chap, x.] BALI—BILELING. 235 



of Japan), a schooner belonging to a Chinese merchant, 

 manned by a Javanese crew, and commanded by an 

 English captain, that we cast anchor in the dangerons 

 roadstead of Bileling on the north side of the island of 

 Bali. Going on shore with the captain and the Chinese 

 supercargo, I was at once introduced to a novel and inter- 

 esting scene. "We went first to the house of the Chinese 

 Bandar, or chief merchant, where we found a number of 

 natives, well dressed, and all conspicuously armed with 

 krisses, displaying their large handles of ivory or gold, or 

 beautifully grained and polished wood. 



The Chinamen had given up their national costume and 

 adopted the Malay dress, and could then hardly be distin- 

 guished from the natives of the island — an indication of 

 the close affinity of the Malayan and Mongolian races. 

 Under the thick shade of some mango-trees close by the 

 house, several women-merchants were selling cotton goods; 

 for here the women trade and work for the benefit of their 

 husbands, a custom which Mahometan Malays never adopt. 

 Fruit, tea, cakes, and sweetmeats were brought us ; many 

 questions were asked about our business and the state of 

 trade in Singapore, and we then took a walk to look at the 

 village. It was a very dull and dreary place ; a collection 

 of narrow lanes bounded by high mud walls, enclosing 

 bamboo houses, into some of which we entered and were 

 very kindly received. 



