CHAPTER III 
CHINA, JAPAN, CANADA, 1904 
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS 
Penang, lat. 4° 22' N. 
Good Friday, April 1st, 1904. 
After a pleasant voyage across the Indian Ocean, affording the rare 
experience of a calm so absolute that the glassy sea reflected not only 
a brig with all sail set, but the clouds above it, the “ Malta ” called 
at Penang. In this island port, which owes its marvellous prosperity 
chiefly to tin, the Chinese are to be seen at their very best. The 
combination of a British Government with a population mainly 
Chinese would seem to be a conspicuous success. Whether it be 
as coolie, as merchant, or even as magistrate, John Chinaman 
prospers, ousting the native Malay. 
It was early in the morning when we arrived, and our stay was 
very brief, merely giving time for a rapid run round the town. 
Though I caught sight of two large butterflies I made no attempt at 
pursuit. 
We were struck with the artistic merit of the common saucers 
or bowls out of which, with the aid of chop-sticks, the dock-side 
coolies ate their frugal breakfast. The Herculean frames of the 
Chinese ’rikisha coolies were most impressive, especially their huge 
calves, contrasting with the familiar spindle-shanks of India. How 
much of Bible phraseology is simply Oriental, e.g. if the Psalmist had 
lived in a trowser-wearing land he never would have used the words, 
“ Neither delighteth He in any man’s legs ” ; again in showery 
Europe one scarcely sees the point of “ shaking the dust from off 
one’s feet.” 
Naturally enough the local cab-driver has little love for the 
’rikisha coolie. A Jehu said to us deprecatingly, “’Pdkisha man 
no savez; no speak English.” It is perhaps as well to explain what 
Pidgin English is. It may be regarded as essentially Chinese trans¬ 
lated directly into English : a few simple English words being strung 
