CH. IV.] Native Princes. 49 



This is formed of a hollow tree trunk, over one end of 

 which a deer or goat skin is stretched lightly by means 

 of a rattan ring and wooden wedges. It is beaten in the 

 evening after the old Pangeran has read from the Koran, 

 and sometimes on the arrival of strangers. Beyond the 

 platform is a large public hall, wherein strangers may 

 rest, and where the natives meet to hear the Koran read, 

 or to talk. 



The Pangeran's private residence is behind, and differs 

 but little from the other half-dozen palm-leaf houses 

 around it, being merely a superior sort of shed, with 

 mats in place of doors. Duties to the amount of ten per 

 cent, are collected from the natives who bring gutta, rice, 

 or other produce down the river ; but by many this tax 

 is evaded, as they drop doWn the river on a dark night in 

 a prahu, and creep out along the coast, lying up some 

 creek until a favourable breeze enables them to hoist sail 

 for Labuan. I have stayed several times at this place, 

 and always found this river chief obliging and hospitable, 

 but a chronic deafness on his part makes a conversation 

 with him anything but easy. He read from the Koran 

 most evenings when I was there, the choruses or 

 responses being chanted — I ought to say yelled — by five 

 or six wicked young Malay boys, who amused themselves 

 by laughing and talking, except just when their vocal 

 powers were needed. 



Two or three hundred yards further up the river is the 

 residence of Pangeran Tanga, and here we went ashore 

 to eat our breakfast of cold fowl and rice, eggs and 

 fruit, followed by coffee and a weed. We bought a dozen 

 new-laid eggs here, also some freshly-plucked bananas, 

 and a splendid durian fruit, nearly as large as a child's 

 head. We noticed a half-finished prahu, or native boat, 

 under one of the sheds, the timbers of which were well 



