Ill 



ELEPHANTS 



T WAITED on the beach at Trengganu for a few 

 * minutes, until the German steamer was well out 

 of the way; then I sent my Chinese boy into the 

 village to engage living quarters. He returned pres- 

 ently with the information that a Chinese trader 

 had offered to put me up. AH and I followed him 

 up the street of the village, with a group of inquisi- 

 tive natives at our heels. 



Soon after I had finished my first meal at the 

 trader's house, a tunku (petty prince) appeared 

 with his followers. The meeting was solemn and 

 formal, and he went through the ritual of inquiring 

 after my health, though I could see that inquisi- 

 tiveness was gnawing at him. At last he asked 

 bluntly what my object was in coming to Treng- 

 ganu. 



"I have come to see the Sultan on important 

 business." 



He told me that it would be impossible for me 

 to see the Sultan and offered to deliver my mes- 

 sage. I waved him aside and told him that I must 

 see the Sultan personally. 



"Impossible," he replied, and departed in the 

 direction of the palace. The palace was a half- 

 finished, two-story brick dwelling. The Sultan had 



57 



