The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-04-03
THE LAND OF oPHlR.
Wonderful Possibilities Of the Great na-
lsya Country.

Wonderful Possibilities Of the Great sIa-
lsya Country.
A newspaper heading indicating that
the subject matter Of the dispatch below
is Malaga, ia usually enough TO make the
average reader skip 90 the next column,
and set the Malay peninsula land not
alone flowing with milk and honey" but
actually teeming with tin and gold. Ia
fact, most Of the islands Of the archipelago
are huge masses Of tin, covered % the
depth Of from 40 % 100 feet by the gravel
washed from the main chain OF mountains
forming the backbone Of the peninsula.
One Of the states, known as Pahang, is be-
lieved TO be the Land of Ophir where King
Solomon's mines are supposed TO have
been located. In certain of the valleys
gold can be found in great quantities by
simply digging away the surface soil.
These facts are only gradually coming to
light as the British government. which Is
in control there, is guarding the great
secret wealth of Pahang very lealousiy.
In Pahang a writer could find material for
n novel which. while absolutely true in
every particular, would surely be con-
Gemned rs the work of Eighty roman
ticist.
Great Britain acquired" Pahang in a
peculiar manner. Some years ago the
butcheries and piracies of the natives had
reached such a pitch that England felt
that humanity-and its own interests-de-
manded that she should Interfere The
raiahs were notified chat the Outrages
must cease forthwith They did their best,
but that was not much. and England APP
pointed o resident and counselor 10 the
sultan" This gentleman was promptly
murdered, and his assistant barely escaped
from the country with his life England
then declared war in 1870, and after a
unique campaign captured the sultan in
the fungles and eXiled him 10 the Sey-
chelles islands.
Then an unusal difficulty presented it
self. 1t was impossible to get any one 70
accept the throne; 10 was considered too
much Of a dead sure thing. At last
Hugh Low, Al ex-gardener, who had been
sent 10 Borneo as an orchid hunter, be
came the nominal ruler Of this strange
land Under him everything prospcred
but 10 was found impossible, either by
threats or lattery. 90 induce the natives 10
give up their actual local government and
acknowledge the sway of the British lion.
The sultan Of Pahang prOiessed 20 have
the strongest feelings OF friendship for
Queen Victoria, but unlike Mr.. Salisbury,
he was an ardent believer IN the 'modus
yiyendi." The opportunity, however. came
when Sir Cecil Smith became governor OF
Singapore and the straits.
One day In 1857. the sultan espied a
handsome yellow girl LAYING herself in the
river He nc once ordered the girl 20 be
conducted TO bis harem. COnvulsed with
RAGE when informed that her husband did
not care to part with her he directed that
the inconvenient Celestial should be
"krissed." The snltan's own brother
rushed out, stabbed the Chinaman 10
death, and thereby caused the downfall CI
his powerful kinsman for the victim was
naturalized British subject. a gunboat az
rived few days later and the sultan was
informed that he must demonstrate the
sincerity OF his repeated protestations OF
friendship for Great Britain by hanging
on the spot, in the public square, the muir
derer Of the despised Chinese trader. lie
could not well hang his brother, so he
signed q document conserving TO the Brit
In Selangor, near by, two Australians
once penetrated 10 the heart Of the island
under most discouraging circumstances
and bought the entire valley If Raub from
apative Lignitary. The earth there showed
twelve ounces Of gold 10 the ton, and the
hardy colonials on their return 10 civ'lizs-
ton had no difficulty in floating the stock
Of several mining companies based upon
their fortunate purchase. But England
stepped in again and smashed the whole
Colonel Sellers" project to smithereens
With the announcement that no purchases
Of valuable lands from Ignorant native
rulcrs would BE- recognized. When the
wealth OF the Malay peninsula is eventuelly
developed, the stories Of the gold digg.nS'
Of California and Australia may seem
tame and insipid by comparison
II Is fact not generally known that all
native trrea in tho Tropics are eyecKrecnS