56 THE SULU ISLANDS. [chap. 



represented to him that he looked more than usually charming in 

 his Sulu dress, that he would look even better in the photograph, 

 and finally that, in European countries, curls and twiddles of gold 

 lace were only worn down the leg by people of low rank, such as 

 the Betel Boxes in "Waiting and the like. Happily we succeeded in 

 persuading him, and after he had again retired to make a few 

 additions to his jewellery, we managed at length to form a group. 

 Everything was going swmimingly ; the hand was on the cap 

 waiting for the Sultan's eye to fix itself upon the spot indicated, 

 when suddenly jimiping up, and clappmg his hands, he declared 

 that he would be taken on horseback! " Baik sakali itu!" A 

 capital idea ! The whole operation had to be gone through from 

 the beginning again. 



In spite of the irresolution of the Sultan, it appears that he can 

 occasionally make up his mind. A short time before our arrival a 

 burglarious Sulu entered the house of a Chinaman, — a few of that 

 race being permitted to live and trade at Meimbun. It is not 

 often that Johnny is caught napping, and tliis one was no exception 

 to the rule. But instead of takmg to flight, the Sulu cut down the 

 unfortunate householder with his ])arang. On recovering, the 

 Chinaman laid a complaint before the Sultan, who, on hearing the 

 e^'idence, at once ordered the Sulu to be decapitated. 



At Meimbun we once more resumed our old plan of collecting, 

 and every morning, shortly after daybreak, the little crowd of 

 children awaited our arrival at the bamboo bridge. Our way 

 generally took us for a short distance over a well-trodden path 

 leading to the market, and we used to meet and exchange saluta- 

 tions with small parties of Sulu warriors and their wives coming 

 in laden with fruit and other produce. The gTcater number were 

 mounted on the sturdy little ponies for which the island is famous, 

 and at the ends of their spears dangled a couple of fowls or a bunch 

 of bananas. The market itself would have rejoiced an artist's eye. 

 The bright yellow of the areca and coconuts against the fresh 

 green sireh leaf ; the picturesque groups of natives bargaining round 



