Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the neighbourhood of shady trees, where they built sheds and huts of bamboo well thatched
with the leaves of palm-trees, in which the Rajah and his attendants might eat and sleep at
the close of each day.
And when all was ready, the princes and priests and chief men came again to the Rajah, to
tell him what had been done and to ask him when he would go up the mountain. And he
fixed a day, and ordered every man of rank and authority to accompany him, to do honour to
the great spirit who had bid him undertake the journey, and to show how willingly they
obeyed his commands. And then there was much preparation throughout the whole island.
The best cattle were killed and the meat salted and sun-dried; and abundance of red peppers
and sweet potatoes were gathered; and the tall pinang-trees were climbed for the spicy betel
nut, the sirih-leaf was tied up in bundles, and every man filled his tobacco pouch and lime
box to the brim, so that he might not want any of the materials for chewing the refreshing
betel during the journey. And the stores of provisions were sent on a day in advance. And on
the day before that appointed for starting, all the chiefs both great and small came to Matar-
am, the abode of the king, with their horses and their servants, and the bearers of their sirih
boxes, and their sleeping-mats, and their provisions. And they encamped under the tall
Waringin-trees that border all the roads about Mataram, and with blazing fires frighted away
the ghouls and evil spirits that nightly haunt the gloomy avenues.
In the morning a great procession was formed to conduct the Rajah to the mountain. And
the royal princes and relations of the Rajah mounted their black horses, whose tails swept
the ground; they used no saddle or stirrups, but sat upon a cloth of gay colours; the bits were
of silver and the bridles of many-coloured cords. The less important people were on small
strong horses of various colours, well suited to a mountain journey; and all (even the Rajah)
were bare-legged to above the knee, wearing only the gay coloured cotton waist-cloth, a silk
or cotton jacket, and a large handkerchief tastefully folded round the head. Every one was
attended by one or two servants bearing his sirih and betel boxes, who were also mounted
on ponies; and great numbers more had gone on in advance or waited to bring up the rear.
The men in authority were numbered by hundreds and their followers by thousands, and all
the island wondered what great thing would come of it.
For the first two days they went along good roads and through many villages which were
swept clean, and where bright cloths were hung out at the windows; and all the people,
when the Rajah came, squatted down upon the ground in respect, and every man riding got
off his horse and squatted down also, and many joined the procession at every village. At
the place where they stopped for the night, the people had placed stakes along each side of
the roads in front of the houses. These were split crosswise at the top, and in the cleft were
