This is a peninsula, or almost an island, for there is water almost all
round it. In shape it is something like a _dog's_ leg, even as Italy is
like a _man's_ leg.
The weather in Malacca is much pleasanter than in most parts of India,
because the sea-breezes make the air fresh. There is no rainy season, as
in most hot countries, but a shower cools the air almost every day. The
country, too, is beautiful, for there are mountains, and forests, and
streams.
Yet it is a dangerous country to live in, for the people are very
treacherous. There are many pirates among them. What are pirates? Robbers
by sea. If they see a small vessel, in a moment the pirates in their
ships try to overtake it, seize it, take the crew prisoners, and sell
them for slaves. The governors of the land do not punish the pirates; far
from punishing them, they share in the gains. That is a wicked land
indeed, where the governors encourage the people in their sins.
Malacca has no king of her own; the land belongs to Siam, except a very
small part. The inhabitants are called Malays. They are not like the
Siamese in character; for instead of being cowardly, they are fierce.
Neither have they the same religion, for instead of being Buddhists, they
are Mahomedans. Yet they know very little about the Koran, or its laws.
One command, however, they have learned, which is--to hate infidels. They
count all who do not believe in Mahomet to be infidels, and they say that
it is right to hunt them. They are proud of taking Christian vessels, and
of selling Christians as slaves.
There are some valuable plants in Malacca. There is one which has a seed
called "pepper." There is a tree which has in the stem a pith called
sago. Who collects the pepper and the sago? There are mines of tin. Who
digs up the tin? The idle Malays will not take so much trouble, so the
industrious Chinese labor instead. The Chinese come over by thousands to
get rich in Malacca. As there is not room for them in their own country,
they are glad to settle in other countries. But though the Chinese set an
example of _industry_, they do not set an example of _goodness_; for they
gamble, and so lose their _money_, they smoke opium, and so lose their
_health_, and they commit many kinds of wickedness by which they lose
their _souls_.
As for the Malays, they are so very idle, that when trees fall over the
river, and block up the way, they will not be at the trouble of cutting a
way through for their boats,--but will sooner creep _under_ or climb
_over_ the fallen trees.
The capital of Malacca is Malacca, and this city belongs to the English;
but it is of little use to them, because the harbor is not good.