352 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGEAPHY AND TRAVEL 



medans, though very lax in the practice of their tenets, 

 and about a century ago were conquered by a prince of 

 Karang-Asam in Bali, whose descendants now rule over 

 the whole island — a soUtary example of Hindus having 

 conquered and still keeping rule over Mohammedans. 

 The Dutch have no civil representatives on the island, 

 but there are a few Europeans resident at the towns of 

 Ampanam and Labuan Tring. A number of Balinese are 

 settled in the capital city of Mataram, and these are 

 all of the Hindu religion. Mataram is only three miles 

 inland from Ampanam, the chief port of Lombok, which 

 consists of four kampongs or villages, inhabited respect- 

 ively by Sasaks, BaUnese, Bugis, and Malays. Many 

 whalers come here to obtain rice and provisions. The 

 lading of ships is, however, very dangerous, owing to the 

 heavy swell that breaks upon the steep beach, even in 

 the calmest weather. Boats are continually upset and 

 lives lost here, and the inhabitants often speak of the sea 

 as a hungry monster, ever trying to devour them. When 

 there is a little wind from the south or south-west, 

 bringing in a swell from the Pacific, the rollers rise to an 

 enormous height, breaking close to the beach, on which 

 they fall with the noise of thunder,' and occasionally rush 

 up with such fury as to render it very dangerous to walk 

 near the high-water mark. 



The Bahnese appear to govern in Lombok with some 

 skill and moderation, but the laws are very severe, theft 

 being punished with death, while any one found in 

 another's yard or house at night is lawfully stabbed and 

 his body thrown into the street, when no inquiry takes 

 place. The Piaja has a well-armed and drilled force of 

 some thousand men. In the city of Mataram none but 

 the ruling classes may ride on horseback, and every 

 native on meeting a chief gets off his horse and sits on 



