrjnnen. 
In the narrow valleys situated between the fort 
Do Monte, and the great Chinese waU (which 
latter curiosity is built almost entirely of oyster 
sheUs), stand the villages of Patani, Mongha, and 
Moncliion. 

The Chinese subjects of the sovereign of Portu- 
gal amount to the number of thirty-thousand, and 
it is a fortunate circumstance that these native 
planters have consented to inhabit the sterile 
tracts of land belonging to the Portuguese hidal- 
gos, for without their laborious efforts, this part 
of the country would have remained a perfect 
wilderness ; to their exertions belong the merit of 
having constructed, in these narrow valleys, num- 
berless gardens in which the lit-cJii, the orange, and 
long-gan mingle their fohage together, and where 
the potatoe, the gombo, the apple, and the igname 
flom-ish in perfection. In the middle of these 
gardens are little houses built of bluish-colom-ed 
bricks, the cleanly exterior of which bespeak 
affluence and comfort. 

A walk in the territories of the Portuguese is 
the most agreeable recreation a stranger can 

z2 



340 THE TOMBS OF THE NATIVES. 

procure cat Macao ; fi^om the summit of la Guia 
or the fort Do Monte, the eye wanders over the 
wide expanse of Ocean, one moment watching a 
frail bark buffeting with the waves, or a heavy 
massive jmik, with bamboo sails, sailing slowly 
onwards, or some bold " clipper" displaying such 
a degi-ee of skiU and precision in its motion, as 
to render it more like a living creatm-e than a 
work of man. And after contemplating for 
some time this display of human skill and intelli- 
gence, we have only to turn our glance to the 
scene at om- feet, to find something equally wor- 
thy our attention. 

Fertile meadows stretch over the plains l>ut a 
few 3^ears ago covered with gi-eat blocks of stone 
and granite-dust, while, in some pai-ts, the earth 
opens her bounteous bosom to unfold treasm-es of 
stone rivalling those of ancient Eg\^pt ; and as 
though this scene of industry and activity would 
be incomplete without some emblem of the end 
of all things, of repose after labour, of recompense 
for service, we see, now and then, in the least 
fi-equented situations, the neat and elegant mau- 
soleums of the Chinese, and the severe-looking 
monuments which conttxin the remaiiLs of the fii'e- 
worshippers, the Farsis, disciples of Zoroaster. 
In Europe, we have an universal repugnance for 
everything that reminds us of death, but in this 
country, on the contrary, the tomb is to be seen 
everywhere, and these poetical people choose with 
a smile the spot, where, after an active and labo- 
rious life, they will rest eternally from the waves 
of strife, beneath the shade of the hibiscus, and 
the silvery stems of the palrna-chrisfi. 

The tombs of the P(Ovs/« are situated on one 



I 

FIRE-WORSHIPPERS. 841 | 



of the sides of tlie mountain of Charil, overlook- 
ing the sea, and present the appearance of a 
double row of granite basons, facing the east. 
I have been assured, at Bombay, that the melan- 
choly worshippers of the sun never buried their 
dead, but left them exposed to the air, extended 
on a sort of iron frame at the bottom of a stone 
tomb as deep as a pit, and kept them in this 
manner until the rays of the sacred orb had en- 
tirely destroyed the body ; but at Macao, this 
system of slow combustion is not practised ; they 
simply conceal the corpse in a cavity in the rock, 
covering it with a large stone, upon which is 
engraved, in Persian, or sometimes in English, 
the name and profession of the defanct. 
' The descendants of the ancient Guebres have 
visited China from time immemorial, and the in- 
habitants of the Celestial empire do them the ho- 
nour to style them their countrymen ; not, how- 
ever, that the Parsis claim this distinction on ac- 
count of any resemblance to the Mongol race, for 
they belong, on the contrary, to one of the hand- 
somest races on earth, and are generally of high 
stature, with complexions of dazzling whiteness ; 
their beard and hair are of jetty blackness, and 
their features possess a statue like purity ; but 
these men, handsome as they are, are attired in 
the most grotesque manner, wearing in winter a 
sort of long cloak, reaching to their heels, with 
the simple variation, that this garment is com- 
posed of printed cotton in the mild weather, and 
of brown cloth in winter ; dressed in this man- 
ner, they bear a great resemblance to clock- 
cases, and this extraordinary attire, which has 
been somewhat too poetically termed a floating 



342 OBSTINATE FANATICS. 

robe, is completed by a pair of slippers, and very 
singular coiffure, consisting of a species of violet- 
coloiu'ed liead-dress, made of Indian print, very 
much in the form of a sleeve, folded in a trans- 
verse manner like a mitre. 

The Parsis are a proof of the extraordinary ob- 
stinacy of human nature ; from time immemorial 
they have persisted in di^essing themselves in the 
ridiculous manner I have described ; besides 
which, they still continue to many their own sis- 
ters, and to retain their own peculiar ideas about 
fire, which they look upon as the Great Spii'it. 
If a fii'e breaks out upon their property, they 
make no effort to arrest the progress of the 
devouring element, but passively stand by while 
it consumes their houses, furniture, and merchan- 
dize. The English merchants, who ai*e excellent 
judges of the world, have allowed the Parsis a 
refuge in Bombay, permitting them to live ac- 
cording to their own ideas, except that when a 
fire breaks out in any of then- houses, the British 
police take metism-es to prevent its progress, but 
the obstinate fjmatics refuse to take possession of 
any thing wi-ested from the gi-asp of tlie devouring 
god, to whom they devote themselves. It would 
only have appeared natural if these idolaters had 
been great smokei^, and adopted that most de- 
liglitful and universal mode of fumigation — the 
pipe and cigar — l)ut nothing of the kind ; tliey 
have the greatest horror of it, for in tlie hotel in 
wliich I resided at Bombay, there was a jMirsi 
waiter, and when, at the close of om* repast, we 
ordered cigars or the liookah, he always disap- 
peared with great ra])idity, in order that he might 
not be present at such a profanation. 



JEWS OF THE EAST. 343 

Like the Israelites, tlie Par sis have been extir- 
pated from tlieir own country by foreign inva- 
sion, and have suffered by this fatal dispersion all 
the miseries which befal a people thus afflicted ; 
sometimes they have taken refuge at Ormuz, at 
Diu, Sanjan, or Surate, and have finally found 
security under the protection of Great Britain. 
In all their peregrinations, their alimentary sys- 
tem has been outraged ; whilst receiving the hos - 
pitality of the Hindoos, they made a solemn pro- 
mise, in order to satisfy the Brahmins, never to 
eat beef, and kept their word. These men are, in 
general, very intelligent and industrious, and 
quite as honest as any European Jew : like all 
nations who have been the victims of intolerance, 
oppression, and the injustice of those with whom 
they have lived, they practise the law of perfect 
fraternity among themselves, assisting each other 
in the noblest manner, so that among these Jews 
of the East, it is extremely rare to meet with 
misery or want. The princely fortunes of some 
of our richest bankers, are far from equalling tliose 
of several parsi families in Bombay, ancl their 
munificence equals that of royalty. 

In India, there are a great number of public 
monuments and benevolent institutions, which 
have been erected by the pious disciples of Zoro- 
aster. They are very proud of their title of Eng- 
lish citizens, and, upon every opportunity, dis- 
play their attachment for the great nation by 
whom they have been adopted. At the time that 
the colony of Hong-Kong was founded, a parsi 
merchant, M. Herjibhoi Bustonji spontaneously 
oifered a sum of a hundred thousand fr-ancs for 



S4:4f A CHIXESE PEASANT. 

the erection of a hospital for the English sailors in 
the new city. 

The environs of Macao present the best type of 
the Chinese life and customs in the western pro- 
vinces. The inhabitants are of inferior stature to 
the Europeans, extremely thin, muscular, and 
well-proportioned, with delicately-formed limbs. 
The tint of the complexion varies from a yellow- 
ish brown to a clear yellow, some of them look- 
ing as if they were plastered over with curcuma. 
In general they are active, laborious, and intelli- 
gent ; and, moreover, as sober as a Cartliusian 
friar. 

During my stay I became very intimate with a 
labourer of the village of Mong-Ha ; he spoke a 
little Portuguese, and was rather more than thir- 
ty years of age ; with his wife and three little 
children, he inhabited a house built on the road, 
bordered with bamboos, which leads to the Pago- 
da of Kouan-in-Tang. A kind of sloping roof 
overshadowed the door, which opened into a very 
large apartment, on the left of which was a little 
mche sacred to tlie paternal Lares ; liere there 
was very often a display of rice, and sometimes a 
burning of perfumed matches, which gave more 
smoke than scent. All the furniture wjis of bam- 
boo, and consisted of several chairs without backs, 
a table, and a bed, composed of a mat and a mus- 
(juito blanket. 

Ater knowing liim for several montlis, I be- 
came (juite intimate witli this poor man ; and 
whenev^t'r I visited liini, the children came run- 
ning towards me, the wife made a little sign w'liU 
her head by way of salute, whilst the husband 



AN INDIGENOUS MACKINTOSH. 34^5 

looked up from liis work, and gave me a few words 
of welcome. 

The ages of the children differed from four to 
six years ; their heads were already shaven, but 
in the younger one, the tresses of hair necessary 
for the formation of the queue, were represented, 
or rather replaced, by four knots of hair, which 
occupied the four cardinal points of its skull. 
The female dressed something like a tcmkadere, 
wearing no shoes ; but her feet, which had never 
been compressed, would have graced the slipper of 
Cinderella. 

As to her husband, he wore divers costumes, 
according to the variations of the weather and his 
own labours ; his usual attire was a shirt of blue 
cloth, but when it rained, he threw over his 
shoulders a mantle of reeds, which gave him a 
great resemblance to a water god ; in winter he 
enveloped himself in his over-coat, which, how- 
ever, was not of very large dimensions. The reed 
mantle has, no doubt, been invented by the Por- 
tuguese ; it is a very inexpensive garment, light 
and waterproof as a Mackintosh, the disagreeable 
qualities of which it does not possess ; it is formed 
of lance-shaped leaves, placed one over the other, 
and the beating rain takes no more effect upon it 
than upon a roof 

The meadow belonging to my friend was sur- 
rounded by a bamboo hedge, the slender stems 
of which waved about mth the slightest air, and 
in this little enclosure he cultivated vegetables for 
the market of the neighbouring town. 

It was my usual custom to seat myself in the 
porch of the house, and thence to watch the agri- 
cultural process by which the Chinese contrive to 



S4:Q A NATIVE PHILEMOX AND BAUCIS. 

produce such abundant crops fi^om barren plains, 
which other labourers would leave as utterly 
hopeless. The wife and children employed them- 
selves in training the creeping plants, and water- 
ing the soil, whilst the husband worked in the 
land, with a spade made out of a long bamboo. 

As he thus reigned lord of his own domain, this 
enthusiastic labourer resembled a magician, occu- 
pied in some secret operations ; he examined each 
particular plant, pruned the branches of the trees, 
and subjected them to a process of immersion ; in 
short, so great was his care, and so successful his 
method of culture, he seemed to infuse a sort of 
life-elixir into his plants. In one corner of the 
garden was a reservoir of stone-work, about a 
metre in depth, which exhaled a strong mineral 
odour, and in this narrow space the enchanter was 
accustomed to keep the mysterious spiiit, wliicli 
had such an extraordinary effect on his vegeta- 
bles. As soon as the germ appeared, he examined 
it thoroughly, and according to the opinion he 
formed, drew up from the reservoir (l:)y means of 
a sort of ladle six feet long), some of this essence 
of life, and spread it sparingly on those parts 
which he thought needed a stimulant. 

This little spot of earth absorbed the whole 
time of the ftimily, and they existed on the little 
revenue it produced, in the greatest happiness and 
contentment. When the hour of repjxst drew 
near, the father drew u]) some water with a 
bucket, suspended to a lever, and daslied it over 
liis slioulders, damp with his liard labours ; this 
Ijeing done, the wliole family, shading tliemselves 
und<M- imuKMiso, rush liats, came out into tlie sun 
to eat their frugal meal of rice, seasoned Avith tcio- 



STONE-MASONRY OF THE ANCIENTS. 847 

fovi, or salted fisli. These honest people were the 
image of happy and contented poverty ; but it 
must be remembered, that in these climates, the 
rigom's of the poor are not augmented by the 
cold, consequently light clothing and spai'e food 
cease to cause suffering. 

On bidding good-day to these good people, I 
used generally to go for a walk on the sea shore, 
and occupy myself there in observing the achieve- 
ments of man in a different way. In order to 
detach blocks of stone from their base, they em- 
ploy, in this country, the same means as were 
used by the Egyptians three thousand years ago. 
With a small instrument, the Chinese workman 
ti^aces a light mark upon the rock, and into this 
crevice, which is scarcely visible, he puts a little 
saw dust ; insignificant, and even ridiculous, as 
this process seems, it nevertheless suffices to make 
a fissm-e in the rock, into which a much more 
powerful agent can afterwards be inserted ; by 
this means compact obelisks of granite like those 
of Luxor may be chiselled, or layers of stone si- 
milar to those which serve as benches at the py- 
ramids of Giseh. 

Throughout the villages of Patani, Mouchoin, 
and Mong-Ha, the same scene of activity presents 
itself ; here are a troop of blacksmiths carrying in 
a rush panier all the implements of their trade, 
the anvil, the hammer, and the pincers, trans- 
forming into a pair of bellows, the hydraulic tube 
of M. de Pourceaugnac ; there, we behold the seller 
of fr'uit and vegetables and other out-door profes- 
sionals ; elsewhere sailors are setting out on some 
expedition, and frightening away the evil spuits 
which might play them some spiteful trick on 



34:8 A DILAPIDATED COASTER. 

their voyage — in short, everj^thing breathes of 
industry and labour, for it must be confessed that 
the Chinese are hard-working laboui-ers, who 
strive for nothing more than the means of satis- 
fying their wants, and procuring for themselves 
the comforts upon which they set so much value. 

The islands situated a few miles from the Por- 
tuguese territories are frequently visited by tra- 
vellers in the neighbourhood of Canton, for the 
rocky islets dispersed about the bay and the inte- 
rior port, present many features of interest to 
tourists who have a taste for natural history. In 
the midst of a country in which every nook and 
corner is covered with verdure, there is a j)leasure 
in wanderinof over the hio;h summits of the moun- 
tains, upon which the native plants are seen to 
perfection. Of all these places the isle of Lappa 
is the largest and most interesting, being quite a 
miniature specimen of the coasts of Fo-Kien and 
Kouang-Tong. 

I made tlie voyage to Lappa (which occupies 
less than hour) in company with my friend Cal- 
lery ; we selected a tanka with a rounded roof, 
and placing ourselves on the top of the poop whicli 
in these vessels serve as a seat for passengers, and 
wliilst our boatmen gave their whole attention to 
tlie management of their very dilapidated liamboo 
sail, which was suspended iq^on a very tottering 
mast, we pm'sued our voyage to Lappa very peace- 
aljly. 

Scarcely liad we set foot on land, than our at- 
tention was arrested by a very singular s])(»ctacle, 
the wIkjIc surface of tlie sea-shore being literally 
covered with crustaceous specimens of every pos- 
sible form and colour, the most common ^'ariety 



THE CEABS OF MACAO. 349 

being a small crab, shaped like a box, the shell 
being spotted with blue and red, upon a yellow 
ground ; the moment we approached these little 
inhabitants of the sea, they took flight in great 
numbers towards the sand, in the gi'eatest confu- 
sion, tumbling over each other, walking back- 
wards or sideways, using their claws, and ranging 
themselves in battle array like a little troop of 
soldiers. As we amused ourselves in watchins- 
these curious deca'podes (as the naturalist would 
say) we observed them perform a manoeuvre which 
was really astonishing — scarcely had they entered 
their place of refuge in the sand, than they hasten- 
ed to barricade the entrance to it, and for this 
pm'pose, they pushed out of the centre of their 
hole the sharp hooked claws of their hind legs, 
and by means of these, scratched up to the aper- 
ture all the pieces of stone and pebbles that were 
lying about, thus closing it up completely. The 
little creatures executed their system of defence 
with so much rapidity and dexterity, that we 
were scarcely able to follow their movements with 
our eyes, or to recognize the bare surface which 
had been, but a few moments before, covered with 
living creatures. 

Whilst we stood admiring the wonderful pro- 
visions of nature for her children, exemplified 
even in the habits of these tiny creatures, we 
heard a loud laugh behind us, and turning round 
beheld a Chinese, naked as he was born, and yel- 
low as the leaves of autumn ; he had followed us 
in the hope of some lucrative reward, for in this 
country the natives can never be brought to be- 
lieve that any European can possibly visit these 
shores for the mere purpose of admuing the beau- 



350 THE SHRBIP-FISHER. 

ties of nature, and on discovering the object upon 
which our attention was directed, the Cliinese 
had not been able to repress his hihirity ; he had 
an intelligent countenance, and one that express- 
ed contentment, and he appeared highly amused 
at the idea of our contemplating with so much 
admiration, a fact so generally knowTi as to ren- 
der it to him unworthy of particular notice. — 
" Ha, ha !" he exclaimed, " why I knew all that 
long ago/' 

This man informed us that he and his family 
lived by catching and selling shrimps, and he 
conducted us to a little creek, where stood his 
dwellino^, a miserable hut erected on the cn-ound, 
and scarcely covered by some disjointed planks. 
On arriving at the spot we found the wife and 
three children of our new acquaintance, squatted 
down in that pecuhar position which belongs 
solely to the Chinese. When European travellers 
wish to rest, they usually accomplish that end by 
sitting down on the ground, but this very natm-al 
proceeding is never made use of by the sons of 
the Celestial empire, except when they take their 
meals ; at other times they squat do^^^l on the 
gi'ound, supporting their arms on their bent knees, 
and thus pass whole hours without moving, in a 
position which our less supi)le limbs would not be 
able to sustain for more than a few minutes. In 
the streets of Canton and Macao, it is not un- 
common to see whole rows of workmen seated in 
this ]iosition in front of their doors, cliattering 
witli tlu'ir neiglibours, and luxm'iating in tlie fresh 
breeze wliich blows from the sea. A stranger be- 
holding this scene for tlie first time woukl be apt 
to take fright and retrace his steps, but a second 



CHINESE COOKEET. 351 

glance at these pacific neiglibo"urs, and their dress 
and vocation, will speedily reassure him, and he 
will proceed on his way, smiling at his former 
fears. 

The family of the shrimp -fisher were squatted 
in the position I have just described, before an 
enormous dish of shell fish dried in the sun, and 
were occupied in preparing them to eat ; this 
they did by detaching the head and exterior 
shell, and retaining the firm, pink and white 
flesh of the body and tail ; this mode of prepara- 
tion belongs solely to the sons of the Celestial em- 
pire, and is one of their best inventions in the 
culinary art, for the Chinese Garemes prepare 
dried fish with such a mixture of condiments as 
would please even the votaries of Chevet. 

Our new Mend offered to conduct us to the 
rocking-stone, which is the principal curiosity of 
Lappa ; this immense block of gi^anite detached 
from its base, rocks to and fi:'0 in such a manner, 
that the hand of an infant might easily put it in 
motion, although the united force of Samson, 
Hercules, and the gallant Roland, would be un- 
able to move the whole mass ; another remark- 
able thing connected with this rock, is the extra- 
ordinary noise it makes when violently struck ; 
this must be owing to some peculiarity in its 
formation, as the sound is a pui-ely metallic one. 

As we climbed about these steep rocks, Callery 
pointed out to my notice some of the flowers of 
Hiang-Chan ; 1 breathed the delicious perfume of 
the yu-lan and the tchou-lan, and admired the 
beauty of the la-mei and the tiao-tchoung-hoa ; 
the latter reminded me of the myrtles, daphnes, 
and roses, of my native Provence, reminiscences 



352 THE FLORAL RICHES OF LAPPA. 

of a land of perfume, tliougli not a productive 
one, for the bounteous Hand, that has bestowed 
such delicious scent and lovely coloui-s upon the 
granite soil of this empire, has been somewhat 
less liberal to our own native country. 

The tchou-lan is a plant used by the Chinese 
for perfuming their tea, and tiao-tcJioung-hoa is 
the charming flower which grows on the stem of 
the enkiantus ; at the approach of spring, the 
Chinese gather the branches of this shrub, and 
put them into large porcelain vases, obtaining by 
this means a great number of small red roses, 
which flomish in the shade of their apartments. 

When we left Macao for India, I collected fi*om 
the mountains of Lappa several branches of the 
enkiantus J recjuesting Madame de Lagi-ent^ to 
allow them a place in the little saloon which she 
occupied on board the Archimede ; at first I be- 
lieve my leafless fagot had but very little success ; 
however, Madame de Lagren^, with her usual 
kindness, kept them in two beautiful porcelain 
vases which decorated her apartment, and on our 
arrival at Calcutta, the dry wood had revived 
wonderfully under the combined influence of the 
heat and moisture, and was covered by myriads 
of beautiful blossoms, the ])etals of which opened 
to display the gold of the elegant stamens. 

The floral riches of Lappa ju'e very great, 
somewhat resembling tliose of Koucukj-Toiuj ; 
containing a great number of shrubs, creepers, 
and aromatic })lants ; of tliese, I have endeavour- 
ed to content myself with merely giving a sketch, 
but at some future tune, my friend Callery, will, 
I trust, delight modern botanists by a descriptive 



INDUSTEIAL ECONOMY. 353 

catalogue of the various species indigenous to 
these countries. 

The basis of the soil of the island is granite, as 
indeed is that of all the places on the shores of 
Canton ; as the surface of the rock is greatly 
worked upon by different agents, it is in a state 
of decomposition, which causes the fall of those 
enormous masses of stone which so often block 
up the valleys below. In the midst of all these 
confused masses are a number of rividets of the 
pm^est water, which form little canals along the 
plains, and also serve to put in action a great 
many mills of various kinds, the harsh disagree- 
able noise of which, may be heard at some 
distance. 

The Chinese are the constructors of these mills, 
for these active and intelligent people leave little 
for European industry to effect in their country. 
Everything that can be wanted by the stranger, 
either for wearing apparel or nourishment, is fur- 
nished by them in such a manner, as to render 
the traveller in danger of overlooking the fact 
that they are all the production of native in- 
dustry. 

We went upon one occasion, to visit one of the 
mills of Lappa, and found everything there ex- 
quisitely arranged ; the workmen do not wear 
the great white, broad-trimmed hat, with which 
the labourers of the Opera-Comique, or Montmar- 
tre, are decorated ; the queue is simply rolled 
round the head, and the white dust which falls 
on the shoulders resembles the flakes of snow 
upon a field of colza. As Em^opeans, we were 
very courteously received, that is to say, the mill 
was put into action for our special gratification. 

AA 



354) THE INSECT TEIBES. 

Viewed from the very top of the island, the 
plains amidst which the little ri\ailets flow resem- 
ble festoons of verdm-e being covered with plants, 
the roots of which incessantly moistened by the 
streams, send forth vigorous branches laden with 
dark foliage ; over the flowers mingled with 
these, sport numerous insects Avhose forms recal 
to our mind those seen in Em-ope ; the longicoriie 
accompanied by the callidiwmi and the cliftes, 
and the chrysomeline in its blue shell, powdered 
with spots of gold ; I like to assert and establish 
these facts of geograpliical entomology. Among 
the stones which lay about on the sides of the 
water, we saw a few harpaliens, but never met 
with any specimen of the large carahes ; indeed 
these latter curiosities, such as the learned Geof- 
froy (the first insect natm-alist in the environs of 
Paris) terms the gilded carahe, is not found in 
these regions, except in a temperatm-e of about 
thirty degrees north latitude, for instance, the 
island of Chusan. This tallies with the asser- 
tions of M. le Comt Dejean, a celebrated natural- 
ist, less renowned for the combats in which he 
engaged in Spain, than for his entomological re- 
searches in Carniola and Dalmatia. 

We made a large collection of insects in the 
Isle of Lappa ; my friend Gallery, no doubt, still 
retains his share of them, but as to mine, alas ! 
they were stolen from me by an intelligent but 
miscliievous little ape ; the wicked little creatm*e 
having discovered the box in which they were, 
kept, pulled them out one after the other, leaving 
in the boards the pins by means of which they 
were fastened. Let the collectors of living speci- 
mens of natm'al history beware how he keeps his 



THE METEMSYCHOSIS. 255 

favourites, and guard against the misfortune of 
having one-half of liis curiosities devoured by the 
other. 

After this grievous adventure, I renounced for 
ever the idea of scientific empalement ; and al- 
though I went constantly in search of beautiful 
insects, admiring their form and colour, and en- 
deavouring to determine the genus to which they 
belonged, I nevertheless felt some scruple about 
martyrizing so many poor innocent creatures^ 
merely for the purpose of gi^atifying the desire of 
man to become acquainted with all the inhabi- 
tants of the Ark of Noah. 

Not in vain does the traveller mix in the soci- 
ety of Brahmins and Bouddhists, for after be- 
coming intimate with these humane and bene- 
volent men, it is impossible not to become a little 
affected by their sentiments. I am far from be- 
lieving in the doctrine of the transmigration of 
souls, but after witnessing the feehngs with which 
these men regard the organized portion of Na- 
ture's works, and the kindness with which they 
treat every living thing that rejoices before its 
Maker, I have become convinced, that man has 
no right to destroy the Hfe of any creature, for an 
end so vain as the gratification of cmiosity. It 
was not for the ruthless impaler that God created 
these beautiful and interesting little beings, nor 
was it for the purpose of decorating the apart- 
ment, or enriching the pages of the pedantic no- 
menclator, that the Almighty painted the wings 
of birds and butterflies with hues as lovely as those 
of angels. 

The other islands in the neighbom^hood of Ma- 
cao, are not nearly so interesting as Lappa, for 

AA2 



o56 CHINESE FISH-CUREES. 

although their geological construction is the same, 
their barren rocks can boast of very few plants or 
insects. Tai'pa, however, deserves especial men- 
tion ; it is a foreign port, sheltered by a group of 
islands, which are considered as the property of 
the Portuguese. Some years ago, before Hong- 
Kong was founded, or the cinque ports opened, an 
active contraband trade was carried on at Taipa, 
and it was visited by many foreign vessels ; hoAV- 
ever, the concourse of Europeans thither was never 
so numerous as to attract the Chinese, a few car- 
penters and other workmen being the only fre- 
quenters of its shores. Of late years these islets 
have been the resort of poor fishermen, whose 
miserable huts are scattered over the arid groimd, 
upon which not a shrub, vegetable, or blade of 
gi'ass, is to be seen. 

The inhabitants of this sterile soil cany on a 
little commerce in dried fish, and on retm-ning 
from their voyages, they fasten up their boats, 
and, along with their family, occupy themselves 
in tlie preparation or cm*ing of their booty. 

Their mode of dressing the fish is to remove the 
interior, and then expose the esculent part upon 
tlie rocks, where tlie sun has such great power, 
that it is very soon partially cooked. The En- 
glish sailoi-s have a saying, that the soil of Macao 
is only separated from the infernal regions by a 
tliin iron ])late — an ick^a wliicli the intense heat 
of the ground, in all parts of tlie island, seems al- 
most to justify. 

The li.sliermen of TaYpa do not participate in 
the success of the lal)(>urers of the nei'diboiu'intr 
isle. 1 hey are very shabily dressed, and their ex- 
istence being subject to the waves of eucum- 



• THE SLEEPING SENTINEL. 357 

stance, is passed in continual labour and misery ; 
their countenances, too, bespeak the hardships 
they have to encounter, for on the energetic and 
sun-burnt visage we look in vain for the beaming 
and happy expression which generally character- 
izes the labourers of the Celestial empire : still 
these poor adventurers seem satisfied with their 
condition, for they look disdainfully upon the 
quiet labom's of the country people, and consider 
them useless cumberers of the earth. 

And now we will make a descent upon that 
part of Hiang-Chan which is forbidden to Euro- 
peans ; we will undertake and accomplish the ex- 
pedition without striking a single blow, and will 
take particular care not to disturb the slumbers of 
the vigilant guard of the Great Chinese Gate, who 
is lying down asleep, with his musket at his side, 
as the chevaliers of old did with their lances : and 
for the better execution of our project, we will 
take a tanka from the interior port, and by means 
of this inofiensive little vessel, we will attack the 
forbidden land. 

The Portuguese acted in this manner when 
they made a party of pleasure, or went on a 
hunting expedition to the Chinese dominions, for 
this mode of proceeding is by far the most agree- 
able, both to the Chinese porters and the Maca- 
ists ; the former, without molesting any one, re- 
main faithful to their trust, 'permitting no strange 
foot to pass the sacred threshold, and the second 
are glad of a means whereby they may escape the 
check upon their activity, without contest or dis- 
pute. 

Bearing the example of others in mind, my 
friend Rondot and myself resolved to put this 



358 A CHINESE CITY. 

scheme in practice, and to endeavour to accom- 
plish a visit to a perfectly Cliinese city, in the 
environs of Macao, called Casa-Branca by the 
Portuguese, probably on account of its high grey 
walls, which are visible from tlie interior port. 
The name of Tsing-Chan has been given to it by 
the Chinese, doubtless on account of its being 
suiTOunded by immense rice fields, which, before 
the gi^ain arrives at maturity, resemble the prai- 
ries of Normandy. These names prove, that the 
two nations observe the most scrupulous exacti- 
tude in their choice of an appellation. Tsing- 
Chan, is what the French would call a chef-lieu^ 
and a military station ; it is also the residence of 
a magistrate, who represents a sort of dou1:)le 
power, and is termed Kiun-min-fou ; which cir- 
cumstance has caused a modem author, of gTeat 
pretensions to accm^acy, to commit a curious mis- 
take ; he supposes le FirSe to be a man, and 
Kiun^iin-fou the name of a place ! I leave the 
reader to imamne the amusino^ confrision resulting 
from such a mistake. 

We embarked for Tsing-Chan at about nine in 
the morning, and our boatmen landed us upon 
the shores of Hiang-Chan ; we walked about the 
environs for some time, and arrived at the gate of 
the city about noon. It would seem that the sol- 
diers of the Celestial enn)ire include the siesta in 
their code of rules for liealth, for there was not a 
sentinel at liis post ; we therefore walked as qui- 
etly into Tsing-Chan as we should liave done into 
a Frencli villnire. 

Penetrating into its nan'OAV and dirty streets^ 
we were struck Avith their perfect silence and so- 
litude, reminding me of some of our own little 



APATHY OF THE INHABITANTS. 359 

towns during the summer months ; some groups 
of women chattering together in front of their 
houses, like the matrons in our native villages ; a 
few tradesmen awaiting customers in the depths 
of their shops ; some artisans, pursuing their la- 
bom's, surrounded by idle lookers-on, were the 
only inhabitants of the streets. Scarcely had we 
set foot on the uneven pavement of Tsing-Chan — 
scarcely had we heard the passers-by exclaim the 
*' Aoh ! " peculiar to the Chinese, when they wish 
to express astonishment, than from every nook 
and corner there peeped forth a number of gro- 
tesque heads, watching our movements with ex- 
treme sm^prise ; old men, with moustaches as 
white and long as those of a cat ; and women, 
whose yellow wiinkled faces resembled a parch- 
ment mask ; now and then a few members of the 
curious group honoured us with their escort for a 
little time, and some of the children called to us 
familiarly, but no one manifested the least sign of 
hostility ; certainly, the sudden appearance of an 
inhabitant of Ghent, in some village in the envi- 
rons of Marseilles or Toulon, would have produced 
much more sensation than did our presence appear 
to cause in this Cliinese city. 
] The traveller of whom I spoke a little time 
ago, pretends that his arrival at Tsing-Chan caused 
a great display of curiosity : now I would by no 
means question his veracity on this point, but I 
cannot help informing the reader (what the tra- 
veller's modesty concealed), that this display was 
chiefly on the part of the females, who were im- 
prudent enough to express their wish of examin- 
ing the dress, &c., of the European Adonis, who 
wore the green costume of a French officer ; as to 



360 NUMBER OF THE POPULATION. 

Rondot and myself, we were closely enveloped in 
our white jackets, and I cannot conscientiously 
assert that we produced any very remarkable 
effect on the fair sex at Tsing-Chan. 

We left the city by a gate opposite to the one 
by which we had entered, and passing by tlie 
mansion of Kiun-min-fou, and a pagoda of 
very shabby exterior, we came to a school for 
little boys ; the pupils were seated upon benches 
similar to those used in our public schools, and 
were all repeating together the same lesson in a 
very loud voice, whilst the master presided over 
them, endeavom^inof to distino^uish, amid the 
di^eadful noise, any mistake that might be made. 

Tsing-Chan contains about four thousand souls, 
many of them labom-ei"s on their own ground ; the 
shops are numerous and well stocked, and the wo- 
men usually weai" the accustomed dress of the hour- 
geoise, viz. — a chaTn, and short trousers of blue 
silk, the hair being fastened by elegant pins 
either of silver or some other precious material : 
we observed a few ladies with small feet, but this 
peculiarity has now descended to the lower classes, 
and is no longer the distinctive mark whereby 
the high position of the tortmred i)ossessor may be 
recognized ; Tsing-Chan is, in short, a complete 
representation of the dm-k, dirty, narrow allej^s in 
the Ijazaar of Macao, its houses being all composed 
of but one story, the only difference is, that there 
is less bustle and animation in its streets. We 
made a com])lete tour of the suburbs of the city ; 
tlie ramparts are made of eartli, |)lastered over 
Avntli liino, and surmounted by ] )attlcmenis, wliich 
gi\ e Tsing-Chan a very warhke appeaiauco when 



THE VISIT RENEWED. 861 

seen from a distance ; on a nearer approach, tliis 
display proves very insignificant. 

We returned to Macao, accompanied by some 
Portuguese, who had been snipe-shooting in the 
rice fields ; Kondot was laden with poussahs, 
earthenware-vessels, and Chinese stufis ; but as to 
myself, I brought nothing away with me, except 
the souvenirs which I now present to the reader. 

It is dangerous to violate the laws even in China, 
and in expeditions like the one I have describ- 
ed, success itself is dangerous, as it merely tempts 
you on to fiirther and more dangerous attempts. 
Scarcely had we accomplished the enterprise I 
have described, in safety, than we began to plan 
others upon the forbidden territory ; but this 
time, fortunately, M. TAmbassadeur made himself 
an accomplice in our designs, and included Rondot, 
Gallery and myself, in an invitation to accompany 
him in an excm*sion to the territories of Hiang- 
Chan. 

We left Macao some time before sunrise, in a 
boat rowed by twenty men ; in the centre was a 
little pavilion, beneath which our party, to the 
number of fifteen, was comfortably installed ; we 
steered our course at first towards the bay of the 
interior port, then turning to the right, we struck 
into a narrow canal which seemed to extend the 
whole length of the island. 

Those persons who have never visited the Ce- 
lestial empire, can form no idea of its population ; 
the isle ot Hiang-Chan bears the same comparison 
to China, that the isles of Lerin do to France ; 
but the immense number of works of industry 
upon this space, bafiies imagination ; for more 
than ten hours occupied in sailing about the nu- 



362 CHINESE POETRY. 

merous canals, which are incessantly crossing each 
other, we saw almost constant proofs of the in- 
dustry of the Chinese, in the great number of 
pavements, banks and reservoirs. 

During the whole time of this water-excursion, 
a flight of echassiers, of every colour and form, 
and a concourse of plovers, snipes, and curlews, 
seemed to have assembled on the banks, for the 
pui'pose of watching us pass, and every now and 
then we met with some of the keepers of these 
aquatic pastures (if I may use the term), in the 
shape of the duck-sellers, who pursued their 
labours in a sort of bamboo-raft, witli a long pole 
in their hands, which sei'ved to direct their course, 
whilst they drove their ampliibious flock in front 
of them. 

At last we disembarked in a large circular 
plain, surrounded with high, barren mountains ; 
this enclosm^e, which, in the geological language 
of the day, would be termed a credere de souUve- 
ment, had the appearance of an immense circus 
destined to be the scene of action for eiant g:\ti- 
diators and fabulous monsters. In the words of a 
Chinese poet, the spirits of heat and cold, drought 
and humidity, are the Attest combatants for this 
superb arena : " An awful conflict \" he exclaims, 
" for the rage of the warriors was so great, tliat 
they did not desist from wm-fiire until the prin- 
cipal amongst them fell dead on the scene of 
battle !" Certainly, the Abb(^ Delille would liave 
han<lled the subject very diflerently. 

Whatever merit this fanciftil theory of the 
Chinese poet might possess in our eyes, we cer- 
tainly gave ourselves up com])letely to the search 
for the boiling springs of Youm-Mak ; these 



THE HOT SPRINGS OF YOUM-MAK. 86 



o 



waters gush forth from the earth, the structure of 
which contains a considerable portion of shells, 
and other marine remains ; the temperature of 
the water varies from seventy to eighty degrees, 
and the taste is salt and bitter as sea-water, 
which they nearly resemble in chemical composi- 
tion ; balls of smoke, which have a beautiful effect, 
rise from the midst of these streams, and vanish 
away on attaining the surface, giving it a singu- 
larly tumultuous appearance. 

Whilst Rondot, Gallery, and myself were mak- 
ing sundiy experiments, with a view of ascertain- 
ing the precise nature of the waters, some Chinese 
cliildren, carrying crabs at the end of a long piece 
of packthread, came up, and on arriving at one of 
the boiling basins, they threw the poor unfortu- 
nate creatures into it ; as soon as the shell had 
assumed a perfectly scarlet hue, they drew them 
out, and setting down on the grass, began to de- 
vour them. 

Quitting Youm-Mak, we reseated ourselves in 
our little vessel, and repaired to the little village 
of Tsin-Long, and Ho-To-Long ; the proprietors 
of the latter deserve the name of conquerors of 
the sea, for they have constructed a granite pave- 
ment of great width, which runs by the sea-shore, 
and at certain intervals, allows a free passage to 
the waves, by means of which the rice-fields are 
watered ; this work of toil reminds us of some of 
the labours of the ancient Egyptians, and is a 
proof how much better any undertaking is exe- 
cuted when it is not imposed as a task ; the people 
who proposed and carried out this wonderful pro- 
ject, have been the undisputed possessors of their 
own ground for a number of years. 



364 FLYING FROGS. 

As "we piu'sued our walk, we met with several 
pelicans in their snow-white Y^l^i^^^ge, reminding 
us of the Ibis of Damietta, and I could almost 
have fancied that these venerable birds were 
the spirits of the departed, who visited the spot 
to gaze on the happiness and security of their 
descendants. 

M. de Lagrane received an invitation to sojoiu*n 
at the house of a Mandarin in one of the little 
villages, and as he accepted it, I took advantage 
of the opportunity, and accompanied by m}^ friends 
Kondot and Gallery, went on an excursion to 
visit some of the nmnerous families living on this 
plain. As we took om- path over the wide stone 
pavements which border the rice fields, we were 
struck with the number of living creatm*es the 
still waters contained — little shell fish, the intlamie 
and the paludine, canying their pretty habita- 
tions on their backs, specimens of coleoptera and 
hemiptera, dytiques and ne2')pa8, swimming and 
flying about with the gi'eatest animation, and 
frogs, taking flight at the approach of the snake 
of the rice fields, the gi-een rings of wliich re- 
sembled the pebble bracelets worn by the Chinese 
women round their ancles. A rice field is a com- 
plete scene of animation, inhabited by specimens 
so varied and numerous, that they would 1 )aftie the 
most laborious investigations of a Leuwenhoeck, 
or a Si)allanzani, and afibrd objects for microscopic 
curiosity to all the naturalists of Europe. 

Tlie greater number of Chinese villages, are half 
concealed by trees ; wherever a large mass of 
foliage is to bo seen we may be sm-e of finding 
liabitations ; as we ])assed through a co]i])ice sur- 
rounding a little liamlct, we suddenly came u})on 



THE CHINESE COQUETTK 865 

a female repairing to a neighbouring kiosk, the 
porcelain dome of which we could discern ; she 
was tall and thin, and on her painted visage the 
shades of the rose and lily were admii-ably blend- 
ed ; the folds of her yellow robe bordered with 
black, w ere arranged with the greatest nicety so 
as to display her delicate figm^e to the utmost 
advantage, and in her tottering and unsteady 
walk, she displayed that peculiar kind of motion, 
wliich is considered so elegant in China, while 
the j&owers in her coiffure partook of her undula- 
ting movements. The first thing the fair lady 
did, on perceiving us, was to hide her face behind 
her fan of peacock's feathers, but finding that we 
acknowledged her presence in the most respectful 
manner, she returned our salutation in as lady- 
like a style as any European could have done, 
and then continued her walk. In her close dis- 
guise, it was impossible for us to see whether our 
undisguised notice of the fair lady took any efiect 
upon her or not ; she was followed by an old 
duenna with large feet, and a most horrible coun- 
tenance, who on perceiving us, stood perfectly 
still, gratifying her curiosity by a fixed stare, 
which compliment we returned ; however, she 
stood it with perfect indifierence and composure, 
and did not abandon her post until we had 
passed to such a distance as to be beyond the 
reach of her view. 

We were agreeably received almost every- 
where : most of the men were away working in 
the fields, and we saw only the women, who 
ranged themselves in httle groups beneath the 
shade of their habitations ; in general they had 
soft and pleasing manners, and received us very 



366 HONEST INSTINCT. 

politely ; but we were quite aware that their gra- 
cious salutations were offered, more with the ^dew 
of getting rid of our company than retaining us ; 
besides, the domestic animals, who are quick con- 
fidantes in the affau's of men, gave us a tolerably 
correct idea of the light in which these people 
held Europeans ; as we approached the dogs, they 
barked violently, bristling up their hair and 
shewing their teeth ; but on our advancing to- 
wards them, they immediately fled, uttering loud 
cries : the same with the buffaloes, those laborious 
companions of the Chinese labourer ; the moment 
tliey perceived us, they bent their necks — snuffed 
the an* in a ftuious manner, and tore up the earth 
with their feet ; but we no sooner made the slight- 
est movement towards them, than they took 
fright and fled to the pastm-es, as a refuge from 
danger. 

The Chinese are not in general very fond of us. 
but they are better dissimulators than their oxen 
and doo-s ; their smile is assumed more from timidity 
than any other feeling. The great fear of these 
people is, that the sons of the West should 
ever take arms against China, and this never- 
ceasing ap])rehension has caused them to construct 
various edifices by way of safe-guard, which shew 
tlieir naivete in the way of stratagem and de- 
fence. 

One day as M. Gallery and myself were walk- 
ing about in the plain of Pak-Siak, we stopped 
Ijefore a large square building, open to the sky, 
surrounded by thick walls, and secnired by a door 
a.s heavy as that of an old chateau ; Callery in- 
quired for wliat species of animal this ])lace was 
intended ; at first the natives would not reply, 



PASTURES OF HO-TO-LONG. 367 

but on his repeating tlie question, they confessed 
that it was intended for a place of security for the 
women and childi-en, in case of an invasion from 
any foreigners. 

On returning to the village in which M. de La- 
grene was staying, we were overcome with fa- 
tigue, and seated ourselves under a pagoda, where 
by good luck we met with a vender of tea. No 
one who has not traversed the parched soil of 
China, with its temperature of thirty -two de- 
grees, can appreciate the extreme delight with 
which the heated and thirsty traveller welcomes 
these itinerant tradesmen, with their grateful 
beverage. 

As we sat and sipped this delicious cocoa of tJie 
Celestial CTYipire, we glanced over the fertile pas- 
tures of Ho-To-Long ; the undulations in the 
plains were covered with tombs, the rice fields 
deserted, and the only living creatures we could 
now and then descry, were some half-clothed 
countrymen, driving before them the faithful com- 
panion of their labours, the buifalo, with his so- 
lemn face and mourning garb. The aspect of the 
landscape was sad and desolate, and for the first 
time we discovered wherein it was deficient, viz., 
in a few wild goats to browse on the top of its 
mountains, bleating sheep with bells round their 
necks, great red oxen, feeding on its plains, the 
mild and patient ass, and the nimble but obsti- 
nate mule. 

Such were the impressions with which I quit- 
ted Ho-To-Long. The dear familiar pastm-es and 
arid soil of my own Provence — the wild beauty 
of its tamarisks and lentisks, with the dark 
mountains of the Lov/er Alps in the distance, 



368 HOMEWARD BOUND. 

and the deep abysses, which cradle alike the 
frosts of winter and the summer storms, had 
been subjects of lively regret to me, even when 
pursuing objects of scientific knowledge in the 
midst of this fertile and adminibly-cultivated 
land ; and I rejoiced at the prospect of once more 
returning to France. 



THE END. 



DARLtNr, AND SOV. print: ftf, "1. LkaukNHALI^BTRKKt. 




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