ch. xi.] Royal Hospitality. 209 



ments consisting of excellent chocolate and sweet biscuits 

 were brought in. The Sultan's own servant or " boy," 

 " Gelah," a most amusing fellow, saw that we were 

 properly attended to, and told us that His Highness would 

 soon be in to welcome us. After the chocolate, brandy 

 and excellent Manilla cigars appeared under the direc- 

 tion of " Gelah," who seemed to know the habits of 

 Englishmen tolerably well. He spoke Malay better than 

 most of the others, and this language formed the only 

 means of communication we had. The attendants not 

 having brought a corkscrew, he sent off to fetch one, and 

 then poured us out a glass each. It was Three Star 

 Hennessey, and very good. After helping us, the imp 

 took up one of the chocolate cups, poured a little water 

 into it to rinse it, and then slung it out at the open door. 

 He then very coolly nearly filled the cup with braiuty and 

 tossed it off neat without wincing ; he also helped himself 

 to the cigars as though to the manner born. As soon as 

 we entered several boys, superintended by an old woman, 

 had brought in a lot of cushions and arranged them on 

 the platform near us. A lamp, and fancy betel and 

 cigarette boxes were next brought and arranged. The 

 Sultan himself appeared on the platform soon after we 

 had finished eating, and shook hands with us very affably 

 before he reclined on the cushions which had been placed 

 for him. He came in with a dignified step and reclined 

 very gracefully ; but as conversation warmed up he sat 

 upright on the edge of the platform with his legs dang- 

 ling down in front, apparently as free and easy as a 

 schoolboy on a rail fence. A good many Snius came in 

 dining the evening, so that at ten o'clock the space 

 between the platform and the door was pretty well filled. 

 Some of his people had evidently told him of my pro- 

 pensity for sketching, and he asked to see my sketch- 



p 



