10 TRADE OF SUMATRA. CHAP.I. many projected improvements,which,from a pau- city of funds,he has been obliged to defer. At day-dawn,when the sky receives its first bright tints from the rising sun,and the morning mist yet shrouds the marshes and hangs about the damp verdure,the harbour is alive with boats and resounding with the noisy hum of awakened crowds;-the long low canoe of the Malay,pro- pelled by twenty or thirty paddles,each stroke accompanied by their peculiar cry;punts,the undoubted progeny of the mother junks,convey- ing to the shore the Chinese mariner with his fan and umbrella;the sanpans,with their clean matted seats and plantain-leaf awnings,waiting for paseengers,and promiscuously manned by the Hindoo,the Moor,the Malay or the Arab,the wild native of Borneo or Amboyna,Madura or the more independent and manly inhabitant of Bali;the unwieldy junk herself,with painted eyes, which are presumed to guide it in safety clear of shoals and dangers,its large masts without rig- ging,mat sail,high-peaked stern (not unlike ours of the fifteenth century)bedaubed with flying dra- gons,painted devils,and proverbs,and the poop entirely occupied by the indiapensable jos,dis- gorging scores of chattering Chinese;boats laden with fruit of every deacription,amongst which pine- apples predominate,arriving from distant creeke
10 TRADE OF SUMATRA. CHAP. I. many projected improvements, which, from a pau city of funds, he has been obliged to defer. At day-dawn, when the sky receives its first bright tints from the rising sun, and the morning mist yet shrouds the marshes and hangs about the damp verdure, the harbour is alive with boats and resounding with the noisy hum of awakened crowds ; —the long low canoe of the Malay, pro pelled by twenty or thirty paddles, each stroke accompanied by their peculiar cry; punts, the undoubted progeny of the mother junks, convey ing to the shore the Chinese mariner with his fan and umbrella; the sanpans, with their clean matted seats and plantain-leaf awnings, waiting for passengers, and promiscuously manned by the Hindoo, the Moor, the Malay or the Arab, the wild native of Borneo or Amboyna, Madura or the more independent and manly inhabitant of Bali ; the unwieldy junk herself, with painted eyes, which are presumed to guide it in safety clear of shoals and dangers, its large masts without rig ging, mat sail, high-peaked stern (not unlike ours of the fifteenth century) bedaubed with flying dra gons, painted devils, and proverbs, and the poop entirely occupied by the indispensable jos, dis gorging scores of chattering Chinese ; boats laden with fruit of every description, amongst which pine apples predominate, arriving from distant creeks
CHAP.玉 VISIT TO THE GOVERNOR. 11 ready for the morning market;and the light fish- ing canoe,with its patient occupant,who will sit for hours under the shade of his light grase hat, are amongst the many novelties that attract the attention of the stranger. I went on shore with Captain Keppel to call upon the Governor.We found him at his office, a large building near the beach;he received his old friend Keppel most heartily.His active duties,he says,have greatly accumulated since the commencement of the Chinese war,and it is lucky for the naval service that there is so excellent a manager to supply their demands. In the evening we relanded to dine with Mr. Bonham.A palankin drawn by a spirited little Timour poney,not larger than a Shetlander,con- veyed us up the ascent at an active trot:the very pretty approach to the house,winding round the east side of the hill and fanked by nutmeg groves interspersed with some fine timber,is kept in very excellent order.White jackets and a punkar, open doors and a free current of air,made the temperature delightful. The house commands a fine view of the town and adjacent country.The former,although built on a marsh and surrounded by vegetation,is very healthy,owing to the sea covering the lower ground at every tide,and thus preventing putre- B 6 Google
chap. I. VISIT TO THE GOVERNOR. 11 ready for the morning market ; and the light fish ing canoe, with its patient occupant, who will sit for hours under the shade of his light grass hat, are amongst the many novelties that attract the attention of the stranger. I went on shore with Captain Keppel to call upon the Governor. We found him at his office, a large building near the beach ; he received his old friend Keppel most heartily. His active duties, he says, have greatly accumulated since the commencement of the Chinese war, and it is lucky for the naval service that there is so excellent a manager to supply their demands. In the evening we relanded to dine with Mr. Bonham. A palankin drawn by a spirited little Timour poney, not larger than a Shetlander, con veyed us up the ascent at an active trot : the very pretty approach to the house, winding round the east side of the hill and flanked by nutmeg groves interspersed with some fine timber, is kept in very excellent order. White jackets and a punkar, open doors and a free current of air, made the temperature delightful. The house commands a fine view of the town and adjacent country. The former, although built on a marsh and surrounded by vegetation, is very healthy, owing to the sea covering the lower ground at every tide, and thus preventing putre b 6
12 CHINESE NAVIGATION. CHAP.I. faction,which would inevitably ensue from the great heat,if the water was not so regularly renewed. I was glad to hear that the war has not de- stroyed the confidence of the Chinese traders,and that the same number of junks continue to arrive, and as richly laden as before.When it is con- sidered how defenceless these valuable vessels are, and that they are generally sailing within sight of numerous little islands,separated by winding channels,yet unsurveyed,and containing creeks and harbours unknown to and screened from the observation of the passing vessel,it is surprising that so few acts of plunder are committed by the Malays,many tribes of whom regard these seas theirs by right of prior possession,and a black mail exacted in their way as lawful taxation. Such exactions they do not consider piracy,nor do they regard them otherwise than did our old borderers their frequent forays.We may hear eventually of some fower of Battan,like the one of Yarrow,displaying a crease instead of spurs on an empty dish. Alligators abound in every inlet;tigers in the jungle.It was only the other day that one of the former capeized a canoe with its tail,and devoured the proprietor;and about the same time an Indian was carried away by one of the latter while walking
12 CHINESE NAVIGATION. chap. I. faction, which would inevitably ensue from the great heat, if the water was not so regularly renewed. I was glad to hear that the war has not de stroyed the confidence of the Chinese traders, and that the same number of junks continue to arrive, and as richly laden as before. When it is con sidered how defenceless these valuable vessels are, and that they are generally sailing within sight of numerous little islands, separated by winding channels, yet unsurveyed, and containing creeks and harbours unknown to and screened from the observation of the passing vessel, it is surprising that so few acts of plunder are committed by the Malays, many tribes of whom regard these seas theirs by right of prior possession, and a black mail exacted in their way as lawful taxation. Such exactions they do not consider piracy, nor do they regard them otherwise than did our old borderers their frequent forays. We may hear eventually of some flower of Battan, like the one of Yarrow, displaying a crease instead of spurs on an empty dish. Alligators abound in every inlet ; tigers in the jungle. It was only the other day that one of the former capsized a canoe with its tail, and devoured the proprietor ; and about the same time an Indian was carried away by one of the latter while walking
CHAP.I CHINESE ETIQUETTE. 13 on the road close to the town.I was informed on good authority that upwards of forty persons are annually destroyed by these savage beasts, which,singular to say,did not exist on the island of Singapore before we formed settlements there. 8th of May.-I drove through the town this morning with Keppel.The principal proprietors and inhabitants are Chinese:there are streets full of Chinese blacksmiths-fine athletic fellows; others,of shoemakers and tailors;and some con- taining open booths,under canvas awnings,re- sembling the Persian and Turkish bazaars. I understand that our celestial subjects here do not treat us with the same outward respect practised by their brethren of Java towards their more tyrannical masters,the Dutch.Here,they never think of letting fall their tails(which,for greater convenience,they wear twisted round their heads)when they speak to you.In China, such an omission is considered as great an insult i as it would be in England to enter a room with a hat on;in Batavia,they not only drop their tails,but stand or squat until Mynheer passes. What struck me particularly was to see employed in common use the various (and to our habits inconvenient)utensils which are in England con- sidered mere curiosities or ornaments,as,for instance,the small china tea-cup and cover,large Google
chap. I. CHINESE ETIQUETTE. 13 on the road close to the town. I was informed on good authority that upwards of forty persons are annually destroyed by these savage beasts, which, singular to say, did not exist on the island of Singapore before we formed settlements there. 8 th of May. — I drove through the town this morning with Keppel. The principal proprietors and inhabitants are Chinese : there are streets full of Chinese blacksmiths —fine athletic fellows ; others, of shoemakers and tailors ; and some con taining open booths, under canvas awnings, re sembling the Persian and Turkish bazaars. I understand that our celestial subjects here do not treat us with the same outward respect practised by their brethren of Java towards their more tyrannical masters, the Dutch. Here, they never think of letting fall their tails (which, for greater convenience, they wear twisted round their heads) when they speak to you. In China, such an omission is considered as great an insult as it would be in England to enter a room with a hat on ; in Batavia, they not only drop their tails, but stand or squat until Mynheer passes. What struck me particularly was to see employed in common use the various (and to our habits inconvenient) utensils which are in England con sidered mere curiosities or ornaments, as, for instance, the small china tea-cup and cover, large
14 VIBIT TO THE JOS-HOUSE. CHAP.L glazed paper lantern,and porcelain stool,chop- sticks,painted umbrella,glass cloth shirts as fine as cambric,paper soled shoes,and china jare. Drove to the jos-house,so well described by Lord Jocelyn.It is built close to the sea-shore, in the centre of the Chinese quarter of the town; the materials were brought from China for the pur- poee.Itis dedicated to Fo.The outer gates con- duct to an open court,neatly tiled and surrounded by a verandah,under which the embroidered silk canopies of procession appropriate to the various idols are arranged.On the beams,stone pillare, cornices,and wood-work,insects and flowers, birds and monsters are carved,with depth and boldness,in every variety of grotesque form. The corners and gable ends,curving upwards, are surmounted by porcelain dragons with forked and gaily coloured tails;the roof is covered with glazed tiles made of the same material,but of a coarser texture,and underneath the projecting edge,upon a white china belt,flowers and creepers are exquisitely emboesed and coloured. In the midst of the temple,behind the high altar,and placed between a blue and red devil, each the size of life,sits an image of the Tien- How,or Queen of Heaven-a most ungainly idol.At the feet of this image are a number of little devile,each fronted by its pot full of Google
14 VISIT TO THE JOS-HOUSE. chap, x glazed paper lantern, and porcelain stool, chop sticks, painted umbrella, glass cloth shirts as fine as cambric, paper soled shoes, and china jars. Drove to the jos-house, so well described by Lord Jocelyn. It is built close to the sea-shore, in the centre of the Chinese quarter of the town ; the materials were brought from China for the pur pose. It is dedicated to Fo. The outer gates con duct to an open court, neatly tiled and surrounded by a verandah, under which the embroidered silk canopies of procession appropriate to the various idols are arranged. On the beams, stone pillars, cornices, and wood-work, insects and flowers, birds and monsters are carved, with depth and boldness, in every variety of grotesque form. The corners and gable ends, curving upwards, are surmounted by porcelain dragons with forked and gaily coloured tails ; the roof is covered with glazed tiles made of the same material, but of a coarser texture, and underneath the projecting edge, upon a white china belt, flowers and creepers are exquisitely embossed and coloured. In the midst of the temple, behind the high altar, and placed between a blue and red devil, each the size of life, sits an image of the TienHow, or Queen of Heaven —a most ungainly idol. At the feet of this image are a number of little devils, each fronted by its pot full of