chap, xi.] THE RAJAH. 267 



while the Jlajali sits no one can stand or sit higher. He 

 first inquired who I was, and what I was doing in Lom- 

 hock, and then requested to see some of my birds. I 

 accordingly sent for one of my boxes of bird-skins and 

 one of insects, which he examined carefully, and seemed 

 much surprised that they could be so well preserved. We 

 then had a little conversation about Europe and the 

 Russian war, in which all natives take an interest. 

 Having heard much of a country-seat of the Rajah's 

 called Gunong Sari, I took the opportunity to ask per- 

 mission to visit it and shoot a few birds there, which he 

 immediately granted. I then thanked him, and we took 

 our leave. 



An hour after, his son came to visit Mr. Carter accom- 

 panied by about a hundred followers, who all sat on the 

 ground while he came into the open shed where Manuel 

 was skinning birds. After some time he went into the 

 house, had a bed arranged to sleep a little, then drank 

 some wine, and after an hour or two had dinner brought 

 him from the Gusti's house, which he ate with eight of 

 the principal priests and princes. He pronounced a 

 blessing over the rice and commenced eating first, after 

 which the rest fell to. They rolled up balls of rice in 

 their hands, dipped them in the gravy and swallowed them 

 rapidly, with little pieces of meat and fowl cooked in a 

 variety of ways. A boy fanned the young Rajah while 



