An Excursion. 181 



after "which the rest fell to. They rolled up balls of rice in 

 their hands, dipped them in the gravy and swallowed them 

 rapidly, with little pieces of meat and fowl cooked in a variety 

 of ways, A boy fanned the young Rajah while eating. He 

 was a youth of about fifteen, and had already three wives. All 

 wore the kris, or Malay crooked dagger, on the beauty and 

 value of which they greatly pride themselves. A companion 

 of the Rajah's had one with a golden handle, in which were 

 set twenty-eight diamonds and several other jewels. He said 

 it had cost him £700. The sheaths are of ornamental wood 

 and ivory, often covered on one side with gold. The blades 

 are beautifully veined with white metal worked into the iron, 

 and they are kept very carefully. Every man without ex- 

 ception carries a kris, stuck behind into the large waist-cloth 

 which all wear, and it is generally the most valuable piece of 

 projjerty he possesses. 



A few days afterward our long-talked-of excursion to Gu- 

 nong Sari took place. Our party was increased, by the cap- 

 tain and supercargo of a Hambui-g ship loading with rice for 

 China. We were mounted on a very miscellaneous lot of 

 Lombock ponies, which we had some difficulty in supplying 

 with the necessary saddles, etc. ; and most of us had to patch 

 up our girths, bridles, or stirrup-leathers as best we could. 

 We passed through Mataram, where we were joined by our 

 friend Gusti Gadioca, mounted on a handsome black horse, 

 and riding, as all the natives do, without saddle or stirrups, 

 using only a handsome saddle-cloth and very ornamental bri- 

 dle. About three miles further, along pleasant by-ways, 

 brought us to the place. We entered thi-ough a rather hand- 

 some brick gateway supported by hideous Hindoo deities in 

 stone. Within was an inclosure with two square fish-ponds 

 and some fine trees ; then another gateway, through which 

 we entered into a park. On the right was a brick house, 

 built somewhat in the Hindoo style, and placed on a high 

 terrace or platform ; on the left a large fish-pond, supplied by 

 a little rivulet which entered in out of the mouth of a ecisran- 

 tic crocodile well executed in brick and stone. The edges, of 

 the pond were bricked, and in the centre rose a fantastic and 

 picturesque pavilion ornamented with grotesque statues. The 

 pond was well stocked with fine fish, which come everv morn- 



