chap, vii.] NA TIVE MUSICIANS. 161 



feast, to celebrate the circumcision of the Waidono's 

 younger brother and cousin, and had a small room in an 

 outhouse given me to stay in. The courtyard and the 

 great open reception-shed were full of natives coming and 

 going and making preparations for a feast which was to 

 take place at midnight, to which I was invited, but pre- 

 ferred going to bed. A native band, or Gamelang, was 

 playing almost all the evening, and 1 had a good oppor- 

 tunity of seeing the instruments and musicians. The 

 former are chiefly gongs of various sizes, arrauged in sets 

 of from eight to twelve, on low wooden frames. Each set 

 is played by one performer with one or two drumsticks. 

 There are also some very large gongs, played singly or in 

 pairs, and taking the place of our drums and kettledrums. 

 Other instruments are formed by broad metallic bars, sup- 

 ported on strings stretched across frames ; and others again 

 of strips of bamboo similarly placed and producing the 

 highest notes. Besides these there were a flute and a 

 curious two-stringed violin, requiring in all twenty-four 

 performers. There was a conductor, who led off and reeu- 

 lated the time, and each performer took his part, coming- 

 in occasionally with a few bars so as to form a harmonious 

 combination. The pieces played were long and complicated, 

 and some of the players were mere boys, who took their 

 parts with great precision. The general effect was very 

 pleasing, but, owing to the similarity of most of the instru- 

 VOL. i. M 



