THE EMPEROR OF SOLO. 235 



pendence on that day to see all that might be of 

 interest, I politely declined the banquet, which, 1 after- 

 wards heard, had been a veiy formal and prosy affair, 

 winding up with the usual loyal toasts. 



Besides the Emperor, the nominal Sovereign of the 

 district, there is another native prince, residing in the 

 capital, Mangkou Negoro, a rich and more enlightened 

 man, who affects European manners, dress, and con- 

 versation. He acts as a counterpoise or spy upon the 

 quasi-ruler of this diminutive empire, whose entire 

 population is barely 400,000 souls, 10,000 of which are 

 said to be in the latter's direct service within the walls 

 of the Kraton, enclosing park and palace. There is 

 also a Dutch fort in its immediate neighbourhood com- 

 manding the town. The province owes its fertility to 

 the river Solo and its numerous affluents ; the former 

 reaches the sea in the Strait of Soerabaya, whicli 

 separates Java from the island of Madura. The natives 

 are very docile, and give little trouble to Prince or 

 Resident ; they dress in sarong and blouse, men and 

 women alike, indigo being principally used for dyeing 

 common material. 



I visited the park, which has little to boast of There 

 was a strong bamboo cage in whicli His Majesty keeps 

 his tigers, nine in number, which, on state occasions, 

 are one by one transferred into a large arena to fight 



