The Trade Of Kwala Kangsa Seems In The Hands Of The Chinese,
With A Few Klings Among Them, And They Have A Row Of Shops.
LETTER XX (Continued)
A Joyous Welcome - A Severe Mortification - The British Resident - Daily
Visitors - Rajah Dris - A Tipsy Ape - Marriage Ceremonies - Marriage
Festivities - Malay Children - The Rajah Muda Yusuf - A Dreary
Funeral - Fascinating Companionship - A Cocoa-Nut Gatherer - The Argus
Pheasant - An Opium Wreck - Rhinoceros
Horns - Elephant-Taming - Petrifying Influences of Islamism - A Dwindling
Race
February 17. - I was very glad that yesterday was Sunday, so that I had
a quiet day, for nearly twelve hours of jungle riding on an elephant
makes one very stiff and sleepy. Three days of solitude, meals in the
company of apes, elephant excursions, wandering about alone, and free,
open air, tropical life in the midst of all luxuries and comforts, have
been very enchanting. At night, when the servants had retired to their
quarters and the apes to the roof, and I was absolutely alone in the
bungalow, the silent Oriental sentries motionless below the veranda
counting for nothing, and without a single door or window to give one
the feeling of restraint, I had some of the "I'm monarch of all I
survey" feeling; and when drum beat and bugle blast, and the turning
out of the Sikh guard, indicated that the Resident was in sight, I felt
a little reluctant to relinquish the society of animals, and my
"solitary reign," which seemed almost "ancient" also.
When Mr. Low, unattended as he always is, reached the foot of the
stairs the retriever leapt down with one bound, and through the air
over his head fled Mahmoud and Eblis, uttering piercing cries, the
siamang, though keeping at a distance, adding to the jubilations, and
for several minutes I saw nothing of my host, for these creatures,
making every intelligent demonstration of delight, were hanging round
him with their long arms; the retriever nearly wild with joy, but
frantically jealous; all the creatures welcoming him more warmly than
most people would welcome their relations after a long absence.
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