332 



Interview with the sultan. 



SOOLOO. 



Personal appearance of the sultan. 

 Treaty made. 



and satisfaction. He particularly drew my atten- 

 tion to its little highly-wrought and splendidly- 

 mounted kris, which was stuck through its girdle, 

 as an emblem of his rank. He was in reality a 

 fine-looking child. The kitchen was behind the 

 house, and occupied but a small space, for they 

 have little in the way of food that requires much 

 preparation. The house of the datu might justly 

 be termed nasty. 



We now learned the reason why the sultan 

 could not be seen: it was Friday, the Mahomedan 

 Sabbath, and he had been at the mosque from an 

 early hour. Lieutenant Budd had been detained, 

 because it was not known when he would finish his 

 prayers; and the ceremonies of the day were more 

 important than usual, on account of its peculiar 

 sanctity in their calendar. 



Word had been sent off to the ship that the 

 sultan was ready to receive me, but the messenger 

 passed us while on our way to the shore. After 

 we had been seated for a while, the datu asked if 

 we were ready to accompany him to see the sultan ; 

 but intimated that no one but Captain Hudson and 

 myself could be permitted to set eyes on him. 

 Being informed that we were, he at once, and in 

 our presence, slipped on his silken trousers, and a 

 new jacket, covered with bell-buttons; put on his 

 slippers, strapped himself round with a long silken 

 net sash, into which he stuck his kris, and, with 

 umbrella in hand, said he was ready. He now led 

 the way out of his house, leaving the motley group 

 behind, and we took the path to the interior of the 

 town, towards the sultan's. The datu and I 

 walked hand in hand, on a roadway about ten feet 

 wide, with a small stream running on each side. 

 Captain Hudson and the interpreter came next, and 

 a guard of six trusty slaves brought up the rear. 



When we reached the outskirts of the town, 

 about half a mile from the datu's, we came to the 

 sultan's residence, where he was prepared to re- 

 ceive us in state. His house is constructed iii the 

 same manner as that of the datu, but is of larger 

 dimensions, and the piles are rather higher. In- 

 stead of steps, we found a ladder, rudely con- 

 structed of bamboo, and very crazy. This was so 

 steep that it was necessary to use the hands in 

 mounting it. I understood that the ladder was 

 always removed in the night, for the sake of 

 security. We entered at once into the presence- 

 chamber, where the whole divan, if such it may be 

 called, sat in arm-chairs, occupying the half of a 

 large round table, covered with a white cotton 

 cloth. On the opposite side of the table, seats 

 were placed for us. On our approach, the sultan 

 and all his council rose, and motioned us to our 

 seats. When we had taken them, the part of the 

 room behind us was literally crammed with well- 

 armed men. A few minutes were passed in silence, 

 during which time we had an opportunity of look- 

 ing at each other, and around the hall in which we 

 were seated. The latter was of very common 

 workmanship, and exhibited no signs of oriental 

 magnificence. Overhead hung a printed cotton 

 cloth, forming a kind of tester, which covered 

 about half of the apartment. In other places the 

 roof and rafters were visible. A part of the house 

 was roughly partitioned off, to the height of nine 

 or ten feet, enclosing, as I was afterwards told, the 

 sultan's sleeping apartment, and that appropriated 

 to his wife and her attendants. 



The sultan is of the middle height, spare and 

 thin; he was dressed in a white cotton shirt, loose 

 trousers of the same material, and slippers; he had 

 no stockings ; the bottom of his trousers was 

 worked in scollops with blue silk, and this was the 

 only ornament I saw about him. On his head he 

 wore a small coloured cotton handkerchief, wound 

 into a turban, that just covered the top of his head. 

 His eyes were bloodshot, and had an uneasy wild 

 look, showing that he was under the effects of 

 opium, of which they all smoke large quantities. 

 His teeth were as black as ebony, which, with his 

 bright cherry- coloured lips*, contrasted with his 

 swarthy skin, gave him any thing but a pleasant 

 look. 



On the left hand of the sultan sat his two sons, 

 while his right was occupied by his councillors; 

 just behind him sat the carrier of his betel-nut 

 casket. The casket was of filigree silver, about 

 the size of a small tea-caddy, of oblong shape, and 

 rounded at the top. It had three divisions, one 

 for the leaf, another for the nut, and a third for 

 the lime. Next to this official was the pipe-bearer, 

 who did not appear to be held in such estimation 

 as the former. 



I opened the conversation by desiring that the 

 datu would explain the nature of our visit, and tell 

 the sultan that I had come to make the treaty 

 which he had some time before desired to form 

 with the United States f. 



The sultan replied, that such was still his desire; 

 upon which I told him, I would draw one up for 

 him that same day. While I was explaining to 

 him the terms, a brass candlestick was brought in 

 with a lighted tallow candle, of a very dark colour, 

 and rude shape, that showed but little art in the 

 manufacture. This was placed in the centre of 

 the table, with a plate of Manilla cigars. None of 

 them, however, were offered to us, nor any kind of 

 refreshment. 



Our visit lasted nearly an hour. When we 

 arose to take our leave, the sultan and his divan 

 did the same, and we made our exit with low bows 

 on each side. 



I looked upon it as a matter of daily occurrence 

 for all those who came to the island to visit the 

 sultan ; but the datu mulu took great pains to 

 make me believe that a great favour had been 

 granted in allowing us a sight of his ruler. On the | 

 other hand, I dwelt upon the condescension it was 

 on my part to visit him, and I refused to admit 

 that I was under any gratitude or obligation for 

 the sight of His Majesty the Sultan Mohammed 

 Damaliel Kisand, but said that he might feel grate- 

 ful to me if he signed the treaty I would prepare 

 for him. 



On our return from the sultan's to the datu 

 mulu's house, we found even a greater crowd than 

 before. The datu, however, contrived to get us 

 seats. The attraction which drew it together was 

 to look at Mr. Agate, who was taking a sketch of 

 Mohammed Polalu, the sultan's son, and next heir 

 to the throne. I had hoped to procure one of 



* Chewing the betel-nut and pepper-leaf also produces 

 this effect, and is carried to a great extent among these 

 islanders. 



t The sultan, on the visit of one of our merchant-vessels, 

 had informed the supercargo that he wished to encourage 

 our trade, and to see the vessels of the United States coming 

 to his port. 



