186 LOMBOCK. 



CHAPTER XIL 



LOMBOCK — HOW THE RAJAH TOOK THE CENSUS. 



The Rajah of Lombock was a very wise man, and he show- 

 ed his wisdom greatly in the way he took the census. For 

 my readers must know that the chief revenues of the Rajah 

 were derived from a head-tax of rice, a small measure being 

 paid annually by every man, woman, and child in the island. 

 There was no doubt that every one paid this tax, for it was a 

 very light one, and the land was fertile, and the people well 

 off ; but it had to pass through many hands before it reached 

 the Government store-houses. When the harvest was over 

 the villagers brought their rice to the kapala kampong, or 

 head of the village ; and no doubt he sometimes had compas- 

 sion on the poor or sick and passed over their short measure, 

 and sometimes was obliged to grant a favor to those who had 

 complaints against him ; and then he must keep up his own 

 dignity by having his granaries better filled than his neigh- 

 bors, and so the rice that he took to the " waidono " that was 

 over his district 'was generahy a good deal less than it should 

 have been. And all tne " waidonos " had of course to take 

 care of themselves, for they were all in debt, and it was so 

 easy to take a little of the Government rice, and there would 

 still be plenty for the Rajah. And the "gustis," or princes, 

 who received the rice from the waidonos, helped themselves 

 likewise, and so when the harvest was all over and the rice 

 tribute was all brought in, the quantity was found to be less 

 each year than the one before. Sickness in one district, and 

 fevers in another, and failure of the crops in a third, were of 

 course alleged as the cause of this falling off ; but when the 

 Rajah went to hunt at the foot of the great mountain, or went 

 to visit a " gusti " on the other side of the island, he always 

 saw the villages full of people, all looking well-fed and happy. 

 And he noticed that the krisses of his chiefs and officers were 

 getting handsomer and handsomer, and the handles that were 



