Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
would figure well in such a description, allowing the heaving bosom to be seen beneath it,
while 'sparkling eyes,' and 'jetty tresses,' and 'tiny feet' might be thrown in profusely. But,
alas! regard for truth will not permit me to expatiate too admiringly on such topics, determ-
ined as I am to give as far as I can a true picture of the people and places I visit. The prin-
cesses were, it is true, sufficiently good-looking, yet neither their persons nor their garments
had that appearance of freshness and cleanliness without which no other charms can be con-
templated with pleasure. Everything had a dingy and faded appearance, very disagreeable
and unroyal to a European eye. The only thing that excited some degree of admiration was
the quiet and dignified manner of the Rajah, and the great respect always paid to him. None
can stand erect in his presence, and when he sits on a chair, all present (Europeans of course
excepted) squat upon the ground. The highest seat is literally, with these people, the place of
honour and the sign of rank. So unbending are the rules in this respect, that when an English
carriage which the Rajah of Lombock had sent for arrived, it was found impossible to use it
because the driver's seat was the highest, and it had to be kept as a show in its coach-house.
On being told the object of my visit, the Rajah at once said that he would order a house to be
emptied for me, which would be much better than building one, as that would take a good
deal of time. Bad coffee and sweetmeats were given us as before.
Two days afterwards I called on the Rajah, to ask him to send a guide with me to show
me the house I was to occupy. He immediately ordered a man to be sent for, gave him in-
structions, and in a few minutes we were on our way. My conductor could speak no Malay,
so we walked on in silence for an hour, when we turned into a pretty good house and I was
asked to sit down. The head man of the district lived here, and in about half an hour we star-
ted again, and another hour's walk brought us to the village where I was to be lodged. We
went to the residence of the village chief, who conversed with my conductor for some time.
Getting tired, I asked to be shown the house that was prepared for me, but the only reply I
could get was, 'Wait a little,' and the parties went on talking as before. So I told them I
could not wait, as I wanted to see the house and then to go shooting in the forest. This
seemed to puzzle them, and at length, in answer to questions, very poorly explained by one
or two bystanders who knew a little Malay, it came out that no house was ready, and no one
seemed to have the least idea where to get one. As I did not want to trouble the Rajah any
more, I thought it best to try to frighten them a little; so I told them that if they did not im-
mediately find me a house as the Rajah had ordered, I should go back and complain to him,
but that if a house was found me I would pay for the use of it. This had the desired effect,
and one of the head men of the village asked me to go with him and look for a house. He
showed me one or two of the most miserable and ruinous description, which I at once rejec-
