CO882-(2-3) — Page 534

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TELE C.O. 882

3

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED 'PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

75 per cent of the

Malay population are

debtors.

Population.

Large proportion of

Chinese,

-Enterprise of

Chinees.

Indolance of Malaya.

106

wished to exercise his prerogative of claiming the family as his rightful slaves instead of accepting the fine, for he repeatedly refused to do so-even when it was offered; and it was not until I threatened him severely that he consented to accept it.

.

99. I beg to state that this circumstance took place before I accepted service under Her Majesty's Government in Larut; but the custom still exists, though I earnestly hope it may soon be a thing of the past.

100. The oriental custom by which a debtor becomes the slave of his creditor until he has liquidated his debt may be admissible; but that this should degenerate into the possibility of enslaving a whole family, and not only for an error but for accidents, which, like the above, may happen merely through mischance, is a most unwarrantable perversion of the term "justice."

101. In this manner about three-fourths of the Malay population are bound over to the remaining quarter.

102. The Chinese form the very large proportion of nearly ths of the whole of the population, being about 26,000 in number; while the Malays approximate only to 7,000.

103. There is much reason to apprehend that the Chinese who are enterprising, industrious, and good settlers, will, in course of time, almost, if not entirely, supersede the Malays even here in their own native country.

104. The Malay by nature is indolent and disinclined to labour, and entirely unenterprising.

Small and crowded villages, with a few acres of paddy land adjoining, and a few plantain trees suffice for their wants; of trade they have but little idea.

105. The Chinese in Larut are, on the contrary, here only for industrial purposes. Four-fifths of them are miners; and the remainder tradesmen, i.e., blacksmiths, carpenters, Character differing in gardeners, and shop-keepers. The characters of the two nations as may thus be seen

differ in almost every respect.

the two nations.

Malays not addicted

to theft.

Chinese addicted to theft.

Chinese a combative people.

Ditto.

Good qualities of Chinees.

Running of myok.

The Malays, though as a rule docile and quiet, and for the most part faithful, having both the virtues and faults of an indolent race, are yet occasionally guilty of crimes which in all ages have belonged to the members of a community living almost without laws. They are, for instance, addicted to cattle lifting, and even to highway robbery. A petty Chief and his adherents being in disgrace with the Sultan or Mantri, thus avenge them- selves on their weaker brethren, but should they again be taken into favour, they become exemplary members of society.

106. Petty thefts, however, and the dishonest faults usual among the members of a large and industrial community, where the aim of each is chiefly his own aggrandisement, are not common among them.

107. The Chinese, on the contrary, are greatly addicted to theft. Stealing is their chief weakness. It constantly happens among them that no sooner has the term of imprisonment of a thief expired, than he is arrested again immediately, perhaps the very next day to that of his liberation, for a similar offence to that for which he has just been punished.

108. The Chinese are also much given to assault, being a most combative and quarrelsome people, quick to take offence, and ready to strike; requiring careful watching, and firmness and decision in dealing with them.

109. This combativeness of the Chinese is much increased by the clannishness to which I have already referred, and which is a strong feature of their character. The most serious disturbances have occurred, and, but for the intervention of the police, would frequently occur between the men of different districts or towns owing to this feeling. A man of one town on receiving an insult, whether real or imaginary, from a man of another town, will immediately raise his peculiar party-cry, when every man of his district within hearing, feels bound to run to his assistance, the aggressor doing the same thing, and the appeal being in like manner as quickly responded to, till the number assembled has perhaps reached 300 or 400. A riot would immediately ensue, without the combatants perhaps being in the least aware of the original cause of quarrel, and as every man seizes any weapon within his reach, serious loss of life has on some occasions occurred.

110. It must, however, be remembered that the qualities which make the Chinese thus irritable and troublesome, accompany a character full of energy and power, which, when well directed, is capable of much development in a right direction; whereas the Malay, though giving less trouble, has none of the same capabilities, but has been reduced by generations of indolence and misrule to a condition of extreme inferiority among the races of mankind.

111. The peculiar phase of madness known specially among the Malays by the name of "running a muck" still exists among them, but not to any great extent.

107

112. During the past year, 770 persons have been arrested by the Larut police, and Crimes in 1874. brought before the Court to which I have previously referred. By reference to Appendix (E) it will be seen how they were dealt with. Out of this number the largest proportion is for assaults, viz., 186, being at the rate of 25 per cent. The number of persons tried for unlawful assembly was 97, being more than 12 per cent, of the total apprehensions. The large proportion of these two crimes to the total arrests is no doubt due to the fact that the country has but lately emerged from a state of warfare.

113. Towards the end of the year, the number of cases of unlawful assembly sensibly No of murder decreased. It is also a remarkable fact that not a single murder has occurred during the during the year. year; one attempt only was made, which happily proved to be unsuccessful.

114. The total revenue collected during the year 1874, amounted to the sum of Revenue. 101,554 dol. 59) C. Vide Appendix (B).

115. The principal item in the above was, as has been mentioned in paragraph 80, the Ditto. duty levied on tin, which amounted to 70,227 doT. 43) c.

116. The item next in importance was the duty on opium, which amounted to Ditte. 18,428 dol. 4 c.

117. A reference to Appendix (B) will show the various headings under which the Ditto. revenue was obtained.

118. The total amount of expenditure amounted to 100,369 dol. 37 c. Vide Expenditure. Appendix (C).

119. The principal item under this head was that of "Establishments;” a list of these Exp of stablish. with the amount drawn by each officer, is shown in Appendix (F).

120. A sum of 20,663 dol. 831 c. was expended on roads and bridges, a detailed Roads, &c., expen- account of which is shown in Appendix (H).

diture.

the common tongue.

121. The Malay language is that most commonly spoken in the country, Chinese being Languages. Malay altogether beyond the power of a Malay to acquire. Another reason which here, as in any variety of dialects in foreign country, would prove a serious obstacle to Chinese becoming a universal language China. is the number of dialects, each wholly different from the other, of which it is composed.

The principal of these are the Hokien, Punté, Hakka, Teuchui, and Hainam; owing to this extreme diversity in the one language, it is no uncommon sight to see two Chinamen conversing in Malay, being totally unable to comprehend each other in their disimilar Chinese.

122. The languages, however, interchange words. Many Malay words being gradually Interchange of werds, absorbed into the Chinese, and vice versa. These, however, are, for the most part, the mere common terms in every-day use, which, from constantly recurring, are found to be readily understood, and therefore are quickly adopted.

123. The principal food of both Chinese and Malays is rice, to which they add salt Food. fish for flavouring; in other articles of diet, however, the taste of the two nations differ greatly. The Malays being Mahommedans never touch pork, but this is the favourite dish of the Chinese; the former flavour their dishes highly, but the latter avoid all pungent seasoning, preferring plain roast and boiled, to which the well-known soy is the only addition.

124. Europeans already find no difficulty in obtaining varieties of food in Larut. The Bassars well stocke.. markets are well stocked with fish, ducks, and fowls, buffalo meat, all kinds of tin stóres, wine, beer, sauces, biscuits, and many kinds of vegetables.

125. The dress of the Malays, both of men and women, cannot be regarded as at all Dr picturesque, but it is, on the contrary, extremely ugly. The men wear either a loose cloth jacket, a fashion lately borrowed from the Europeans,or a shirt made of coloured or white calico, with a pair of rather loose trousers tight at the ankle. Over the latter is worn the cloth known as the "sarong." This is entirely shapeless, being simply a few yards of checked cloth (generally of bright colours), sewn together. This cloth is fastened in the most primitive manner possible, being simply taken and tucked round the waist so as to be perfectly tight behind, but having large folds in front, which cause it to hang in as ungraceful a fashion as can well be imagnied.

WOMAN,

126. The women also wear the "sarong" in exactly the same manner, but over it the Dr of Malay "kobaya." This is simply a tightly-fitting dressing gown, made of printed cotton. When out of doors they add a second sarong, which is thrown over the head and shoulders, and being drawn before the face acts when required as a veil.

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127. Previously to the pacification of Perak in January 1874, there were but two Roads and bridges. roads in Larut; one, seven miles in length, from the landing place on the Larut River at Ujang Tembo to Kotah Klian, and the other branching off from this road at Simpang, two miles and a half from Ujong Tembo, to Bukit to Gantang, the residence of the Mantri of Larut; distant from Simpang six miles,-making altogether thirteen miles of road in the country.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

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