184 Voyage of tlie Novara. 



ments of fish-scales, of a species of Scarus (probably Scarus 

 Schlosserii), head-gear, armlets, and necklaces of the teeth of 

 men and wild animals, richly adorned "creeses" or Malay 

 daggers, lances and arrows of bamboo, whose iron heads were 

 poisoned by a wash of arsenic mixed with lemon -juice ; a 

 great variety of musical instruments, among which were 

 specimens of the well-known and singular Gamelang, which 

 consists of a row of bells of all sizes and tones, which are 

 struck with slender pieces of bamboo, and makes a regular 

 orchestra of bells. There was also a very singular-looking 

 collection of parasols, which as used by the natives are em- 

 blems of rank, and of which there are no less than thirty 

 different kinds. Any one may carry a simple green, or blue, 

 or black parasol, but those with gold thread or gold tassels 

 are only permitted to be used by persons of a certain social 

 standing, so that one may always know the social position of 

 a Javanese by the parasol he carries, just as among the Chi- 

 nese, rank is indicated by the number of peacock feathers, 

 and tlie colour of the button on the bonnet. The higher the 

 rank, tlie broader is the gilded fringe, so tliat the parasol of 

 a Javanese prince of the liighest rank is all gold together, 

 and when fully expanded consists of three parasols, one above 

 the other, which open by one and the same movement. Most 

 of these parasols, prepared from_ the leaves of the screw-pine, 

 are imported hither from China. 



In one of the rooms is a statue of Durga, one of the god- 

 desses of the old Hindoo mythology, moulded in metal, a pre- 



