356 SOOLOO 



him. Being informed that we were, he at once, and in our presence, 

 slipped on his silken trousers, and a new jacket, covered with bell- 

 buttons ; put on his slippers, strapped himself round with a long silken 

 net sash, into which he stuck his kris, and, with umbrella in hand, 

 said he was ready. He now led the way out of his house, leaving 

 the motley group behind, and we took the path to the interior of the 

 town, towards the Sultan's. The Datu and I walked hand in hand, 

 on a roadway about ten feet wide, with a small stream running on 

 each side. Captain Hudson and the interpreter came next, and a 

 guard of six trusty slaves brought up the rear. 



When we reached the outskirts of the town, about half a mile from 

 the Datu's, we came to the Sultan's residence, where he was pre- 

 pared to receive us in state. His house is constructed in the same 

 manner as that of the Datu, but is of larger dimensions, and the 

 piles are rather higher. Instead of steps, we found a ladder, rudely 

 constructed of bamboo, and very crazy. This was so steep that it 

 was necessary to use the hands in mounting it. I understood that 

 the ladder was always removed in the night, for the sake of security. 

 We entered at once into the presence-chamber, where the whole 

 divan, if such it may be called, sat in arm-chairs, occupying the half 

 of a large round table, covered with a white cotton cloth. On the 

 opposite side of the table, seats were placed for us. On our approach, 

 the Sultan and all his council rose, and motioned us to our seats. 

 When we had taken them, the part of the room behind us was 

 literally crammed with well-armed men. A few minutes were passed 

 in silence, during which time we had an opportunity of looking at 

 each other, and around the hall in which we were seated. The 

 latter was of very common workmanship, and exhibited no signs 

 of oriental magnificence. Overhead hung a printed cotton cloth, 

 forming a kind of tester, which" covered about half of the apartment. 

 In other places the roof and rafters were visible. A part of the house 

 was roughly partitioned off, to the height of nine or ten feet, enclos- 

 ing, as I was afterwards told, the Sultan's sleeping apartment, and 

 that appropriated to his wife and her attendants. 



The Sultan is of the middle height, spare and thin ; he was dressed 

 in a white cotton shirt, loose trousers of the same material, and 

 slippers ; he had no stockings ; the bottom of his trousers was worked 

 in scollops with blue silk, and this was the only ornament I saw 

 about him. On his head he wore a small coloured cotton handker- 

 chief, wound into a turban, that just covered the top of his head. His 

 eyes were bloodshot, and had an uneasy wild look, showing that 



