III.] PHOTOGRAPHING THE SULTAN. 55 



it as a slab on which to knock off the buttons of the imperial 

 shirts. 



The Sultan had on several occasions expressed his desire to be 

 photographed, and accordingly one morning, having previously 

 made an appointment at nine o'clock, we rowed ashore, and, after two 

 or three hours' collecting, arrived at the Istana at half-past ten. 

 We were a good half hour too early. The Sultan, dressed in an 

 ordinary Oxford shirt, with a short silk sarong and European 

 trousers, made his appearance with the charming nonchalance that 

 characterises all well-bred people who are late. We sat and drank 

 chocolate for some time, and at length, after a few delicate hints 

 on our part that we were quite ready, he again retired for half an 

 hour or so, reappearing in full Sulu costume of bright yellow 

 trousers fitting close to the skin, a magenta velvet coat covered 

 with small gold plaques set with pearls and emeralds, and a small 

 turban. The latter was of a kind peculiar to Sulu — of brilliant 

 crimson silk worked alike on both sides with flowers, and not much 

 larger than a good-sized handkerchief. We congratulated ourselves 

 on this unusual rapidity, and were preparing our plate when we 

 discovered that His Eoyal Highness had not the smallest intention 

 of being photographed in this costume, but was merely waiting 

 until another was ready. This turned out to be a quasi-European 

 dress, of dark blue cloth jacket and trousers embroidered with gold. 

 But as the straight gold stripes upon the trousers did not seem 

 sufficiently decorative, he set his wives to work to make an 

 additional looped trefoil border of the same material, and retired 

 into the other room. The hours passed on and still the members 

 of the harem sat stitching away, so, tired of waiting, we went to 

 talk to them. They were evidently as much disgusted as we were, 

 and anxious to know if the job could be done quicker, they put 

 the imperial unmentionables into our hands, and told us that they 

 would be delighted if we would finish them. The design, we 

 found, had not even reached the knee, and feeling that active 

 measures were necessary, we again interviewed His Majesty, and 



