40 THE SULU ISLANDS. [chap. 



accompanied by numbers of female attendants. There was also a 

 large gathering of Sulii warriors, but on this occasion they kept to 

 one side of the ship, leaving the other to the ladies, who ranged 

 themselves along the bulwarks like an ornamental border in a 

 flower-garden. Most of them were plump little damsels with 

 bright eyes, and though not so good-looking as the Dyak women — 

 who are, I think, the most attractive of all those of Malay race 

 that I have seen — they had more claims to beauty than their 

 mistresses. We regaled them with lemonade and preserved fruits, 

 and supplied them with cigarettes, wdiich they appeared to enjoy 

 thoroughly. Unfortunately they were themselves provided with 

 betel, and before we could interfere, our spotless decks were 

 covered with the juice. The Sultan left his wives to take care of 

 themselves, and wandered about the ship inspecting our arms and 

 machinery, returning now and again to the fascinations of a musical- 

 box, with which he was greatly delighted. It w^as with the greatest 

 difficulty that we induced him to come on deck to be photographed. 

 We arranged a group of the three wives and the slave bearing 

 their betel -box, the Sultan and his Tobacco Box in Waiting, 

 the two Turks and other exalted personages, but although we 

 explained the operation, nothing would induce them to remain 

 quiet for a single instant, and the patience both of the operator 

 and sitters was fairly exhausted before we obtained a successful 

 negative. 



After the departure of our guests some of our party proceeded 

 in the cutter to Parang to stay with the Panglima Dammang, with 

 whom we had already made acquaintance. The distance was 

 barely ten miles, and aided by a light breeze off' the land, it was 

 not long before we arrived at our destination. Others of iis 

 remained behind at Meimbun, to indulge in our favourite flight- 

 shooting among the parrots. Every evening small flocks of green 

 parrots {Tanygnatlmis) and the little white cockatoo fly from 

 west to east over the village about half an hour before sundown, 

 affording capital sport. The former, of which there are two 



