Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-05-25
A Tramp through the Malay Jungle.

A Tramp through tne nAAiSy So"bs'
The day was not yet done when We
reached the outpost Of Siam, to be pick
ed up at the edge of the jungle BY .
Siamese of spe-like countenance and
conducted TO the hut Of the village head
man.
We made ourselves comfortable on
the plant floor, with our backs to the
wall, and lighted the "saybul!ies" that
bad done service for three day.. past.
For more than an hour the head man
and his satellites sat motionless, staring
flxedly at rs, and mumbling In an under
tone without once turning their heads
toward those they were addressing. The
sun sank into the jungle and swift dark
ness fell. The parchmentskinned To-
male drifted into the room and set on
the floor an oil torch that gave . poor
imitation of light. At the dictation OF
the babu of Thenganyenam had jotted
down a few vital words OF Siamese.
When conversation Jagged, / put this
newly acquired vocabulary to the test by
calling for food. The head man growl-
ed, the female floated In once more and
placed at our feet q small wash-tub OF
boiled rice.
Now this Oriental staff of life Is not
without its virtues, but to eat ones fill
of the tasteless stuff without any trim
mings" whatever Is rather pleasureless
task. I dragged out my note book aud
again ran my eyes down the list OF
Siamese words. Neither curry nor
chicken was represented. The only
word that appeared to be of any value
under the circu instances was that for
"sugar." l beloved 1t at the head
man. He stared open-mouthed until l
had repeated 1t several times.
"Sugar?" he echoed, with an inflec.
ton of interrogation and establishments.
"Yes, sugar!' ! cried, spriukling an
imaginary handful over the rice.
The councillors gazed at one another
with wondering eyes, and the word
passed from mouth to mouth-"Sugar"'
"Sure, sugar!" cried James, taking up
the refrain.
A man rose slowly to his feet, march.
ed across to us, and, squatting before
the dish, began to run his bony fingers
through the rice.
"Sugar9" he queried, peering into our
faces. "No! mol" he took a pinch OF
the food between his fingers, put 1t into
his mouth, and munched it slowly and
quizzically. Then he shook his head
vigorously and spat the mouthful out on
the floor.
"No! no! Sugar no." he cried.
"Of course there's no sugarm shouted
James, "That's why We are making 9
bloody boiler. Sugar, you thick.headed
mummym
The official faster retired to his place
silence fell over the company. We
continued to shout Suddenly ray Of
intelligence lighted up the face of the
head man. Could it be because we
wanted sugar that we were raising such
hubbub, rather than because we
fancied that foreign substance had beer
inadvertently spilled on our supper? he
called to the female. When she appear
ed with a joint of bamboo filled with
muddy brown sugar the councillors rose
gravely and grouped themselves about
us. / sprinkled half the contents of tht
bamboo on the rice, stirred up the mess
and began to eat.
At the first mouthful such roar OF
laughter went up from the assembly
that choked in my astonishment. Who
ever would have guessed that these
gloomy faced dignitaries could laugh!
The chieftain fell to shaking as with
fit, his advisers doubled up with mirtt
and aroused the entire community will
their shrieks. Wild.eyed Siamese tum
bled out of the neighboring huts. With
in two minutes half the village hat
hocked into the room, and the othe
half was bowling for admittance and
glimpse of those strange beings who at
their rice with sugar.-Harper's Weekly