250 UDA PRANG 



land could have made no headway in the Malay 

 Peninsula without him, and the United States will 

 find him equally essential to the development of 

 the Philippines— Congress to the contrary not- 

 withstanding. 



There was no sultan at the settlement on the 

 Kampar to use up my time in vanity-satisfying au- 

 diences, or delay my preparation by official red 

 tape; but I did find a picturesque, fine-looking 

 native old gentleman, who, though somewhat pom- 

 pous, and by way of having an exalted idea of his 

 importance on the river, was the essence of good 

 humor, and exceedingly kind to me. His appear- 

 ance, I must confess, did not harmonize with his 

 dignified demeanor. He was not more than com- 

 fortably rounded, yet had a most pronounced bay- 

 window of a stomach, in which he appeared to take 

 satisfaction. Whenever he stood to receive me, he 

 leaned back at such an angle as to leave little vis- 

 ible save this ornament thrust on high, so that, 

 approaching head on, you beheld bare legs and feet 

 apparently growing directly out of the stomach, 

 over the far horizon of which peeped the little 

 round crown of the rimless hat he wore. It was 

 an irresistible combination of intended dignity of 

 mien and actual comicality of appearance ; so irre- 

 sistible, in fact, that I begged Uda to ask him to 

 remain seated when he received me, because I felt 



