THE RAJAH. 419 



such as the arrival of a ship, to induce him to 

 rise earlier ; and he does not retire to rest until 

 three a. m., after smoking a pipe of opium. The 

 old gentleman must have been guilt}^ of an ex- 

 aggeration, when he stated that the rajah would 

 smoke a ball of opium in four days. His highness 

 is only eighteen years of age, and has not at pre- 

 sent the appearance of an opium smoker : it must 

 have been the quantity consumed by the rajah 

 and his numerous followers that was meant, the 

 whole of which was placed to the rajah's account. 

 Pipes of opium were offered to us to regale our- 

 selves, but of course were refused.* 



After some delay, the rajah came to visit us, 

 having just risen from his couch, unwashed, and 

 attired in unclean garments. He shook hands, 

 in the European manner, with the party ; and 

 then, having but little to say, from want of some 

 other employment, he amused himself with my 

 insect boxes, and the insects placed in them trans- 

 fixed by pins : this led to an explanation of my 

 professional pursuits, and its collateral branches ; 

 but as the subject was rather beyond his com- 

 prehension, he became attracted from it to a 



* We were informed, that a law had been made by the 

 late rajah, which still remained in force, that any native rob- 

 bing, or otherwise ill-using, a European in his territory, 

 should lose his right hand. 



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