and an elephant's tusk； the whole not weighing 100 lbs。
Mr。 Low was already at his work； writing and nursing Eblis at the same
time； the wild ape sitting on a beam looking on。 I left； wishing I were
coming instead of going； and had a delightful ride of eighteen miles。
The little horse walked very fast and cantered easily。 How peaceful
Perak is now； to allow of a lady riding so far through the jungle with
only an unarmed Malay attendant！ Major M'Nair writes： 〃The ordinary
native is a simple； courteous being； who joins with an intense love of
liberty a great affection for his simple home and its belongings；〃 and
I quite believe him。 Stories of amok running； 〃piracies；〃 treachery；
revenge； poisoned krises； and assassinations； have been made very much
of； and any crime or slight disturbance in the native States throws the
Settlements into a panic。 It must have been under the influence of one
of these that such a large sea and land force was sent to Perak three
years ago。 Crime in the Malay districts in these States is so rare；
that were it not for the Chinese； a few policemen would be all the
force that would be needed。 The 〃village system；〃 the old Malay system
with its head man and village officials； though formerly abused； seems
under the new regime to work well； and by it the Malays have been long
accustomed to a species of self…government； and to the maintenance of
law and order。 I notice that all the European officials who speak their
language and act righteously toward them like them very much； and this
says much in their favor。
I met with no adventures on the journey。 I had a delightful canter of
several miles before the sun was above the tree…tops； the morning
mists； rose…flushed； rolled grandly away； and just as I reached the
beautiful pass of Bukit Berapit； the apes were hooting their morning
hymn； and the forests rang with the joyous trills and songs of birds。
〃All Thy works praise Thee； O Lord！〃
There were gorgeous butterflies。 Among them I noticed one with the
upper part of its body and the upper side of its wings of jet black
velvet； and the lower half of its body and the under side of its wings
of peacock…blue velvet； spotted； another of the same 〃make；〃 but with
gold instead of blue； and a third with the upper part of the body and
wings of black velvet with cerise spots； the lower part of the body
cerise； and the under side of the wings white with cerise spots。 All
these measured fully five inches across their expanded wings。 In one
opening only I counted thirty…seven varieties of these brilliant
creatures； not in hundreds but in thousands； mixed up with blue and
crimson dragon…flies and iridescent flies； all joyous in the sunshine。
The loud…tongued stream of crystal water was very full； and through the
deep greenery； and among the great； gray； granite boulders； it flung
its broad drifts of foam； rejoicing in its strength； and every green
thing leaned lovingly toward it or stooped to touch it； and all
exquisite things which love damp； all tender mosses and selaginellas；
all shade…loving ferns and aroids； flourish round it in perennial
beauty； while high above； in the sunshine； amid birds and butterflies；
the graceful areca palm struggles with the feathery bamboo for
precarious root…hold on rocky ledges； and spikes of rose…crimson
blossoms； and dark green fronds of bananas； and all the leafy wealth
born of moisture and sunshine； cling about it tenderly。 And lower down
the great forest trees arch over it； and the sunbeams trickle through
them； and dance in many a quiet pool； turning the far…down sands to
gold； brightening majestic tree…ferns； and shining on the fragile
polypodium tamariscinum which clings tremblingly to the branches of the
graceful waringhan； on a beautiful lygodium which adorns the uncouth
trunk of an artocarpus； on glossy ginger…worts and trailing yams； on
climbers and epiphytes； and on gigantic lianas which； climbing to the
tops of the tallest trees； descend in vast festoons； many of them with
orange and scarlet flowers and fruitage； passing from tree to tree； and
interlacing the forest with a living network； while selaginellas and
lindsayas； and film ferns； and trichomanes radicans drape the rocks in
feathery green； along with mosses scarcely distinguishable from ferns。
Little rivulets flash out in foam among the dark foliage； and mingle
their musical warble with the deep bass of the torrent； and there are
twilight depths of leafy shade into which the sunshine never
penetrates； damp and cool； in which the music of the water is all too
sweet； and the loveliness too entrancing； creating that sadness hardly
〃akin to pain〃 which is latent in all intense enjoyment。
Gunong Pondok； the limestone butte； twelve hundred feet in nearly
perpendicular height； showed all its brilliancy of color； and Gunong
Bubu； one of the highest mountains in Perak； reared his granite crest
above the forest。 The lotus lake at Bukit Gantang was infinitely more
beautiful than under the grayer sky of Friday； a thousand rosy vases
were drinking in the sunshine； and ten thousand classic leaves were
spreading their blue…green shields below them； all nature smiled and
sang。 I was loath to exchange my good horse for a gharrie； with a Kling
driver draped slightly in Turkey…red cotton sitting on the shafts； who；
statuesque as he was； had a far less human expression than Mahmoud and
Eblis。 In the noonday the indigo…colored Hijan hills； with their
swollen waterfall coming down in a sheet of foam； looked cool； but as
we dashed through Taipeng I felt overpowered once more by what seems
the 〃wearing world；〃 after beautiful； silent Kwala Kangsa； for there
are large shops with gaudy sign…boards； stalls in the streets； tribal
halls； buffalo…carts with buffaloes yoked singly； for the spread of
their huge horns is so great that they cannot be yoked in pairs； trains
of carts with cinnamon…colored； humped bullocks yoked in pairs standing
at shop doors； gharries with fiery Sumatra ponies dashing about； crowds
of Chinese coolies； busy and half…naked； filling the air with the din
of their ceaseless industry； and all the epitomized stir of a world
which toils； and strives； and thirsts for gain。
But I must give these coolies their due； for in some ways they show
more self…respect than the ordinary English laborer； inasmuch as in bad
times they don't become chargeable to anyone； and when the price of the
commodity which they produce falls； as that of tin has done； instead of
〃striking〃 and abusing everybody all round； they accept the situation；
keep quiet； live more frugally； and work for lower wages till things
mend。 But I don't intend to hold up the Taipeng Chinese as patterns of
the virtues in other respects； for they are not。 They are turbulent；
and crime； growing chiefly out of their passion for gain； is very rife
among them。 The first thing I heard on arriving here was that a Chinese
gang had waylaid a revenue officer in one of the narrow creeks； and
that his hacked and mutilated body had drifted down to Permatang this
morning。
Mr。 Maxwell tells me that； as he returned from escorting me to Bukit
Gantang； he overtook a gharrie with a Malay woman in it； and
dismounting joined her husband who was walking； but did not speak to
the woman。 to…day the man told him that his wife woke the following
night with a scream which was succeeded by a trance； and that； knowing
that a devil had entered into her； he sent for a pawan （a wise man or
sorcerer）； who on arriving asked questions of the bad spirit； who
answered with the woman's tongue。 〃How did you come？〃 〃With the tuan；〃
i。e。； Mr。 Maxwell。 〃How did you come with him？〃 〃On the tail of his
gray horse。〃 〃Where from？〃 〃Changat…Jering。〃 The husband said that
these Changat…Jering devils were very bad ones。 The pawan then
exorcised the devil； and burned strong…smelling drugs under the woman's
nose； after which he came out of her； and she fell asleep； the 〃wise
man〃 receiving a fee。
I never heard of any country of such universal belief in devils；
familiars； omens； ghosts； sorceries； and witchcrafts。 The Malays have
many queer notions about tigers； and usually only speak of them in
whispers； because they think that certain souls of human beings who
have departed this life have taken up their abode in these beasts； and
in some places； for this reason； they will not kill a tiger unless he
commits some specially bad aggression。 They also believe that some men
are tigers by night and men by day！
The pelisit； the bad spirit which rode on the tail of Mr。 Maxwell's
horse； is supposed to be the ghost of a woman who has died in
childbirth。 In the form of a large bird uttering a harsh cry； it is
believed to haunt forests and burial…grounds and to afflict children。
The Malays have a bottle…imp； the polong； which will take no other
sustenance than the blood of its owner； but it rewards him by aiding
him in carrying out revengeful purposes。 The harmless owl has strange
superstitions attaching to it； and is called the 〃specter bird；〃 you
may remember that the fear of encountering it was one of the reasons
why the Permatang Pasir men would not go with us through the jungle to
Rassa。
A