The Golden Chersonese and The Way Thither | Page 4

press.
It is by her wish that this book has received the title of the "Golden
Chersonese," a slightly ambitious one; and I must at once explain that
my letters treat of only its western portion, for the very sufficient
reason that the interior is unexplored by Europeans, half of it being
actually so little known that the latest map gives only the position of its
coast-line. I hope, however, that my book will be accepted as an honest
attempt to make a popular contribution to the sum of knowledge of a
beautiful and little-traveled region, with which the majority of educated
people are so little acquainted that it is constantly confounded with the
Malay Archipelago, but which is practically under British rule, and is
probable destined to afford increasing employment to British capital
and enterprise.
The introductory chapter, and the explanatory chapters on Sungei
Ujong, Selangor and Perak, contain information of a rather more solid
character than is given in my sketches of travel, and are intended to
make the letters more intelligible and useful.* The map by Mr. Daly is
the result of the most recent surveys, and is published here by
permission of the Royal Geographical Society. [*These chapters are
based upon sundry reports and other official papers, and I have largely
drawn upon those storehouses of accurate and valuable information,
Newbold's "British Settlements in Malacca," and Crawfurd's
"Dictionary of the Indian Islands."]
As I traveled under official auspices, and was entertained at the houses
of officials everywhere, I feel it to be due to my entertainers to say that

I have carefully abstained from giving their views on any subjects on
which they may have uttered them in the ease of friendly intercourse,
except in two or three trivial instances, in which I have quoted them as
my authorities. The opinions expressed are wholly my own, whether
right or wrong, and I accept the fullest responsibility for them.
For the sketchy personal descriptions which are here and there given, I
am sure of genial forgiveness from my friends in the Malay Peninsula,
and from them also I doubt not that I shall receive the most kindly
allowance, if, in spite of carefulness, I have fallen into mistakes.
In writing to my sister my first aim was accuracy, and my next to make
her see what I saw; but beside the remarkably contradictory statements
of the few resident Europeans and my own observations, I had little to
help me, and realized every day how much truth there is in the dictum
of Socrates--"The body is a hindrance to acquiring knowledge, and
sight and hearing are not to be trusted."* [*Phaedo of Plato.
Chapter x.
]
This volume is mainly composed of my actual letters, unaltered, except
by various omissions and some corrections as to matters of fact. The
interest of my visits to the prison and execution ground of Canton, and
of my glimpses of Anamese villages, may, I hope, be in some degree
communicated to my readers, even though Canton and Saigon are on
the beaten track of travelers.
I am quite aware that "Letters" which have not received any literary
dress are not altogether satisfactory either to author or reader, for the
author sacrifices artistic arrangement and literary merit, and the reader
is apt to find himself involved among repetitions, and a multiplicity of
minor details, treated in a fashion which he is inclined to term
"slipshod;" but, on the whole, I think that descriptions written on the
spot, even with their disadvantages, are the best mode of making the
reader travel with the traveler, and share his first impressions in their
original vividness. With these explanatory remarks I add my little
volume to the ever-growing library of the literature of travel.
I. L. B. FEBRUARY, 1883

INTRODUCTORY

CHAPTER
The Aurea Chersonesus--The Conquest of Malacca--The Straits
Settlements--The Configuration of the Peninsula--A Terra Incognita--
The Monsoons--Products of the Peninsula--The Great Vampire--Beasts
and Reptiles--Malignant and Harmless Insects--Land and Water Birds--
Traditions of Malay Immigration--Wild and Civilized Races--Kafirs--
The Samangs and Orang-outang--Characteristics of the Jakuns-- Babas
and Sinkehs--The Malay Physiognomy--Language andLiterature--
Malay Poetry and Music--Malay Astronomy--Education and
Law--Malay Sports--Domestic Habits--Weapons--Slavery and Debt
Bondage-- Government--"No Information"
Canton and Saigon, and whatever else is comprised in the second half
of my title, are on one of the best beaten tracks of travelers, and need
no introductory remarks.
But the Golden Chersonese is still somewhat of a terra incognita; there
is no point on its mainland at which European steamers call, and the
usual conception of it is as a vast and malarious equatorial jungle,
sparsely peopled by a race of semi-civilized and treacherous
Mohammedans. In fact, it is as little known to most people as it was to
myself before I visited it; and as reliable information concerning it
exists mainly