246 A NATURALIST'S WANDERINGS 



the person who carried it ahout with him. The bag con- 

 tained, besides, three calendars of different forms — the thief's 

 ephemeris — for computing the day and hour at which success 



or failure would follow the enterprises of his interesting and 

 exciting profession. 



The people of the Rawas are of more open, lively and enlight- 

 ened character than those I had anywhere encountered. The 

 women had less of the bashful and timid disposition of Malays 



w 



of their sex, and were inclined to be talkative and gay, without 

 forwardness or want of respect — altogether a more likeable 

 people than any other in the Residency. 



During my stay at Surulangun there occurred one of the 

 high Moslem feast-days, on which it is a custom of the chiefs 

 to come to express — " inasmuch as it is a day of congratulation 

 among ourselves" — their good- will and wishes towards the 

 Government and the person of the Magistrate. Accordingly 

 the chiefs of the nearer villages, along with a large company, 

 attired in their best, came to the residence of Mr. Kamp, >vho 

 (attended by the Commandant and myself) received them in 

 the verandah on to which they filed, with a respectful salaam, 

 to a seat in Oriental fashion. After a few minutes, to allow 

 every one to become still, the chief of the marga rose; and I 

 shall not soon forget the grace and dignity of his manner and 

 bearing and his perfect self-possession and composure. Making 

 a distinct and separate bow first to the Magistrate (the ruler 



of the region and representative of the Government), next to 

 myself (the stranger and his guest) and^ then to the military 

 Commandant — the order which the eticpiette of the occasion 

 made very proper, and most becoming — he made a long 

 speech to the Magistrate perfect both in expression and in 

 courtly demeanour, and then addressed us in turn. The 

 phrases made use of — many of them, in the Malay language, 

 extremely terse — to express their own goodwill to the Govern- 

 ment were loyal, honourably submissive and hearty, and those 

 in which they acknowledge^ the benefits of good government, 

 and the just and mild administration of the Magistrate himself, 

 were most courtly and affectionate. To myself terms, aptly 

 chosen, were used to signify their pleasure at my visit to their 

 country, their sincere wishes that I might enjoy it, and the 

 assurances of their utmost hospitality and good-will. The 



