316 TWO YEARS IN THE JUNGLE. 



can be recognized at sight by the accumulation of dirt and mal- 

 odorous rubbish, and the dilapidated appearance of the houses. 



We went straight to the house of the Captain China (pro- 

 nounced Cheena), the man of importance in the district, who is 

 governor of the Chinese in every sense of the word. His title is 

 Sri Indra Purkasah Wi Jayah Bucktie ("Faii'-fighting Chief and 

 Hero "), and his name. Yap Ah Loy, commonly called by Em-opeans 

 the Captain China. In return for his services to the district in 

 opening new roads and preserving good order, with his own police 

 force, the government allows him a royalty of $1 on every bhara 

 (which equals three piculs, or four hundred pounds) of tin ex- 

 ported, and fx'om this source, and also from his eleven tin mines, he 

 is said to be the wealthiest man in the territory. He has in his 

 employ sixteen hundred and twenty-seven men, and entertains at 

 his house, in true European style, every white man who visits Kwala 

 Lumpor. Unfortunately he was absent at that time, but his peo- 

 ple received us quite as if he had been there, and made us comfort- 

 able with a fine dinner, an abundance of excellent champagne and 

 good beds. 



The next morning, while in the largest Chinese store in the 

 place, buying provisions for our stay in the jungle, we struck a 

 bonanza. We found Mumm's champagne for sale at sixty cents a 

 quart, and India pale ale at fifteen cents per pint ! How they ever 

 managed to sell either at such ridiculously low prices we could not 

 understand, and, to ease our consciences before victimizing the 

 dealer, we told him he must have made a mistake in marking his 

 goods. No, that was the price, and we could have all we wanted. 

 It would have been flying in the face of a kind Providence to have 

 neglected such an opportunity as comes but once in a lifetime. 



Engaging the strongest coolie we could find we loaded him with 

 champagne (at sixty cents per quart !), and marched him ahead of 

 us into the jungle. It was the proudest moment of my life. I 

 may never strike oil, or gold-bearing quartz, or draw a prize in the 

 Louisiana lottery ; but I have struck Jules Mumm's best at sixty 

 cents a quai't. My only regret is that I did not fill a tub and take 

 a bath in it, for champagne is the only artificial di'ink I really like. 



Having slept and breakfasted at Kwala Lumpor, we saddled our 

 ponies, and prepared to move on six miles farther to Batu. Not 

 having enough government coolies, we had to hire two Chinamen, 

 who charged us |2.00 for carrying a sixty-pound box six miles. 



We crossed the river again, rode along a bridle-path through 



