282 LOMBOCK. [chap. xir. 



people, when the Eajah came, squatted down upon the 

 ground in respect, and every man riding got off his horse 

 and sipiatted down also, and many joined the procession 

 at every village. At the place where they stopped for the 

 night, the people had placed stakes along each side of the 

 roads in front of the houses. These were split crosswise 

 at the top, and in the cleft were fastened little clay lamps, 

 and between them were stuck the green leaves of palm- 

 trees, which, dripping with the evening dew, gleamed 

 prettily with the many twinkling lights. And few went 

 to sleep that night till the morning hours, for every house 

 held a knot of eager talkers, and much betel-nut was 

 consumed, and endless were the conjectures what would 

 come of it. 



On the second day they left the last village behind 

 them and entered the wild country that surrounds the 

 great mountain, and rested in the huts that had been 

 prepared for them on the banks of a stream of cold and 

 sparkling water. And the Rajah's hunters, armed with 

 long and heavy guns, went in search of deer # and wild 

 bulls in the surrounding woods, and brought home the 

 meat of both in the early morning, and sent it on in 

 advance to prepare the mid-day meal. On the third day 

 they advanced as far as horses could go, and encamped at 

 the foot of high rocks, among which narrow pathways only 

 could be found to reach the mountain-top. And on the 



