chap, v.] AN EVENING PARTY. 109 



Eight and left of us rose isolated limestone mountains, 

 their white precipices glistening in the sun and contrasting 

 beautifully with the luxuriant vegetation that elsewhere 

 clothed them. The river bed was a mass of pebbles, 

 mostly pure white quartz, but with abundance of jasper 

 and agate, presenting a beautifully variegated appearance. 

 It was only ten in the morning when we arrived at Budw, 

 and, though there were plenty of people about, I could 

 not induce them to allow me to go on to the next village. 

 The Orang Kaya said that if I insisted on having men, ol 

 course he would get them, but when I took him at his 

 word and said I must have them, there came a fresh re- 

 monstrance ; and the idea of my going on that day seemed 

 so painful that I was obliged to submit. I therefore 

 walked out over the rice-fields, which are here very ex- 

 tensive, covering a number of the little hills and valleys 

 into which the whole country seems broken up, and 

 obtained a fine view of hills and mountains in every 

 direction. 



In the evening the Orang Kaya came in full dress (a 

 spangled velvet jacket, but no trowsers), and invited me 

 over to his house, where he gave me a seat of honour 

 under a canopy of white calico and coloured handkerchiefs. 

 The great verandah was crowded with people, and large 

 plates of rice with cooked and fresh eggs were placed on 

 the ground as presents for me. A very old man then 



