360 JOURNAL OF A VISIT 



which they held the honour of this first European visit 

 from any of the Rajah of Sarawak's people. All the 

 houses on the river side were crowded with women and 

 children in all the gaudiness which pink and yellow 

 dresses could display. 



The Balei is situated on the right bank of the river, 

 in nearly the centre of the town, on a small hill which 

 is covered with fruit trees : this, with the exception of 

 a similar one on the same side of the river, and near to 

 the former, and on which the Dattu is now building 

 a large and fine house, is the only rising ground 

 within sight of the town, the remainder being flat, and 

 occasionally inundated at spring tides. After having been 

 some time at our anchorage, a deputation of people 

 appointed by the Patingi came to inform us, that if 

 convenient to Williamson, everything was now pre- 

 pared for the reception of the letter ; the epistle was 

 accordingly placed on a brass waiter with a foot to it, 

 between two cloths richly ornamented with gold em- 

 broidery, one of the persons appointed to conduct it 

 then placed the waiter on his head, and carrying it in 

 this manner, was followed by Williamson and myself, 

 and by the Dattu Bandar, the Tuanku, and the people 

 of the Dattu Patingi, and many others, to the number 

 of three or four hundred, to the Town Hall, a distance 

 of fifty yards, where it was to be received. The path 

 leading to this building was decorated on each side with 

 flags, and the moment the letter was landed, it was 

 saluted by many guns, which seemed to me to be in 

 dangerous proximity to us, as they not unfrequently 



