390 VISIT FROM THE RAJAH. 



jackets, some having, and others being deficient 

 in sleeves, and all seemed to have dressed them- 

 selves in their best apparel ; all wore elegant 

 krisses, for the whole of the natives, whether of 

 the Malay or Hindostanee races, wear the Kris 

 or the Klawang, (a kind of short sword,) and 

 are seldom or never seen without : the manu- 

 facture of these weapons diaries both in the blades 

 and handles, and all the varieties are designated 

 by distinct native names ; from the form of the 

 blades severe wounds must be caused by them, 

 and many of the natives wore scars obtained by 

 them in their private quarrels. The handles 

 were formed of whale's teeth, or buffalo horn ; 

 and the sheaths of various beautiful woods, of 

 which a kind of satin-wood seemed to have the 

 preference ; the wood is said not to be luted 

 together (nor has it the appearance of being so) 

 in the construction of the sheath, but is hollowed 

 in an ingenious manner from a solid piece, and 

 is very liable to split with the least blow ; they 

 are tastefully ornamented with a kind of tatauing, 

 or carving, performed with a small knife, into 

 which, after the carving is completed, some black 

 pigment is rubbed, which gives an increased 

 effect to the decoration. They place a high 

 value on the krisses and klawangs, and they are 

 usually ornamented with gold or silver, accord- 



