became him well； and he looked comfortable in it though he had not worn
it before。 It was a rich； black velvet baju or jacket； something like a
loose hussar jacket； braided； frogged； and slashed with gold； trousers
with a broad gold strip on the outside； a rich silk sarong in checks
and shades of red； and a Malay printed silk handkerchief knotted round
his head； forming a sort of peak。 No Mohammedan can wear a hat with a
rim or stiff crown； or of any kind which would prevent him from bowing
his forehead to the earth in worship。
The Resident read the proceedings of the council of the day before； and
the Sultan confirmed them。 The nominal approval of measures initiated
by the Resident and agreed to in council； and the signing of
death…warrants； are among the few prerogatives which 〃his Highness〃
retains。 Then a petition for a pension from Rajah Brean was read； the
Rajah； a slovenly…looking man； being present。 The petition was refused；
and the Sultan； in refusing it； spoke some very strong words about
idleness； which seems a great failing of Rajah Brean's but it has my
strong sympathy； for
〃Why
Should life all labor be？
There is no joy but calm；
Why should we only toil； the roof and crown of things？〃
During the reception a richly…dressed attendant sat on the floor with
an iron tube like an Italian iron in his hand； in which he slowly
worked an arrangement which might be supposed to be a heater up and
down。 I thought that he might be preparing betel…nut； but Mr。 Douglas
said that he was working a charm for the Sultan's safety； and it was
believed that if he paused some harm would happen。 Another attendant；
yet more richly dressed； carried a white scarf fringed and embroidered
with gold over one shoulder； and two vases of solid gold； with their
surfaces wrought by exquisite workmanship into flowers nearly as
delicate as filigree work。 One of these contained betel…nut； and the
other sirih leaves。 Meanwhile the police； with their bayonets flashing
in the sun； and the swarthy； richly…costumed throng on the palm…shaded
slopes； were a beautiful sight。 The most interesting figure to me was
that of the reforming heir； the bigoted Moslem in his gold…colored
baju； with his swarthy face； singular and almost sinister expression；
and his total lack of all Western fripperies of dress。 I think that
there may be trouble when he comes to the throne； at least if the
present arrangements continue。 He does not look like a man who would
be content to be a mere registrar of the edicts of 〃a dog of an
infidel。〃
The Sultan has a 〃godown〃 containing great treasures； concerning which
he leads an anxious lifehoards of diamonds and rubies； and priceless
damascened krises； with scabbards of pure gold wrought into marvelous
devices and incrusted with precious stones。 On Mr。 Douglas's suggestion
（as I understood） he sent a kris with an elaborate gold scabbard to the
Governor； saying： 〃It is not from the Sultan to the Governor； _but from
a friend to a friend_。〃 He seems anxious for Selangor to 〃get on。〃 He
is making a road at Langat at his own expense； and acting； doubtless；
under British advice； has very cordially agreed that the odious system
of debt slavery shall be quietly dropped from among the institutions of
Selangor。
When this audience was over I asked to be allowed to visit the Sultana；
and； with Mrs。 Ferney as interpreter； went to the harem； accompanied by
the Rajah Moussa。 It is a beautiful house； of one very large； lofty
room； part of which is divided into apartments by heavy silk curtains。
One end of it is occupied by a high dais covered with fine mats； below
which is another dais covered with Persian carpets。 On this the Sultana
received us； the Rajah Moussa； who is not her son； and ourselves
sitting on chairs。 If I understood rightly that this prince is not her
son； I do not see how it is that he can go into the women's apartments。
Two guards sat on the floor just within the door； and numbers of women；
some of them in white veils； followers of the Sultana； sat in rows also
on the floor。
It must be confessed that the 〃light of the harem〃 is not beautiful。
She looks nearly middle…aged。 She is short and fat； with a flat nose；
open wide nostrils； thick lips； and filed teeth； much blackened by
betel…nut chewing。 Her expression is pleasant； and her manner is
prepossessing。 She wore a rich； striped； red silk sarong； and a very
short； green silk kabaya with diamond clasps； but I saw very little of
her dress or herself； because she was almost enveloped in a pure white
veil of a fine woolen material spangled with gold stars； and she
concealed so much of her face with it； in consequence of the presence
of the Rajah Moussa； that I only rarely got a glimpse of the
magnificent diamond solitaires in her ears。 Our conversation was not
brilliant； and the Sultana looked to me as if she had attained nirvana；
and had 〃neither ideas nor the consciousness of the absence of ideas。〃
We returned and took leave of the Sultan； and after we left I caught a
glimpse of him lounging at ease in a white shirt and red sarong； all
his gorgeousness having disappeared。
After we returned to the bungalow the Sultan sent me a gift。 Eight
attendants dressed in pure white came into the room in single file； and
each bowing to the earth； sat down a brass salver； with its contents
covered with a pure white cloth。 Again bowing； they uncovered them； and
displayed the fruitage of the tropics。 There were young cocoa…nuts；
gold…colored bananas of the kind which the Sultan eats； papayas； and
clusters of a species of jambu； a pear…shaped fruit； beautiful to look
at； each fruit looking as if made of some transparent； polished white
wax with a pink flush on one side。 The Rajah Moussa also arrived and
took coffee； and the verandas were filled with his followers。 Every
Rajah goes about attended； and seems to be esteemed according to the
size of his following。
We left this remote and beautiful place at noon； and after a delightful
cruise of five hours down the Jugra； and among islands floating on a
waveless sea； we reached dreary； decayed Klang in the evening。
I。 L。 B。
LETTER XV
Tiger MosquitoesInsect TormentsA Hadji's FateMalay CustomOaths
and LiesA False Alarm
THE RESIDENCY； KLANG； February 7。
I have had two days of supposed quiet here after the charming
expedition to Langat。 The climate seems very healthy。 The mercury has
been 87 degrees daily； but then it falls to 74 degrees at night。 The
barometer； as is usual so near the equator； varies only a few tenths of
an inch during the year。 The rainfall is about 130 inches annually。 It
is most abundant in January； February and March； and at the change of
the monsoon； and there is enough all the year round to keep vegetation
in beauty。 Here； on uninteresting cleared land with a featureless
foreground and level mangrove swamps for the middle distance； it must
be terribly monotonous to have no change of seasons； no hope of the
mercury falling below 80 degrees in the daytime； or of a bracing wind；
or of any marked climatic changes for better or worse all life through。
The mosquitoes are awful； but after a few months of more or less
suffering the people who live here become inoculated by the poison； and
are more bothered than hurt by the bites。 I am almost succumbing to
them。 The ordinary pests are bad enough； for just when the evenings
become cool； and sitting on the veranda would be enjoyable； they begin
their foray； and specially attack the feet and ankles； but the tiger
mosquitoes of this region bite all day； and they do embitter life。 In
the evening all the gentlemen put on sarongs over their trousers to
protect themselves； and ladies are provided with sarongs which we draw
over our feet and dresses； but these wretches bite through two 〃ply〃 of
silk or cotton； and； in spite of all precautions； I am dreadfully
bitten on my ankles； feet； and arms； which are so swollen that I can
hardly draw on my sleeves； and for two days stockings have been an
impossibility； and I have had to sew up my feet daily in linen！ The
swellings from the bites have become confluent； and are scarlet with
inflammation。 It is truly humiliating that 〃the crown of things〃 cannot
defend himself against these minute enemies； and should be made as
miserable as I am just now。
But it is a most healthy climate； and when I write of mosquitoes； land
leeches； centipedes and snakes； I have said my say as to its evils。 I
will now confess that I was bitten by a centipede in my bath…house in
Sungei Ujong； but I at once cut the bite deeply with a penknife；
squeezed it； and poured ammonia recklessly over it； and in a few hours
the pain and swelling went off。
I had been to the fort； the large barrack of the military police； and
Mr。 Syers showed me many things。 In the first place； a snake about
eight feet long was let out and killed。 The Malays call this a
〃two…headed〃 snake； and there is enough to give rise to the ignorant
statement； for after the proper head was dead the tail stood up and
moved forward。 The skin of this reptile was marked throughout with
broad bands of black and white alternately。 There was an ill…