Many of them had
nothing more than a pair of short trousers on, with a dirty old
turban, and even the place of this was sometimes supplied by a
coloured rag, or a cast-off sailor's cap. The Malays wore long
cloths wound round their bodies, with one end hanging over their
shoulder. The Chinese preserved intact their usual costume and mode
of life; and the coloured servants of the ship's officers were the
only ones who were occasionally well and even elegantly dressed.
Their costume consisted of white trousers, wide upper garments, also
white, with white sashes, silk jackets, and small embroidered white
caps, or handsome turbans.
The manner in which all these poor coloured people were treated was
certainly not in accordance with Christian principles. No one ever
addressed them but in the roughest manner, and they were kicked and
cuffed about on every occasion; even the dirtiest little European
cabin-boy on board was allowed to act in the most cruel manner, and
play off the most ignoble practical jokes upon them. Unhappy
creatures! how is it possible that they should feel any love for
Christians?
On the 9th of October we landed on the small island of Pinang. The
town of the same name lies in the midst of a small plain, which
forms the half of an isthmus. Not far from the town rises a
picturesque mountain range.
I received five hours' leave, which I devoted to riding about in all
directions through the town in a palanquin, and even going a little
distance into the country. All that I could see resembled what I
had already seen at Singapore. The town itself is not handsome, but
the contrary is the case with the country houses, which are all
situated in beautiful gardens. The island is intersected by a great
number of excellent roads.
From one of the neighbouring mountains there is said to be a very
fine prospect of Pinang, a part of Malacca, and the sea, and, on the
road to the mountain, a waterfall. Unfortunately, the few hours at
my disposal did not allow me to see everything.
The greatest portion of the population of this island consists of
Chinese, who perform all the manual labour, and engross all the
retail trade.
On the 11th of October we saw the small island of Pulo-Rondo, which
appertains to Sumatra. We now took the shortest line across the Bay
of Bengal, and beheld land no more until we came in sight of Ceylon.
On the afternoon of the 17th of October, we neared Ceylon. I
strained my anxious eyes to catch a glimpse of it as soon as
possible, for it is always described as being a second Eden; some go
so far as to affirm that our common father, Adam, settled there on
his expulsion from Paradise, and, as a proof of this, adduce the
fact of many places in the island, such as Adam's Peak, Adam's
Bridge, etc., still bearing his name.
