anything　to　produce　continuous　excitement　under　this　fierce　sun；　and
  conversation；　which　had　been　flagging　before　noon；　ceased　altogether。
  It　was　awfully　hot　in　the　launch；　between　fire　and　boiler…heat　and
  solar　fury。　I　tried　to　keep　cool　by　thinking　of　Mull；　and　powdery　snow
  and　frosty　stars；　but　it　would　not　do。　It　was　a　solemn　afternoon；　as
  the　white；　unwinking　sun　looked　down　upon　our　silent　party；　on　the
  narrow　turbid　river；　silent　too；　except　for　the　occasional　plunge　of　an
  alligator　or　other　water　monsteron　mangrove　swamps　and　nipah　palms
  dense　along　the　river　side；　on　the　blue　gleam　of　countless　kingfishers；
  on　slimy　creeks　arched　over　to　within　a　few　feet　of　their　surface　by
  grand　trees　with　festoon　of　lianas；　on　an　infinite　variety　of　foliage；
  on　an　abundance　of　slender…shafted　palms；　on　great　fruits　brilliantly
  colored；　on　wonderful　flowers　on　the　trees；　on　the　hoya　carnosa　and
  other　waxen…leaved　trailers　matting　the　forest　together　and　hanging
  down　in　great　festoons；　the　fiery　tropic　sunblaze　stimulating　all　this
  over…production　into　perennial　activity；　and　vivifying　the　very　mud
  itself。
  Occasionally　we　passed　a　canoe　with　a　〃savage〃　crouching　in　it　fishing；
  but　saw　no　other　trace　of　man；　till　an　hour　ago　we　came　upon　large
  cocoa　groves；　a　considerable　clearing　in　the　jungle；　and　a　very　large
  Malayan…Chinese　village　with　mosques；　one　on　either　side　of　the　river；
  houses　built　on　platforms　over　the　water；　large　and　small　native　boats
  covered　and　thatched　with　attap；　roofed　platforms　on　stilts　answering
  the　purpose　of　piers；　bathing…houses　on　stilts　carefully　secluded；　all
  forming　the　（relatively）　important　village　of　Permatang　Pasir。
  Up　to　this　time　we　had　expected　to　find　perfectly　smooth　sailing；　as　a
  runner　was　sent　from　Malacca　to　the　Resident　yesterday。　We　supposed
  that　we　should　be　carried　in　chairs　six　miles　through　the　jungle　to　a
  point　where　a　gharrie　could　meet　us；　and　that　we　should　reach　the
  Residency　by　nine　tonight　at　the　latest。　On　arriving　at　Sempang；　Mr。
  Hayward　had　sent　a　canoe　to　this　place　with　instructions　to　send
  another　runner　to　the　Resident；　but
  〃The　best　laid　schemes　of　men　and　mice　gang　aft　aglee。〃
  The　messenger　seemed　to　have　served　no　other　purpose　than　to　assemble
  the　whole　male　population　of　Permatang　Pasir　on　the　shorea
  sombre…faced　throng；　with　an　aloofness　of　manner　and　expression　far
  from　pleasing。　The　thatched　piers　were　crowded　with　turbaned　Mussulmen
  in　their　bajus　or　short　jackets；　full　white　trousers；　and　red　sarongs
  or　plaitless　kiltsthe　boys　dressed　in　silver　fig…leaves　and　silver
  bangles　only。　All　looked　at　our　unveiled　faces　silently；　and；　as　I
  thought；　disapprovingly。
  After　being　hauled　up　the　pier　with　great　difficulty；　owing　to　the
  lowness　of　the　water；　we　were　met　by　two　of　the　Datu　Klana's　policemen；
  who　threw　cold　water　on　the　idea　of　our　getting　on　at　all　unless
  Captain　Murray　sent　for　us。　These　men　escorted　us　to　this　police
  stationa　long　walk　through　a　lane　of　much　decorated　shops；
  exclusively　Chinese；　succeeded　by　a　lane　of　detached　Malay　houses；　each
  standing　in　its　own　fenced　and　neatly　sanded　compound　under　the　shade
  of　cocoa…palms　and　bananas。　The　village　paths　are　carefully　sanded　and
  very　clean。　We　emerged　upon　the　neatly　sanded　open　space　on　which　this
  barrack　stands；　glad　to　obtain　shelter；　for　the　sun　is　still　fierce。　It
  is　a　genuine　Malay　house　on　stilts；　but　where　there　should　be　an
  approach　of　eight　steps　there　is　only　a　steep　ladder　of　three　round
  rungs；　up　which　it　is　not　easy　to　climb　in　boots！　There　is　a　deep
  veranda　under　an　attap　roof　of　steep　slope；　and　at　either　end　a　low　bed
  for　a　constable；　with　the　usual　very　hard；　circular　Malay　bolsters；
  with　red　silk　ends；　ornamented　with　gold　and　silk　embroidery。　Besides
  this　veranda　there　is　only　a　sort　of　inner　room；　with　just　space　enough
  for　a　table　and　four　chairs。　The　wall　is　hung　with　rifles；　krises；　and
  handcuffs；　with　which　a　〃Sam　Slick〃　clock；　an　engraving　from　the
  Graphic；　and　some　curious　Turkish　pictures　of　Stamboul；　are　oddly　mixed
  up。　　Babu；　the　Hadji；　having　recovered　from　a　sulk　into　which　he　fell
  in　consequence　of　Mr。　Hayward　having　quizzed　him　for　cowardice　about　an
  alligator；　has　made　everything　（our　very　limited　everything）　quite
  comfortable；　and；　with　as　imposing　an　air　as　if　we　were　in　Government
  House；　asks　us　when　we　will　have　dinner！　One　policeman　has　brought　us
  fresh　cocoa…nut　milk；　another　sits　outside　pulling　a　small　punkah；　and
  two　more　have　mounted　guard　over　us。　This　stilted　house　is　the　barrack
  of　eleven　Malay　constables。　　Under　it　are　four　guns　of　light　calibre；
  mounted　on　carriages；　and　outside　is　a　gong　on　which　the　policemen　beat
  the　hours。
  At　the　river　we　were　told　that　the　natives　would　not　go　up　the　shallow；
  rapid　stream　by　night；　and　now　the　corporal　says　that　no　man　will　carry
  us　through　the　jungle；　that　trees　are　lying　across　the　track；　that
  there　are　dangerous　swamp　holes；　that　though　the　tigers　which　infest
  the　jungle　never　attack　a　party；　we　might　chance　to　see　their　glaring
  eyeballs；　that　even　if　men　could　be　bribed　to　undertake　to　carry　us；
  they　would　fall　with　us；　or　put　us　down　and　run　away；　for　no　better
  reason　than　that　they　caught　sight　of　the　〃spectre　bird〃　（the　owl）；　and
  he　adds；　with　a　gallantry　remarkable　in　a　Mohammedan；　that　he　should
  not　care　about　Mr。　Hayward；　〃but　it　would　not　do　for　the　ladies。〃　So　we
  are　apparently　stuck　fast；　the　chief　cause　for　anxiety　and
  embarrassment　being　that　the　youngest　Miss　Shaw　is　lying　huddled　up　and
  shivering　on　one　of　the　beds；　completely　prostrated　by　a　violent　sick
  headache；　brought　on　by　the　heat　of　the　sun　in　the　launch。　She　declares
  that　she　cannot　move；　but　our　experienced　escort；　who　much　fears
  bilious　fever　for　her；　is　resolved　that　she　shall　as　soon　as　any　means
  of　transit　can　be　procured。　Heretofore；　I　have　always　traveled　〃without
  encumbrance。〃　Is　it　treasonable　to　feel　at　this　moment　that　these　fair
  girls　are　one？
  I。　L。　B。
  LETTER　XII
  The　Tomb　of　〃A　Great　Prophet〃〃Durance　Vile〃Fragile　TravelersOur
  CraftA　Night　in　the　JungleNocturnal　RevelationsJanuary　in　the
  Perak　JungleGlories　of　the　JungleActivity　and　StillnessAn　Uneasy
  NightA　Slim　RepastBetel…ChewingA　Severe　DisappointmentPolice
  Station　at　Rassa
  BRITISH　RESIDENCY；　SERAMBANG；　SUNGEI　UJONG；　January　26。
  By　the　date　of　my　letter　you　will　see　that　our　difficulties　have　been
  surmounted。　I　continue　my　narrative　in　a　temperature　which；　in　my
  roomshaded　though　it　ishas　reached　87　degrees。　After　hearing　many
  pros　and　cons；　and　longing　much　for　the　freedom　of　a　solitary　traveler；
  I　went　out　and　visited　the　tomb　of　a　famous　Hadji；　〃a　great　prophet；〃
  the　policeman　said；　who　was　slain　in　ascending　the　Linggi。　It　is　a
  raised　mound；　like　our　churchyard　graves；　with　a　post　at　each　end；　and
  a　jar　of　oil　upon　it；　and　is　surrounded　by　a　lattice　of　reeds　on　which
  curtains　are　hanging；　the　whole　being　covered　with　a　thatched　roof
  supported　on　posts。
  The　village　looks　prosperous；　and　the　Chinaman　as　much　at　home　as　in
  China；striving；　thriving；　and　oblivious　of　everything　but　his　own
  interests；　the　sole　agent　in　the　development　of　the　resources　of　the
  country；　well　satisfied　with　our；　or　any　rule；　under　which　his　gains
  are　quick　and　safe。
  There　are　village　officers；　or　headmen；　Pangulus；　in　all　villages；　and
  every　hamlet　of　more　than　forty　houses　has　its　mosque　and　religious
  officials；　though　Mohammedanism　does　not　recognize　the　need　of　a
  priesthood。　If　one　see　a　man；　with　the　upper　part　of　his　body
  unclothed；　paddling　a　log　canoe；　face　forward；　one　is　apt　to　call　him　a
  savage；　specially　if　he　be　dark…skinned；　but　the　Malays　would　be　much
  offended　if　they　were　called　savages；　and；　indeed；　they　are　not　so。
  They　have　an　elaborate　civilization；　etiquette；　and　laws　of　their　own；
  are　the　most　rigid　of　monotheists；　are　decently　clothed；　build　secluded
  and　tolerably　comfortable　houses；　and　lead　domestic　lives　after　their
  fashion；　especially　where　they　are　too　poor　to　be　polygamists；　though　I
  am　of　opinion　that　the　peculiar　form　of　domesticity　which　we　still
  cultivate　to　some　extent　in　England；　and　which　is　largely　connected
  with　the　fireside；　cannot　exist　in　a　tropical　country。　After　the
  obtrusive　nudity　and　promiscuous　bathing　of　the　Japanese；　there　is
  something　specially　pleasing　in　the　little　secluded　bathing　sheds　by
  the　Malay　rivers；　used　by　one　person　at　a　time；　who　throws　a　sarong　on
  the　thatch　to　show　that　the　shed　is　occupied。
  Babu　made　some　excellent　soup；　which；　together　with　curry　made　with
  fresh　cocoa…nut；　was　a　satisfactory　meal；　and　though　only　in　a　simple；
  white；　Indian　costume；　he　waited　as　grandly　as　at　Malacca。　Mr。
  Hayward's　knowledge　of　the　peculiarities　of　the　Malay　character；　at
  last　obtained　our　release　from　what　was　truly　〃durance　vile。〃　He　sent
  for　a　boatman　apart　from　his　fellows；　and　induced　him　to　make　a　bargain
  for　taking　us　up　the　river　at　night；　but　the　man　soon　returned　in　a
  state　of　great　excitement；　complaining　that　the　villagers　had　set　on
  him；　and　were　resolved　that　we　should　not　go　up；　upon　which　the　police
  went　down　and　interfered。　Even　after　everything　was　settled；　Miss　Shaw