TEMPLE OF SOOKOO. 



77 



At Madioen, where I arrived on July 23rd, I was invited 

 by the Regent to be present at a kind of field day held by him 

 once a month. He is a prince of the royal blood, and the 

 highest native in the Dutch service. 

 All his attendants were in their court 

 dresses, that is, naked to the waist. 

 Some sixty horsemen rather handsomely 

 dressed with curious caps passed round 

 in review, after which they enacted a 

 kind of tournament, each couple perform- 

 ing a lance exercise as they passed the 

 Regent at full gallop. It had a very 

 pretty effect. 



On the road from Madioen, I visited 

 the famous temple of Sookoo or Soko- 

 wati ; we had to leave the main road, 

 so mounted our horses and had a most 

 beautiful ride over the mountain side to 

 within a quarter of a mile of the Temple, 

 which is quite different to anything I 

 have yet seen, and for a wonder several 

 of the figures have their faces perfect. 

 Three stone slabs showing the making 

 of the kriss were very curious, and the 

 principal figure in the temple was quite perfect. After finish- 

 ing my sketches, I went down to the entrance gate and stood 

 at the edge of the hill beyond. I could have stood there 

 for hours looking at the magnificent scene before me. It 

 was worth coming any distance, if only to stand on that 

 spot on a bright sunshiny afternoon. 



The next day I arrived at Solo, the popular name of the 



Principal figure in the 

 Temple of Sookoo. 



