127 SUMATRA. 147 



and Avith a headcloth tied about his temples in the fasliion of 

 his district ; but from the waist upwards naked. 



The centre of attraction is the long line of mai(lenljoo<l, 

 glittering in silver and gold of native workmanship. The 

 hair of each girl, neatly arranged and odoriferous from abun- 

 dance of cocoa-nut and cajeput oil, is tied in a knot' behind 

 and transfixed by a high-backed comb overlaid with gold 

 plates ; her head is crowned with a coronet {^igg(^T) of gohl, of 

 form and magnificence according to her pangkat ; a shawl 

 worn sash-wise hangs from the shoulder to the ground, wliile 

 from above the middle hangs a rich sarung, or pottlcoat, of 

 home-grown and spun silk, interwoven ^ith gold thread, and 

 decorated with hundreds of small coins of tlie Dutch mint, 

 which jingle pleasingly as she dances. Above tliis tlie body is 

 girt with a silk slendang, half concealing tlie breasts, Tlio 

 arms, shoulders, and chest are bare, except for the nume- 

 rous gold or silver collars and necklets and bracelets, of 

 patterns peculiar to her marga, with w]iich she is loaded. 

 Often these collars are entirely composed of the large dollar 

 pieces of Spain, Holland^ and Mexico, nnd of English half- 

 crowns. Of the highest-born maidens, the arms from the 

 wrist to the elbow are almost concealed by the display of pure 

 barbaric gold," for they may wear as /nany bracelets as 

 they choose; while their sisters less fortunate in the matter 

 of blood and rank must conform to the regulation number cor- 

 responding to their degree. The breast is overlaid witli 

 crescent-shaped gold plates, suspended in tiers; the Maist is 

 encircled by a belt of one of the precious metals secured by an 

 elaborately-carved buckle of the same material. The rather 

 bony fingers are encircled with many rings, and even tlie 

 nails are lengthened by additions of silver into talon-like 

 claws; so that altogether the Lampong maiden presents a 

 dazzling nppearance in tlie dim uncertain light of a lamplit 

 Balai. The cost of such a costume represents no mean sum ; 

 it is not uncommon for a girl to have as much as £100 worth 

 of ornaments about her person at a festival. 



When all is ready, the ever monotonous music commonces, 

 and the 3Iaster of the Ceremonies, whose place is l>etween the 

 two lines, at a signal from the chief calls — and his directions 

 must be implicitly obeyed — on two of the maidens to dance. 



<i, 



