SOOLOO. 335 



We now learned the reason why the Sultan could not be seen : it 

 was Friday, the Mahomedan Sabbath, and he had been at the mosque 

 from an early hour. Lieutenant Budd had been detained, because it 

 was not known when he would finish his prayers ; and the ceremonies 

 of the day were more important than usual, on account of its peculiar 

 sanctity in their calendar. 



Word had been sent off to the ship that the Sultan was ready to 

 receive me, but the messenger passed us while on our way to the 

 shore. After we had been seated for a while, the Datu asked if we 

 were ready to accompany him to see the Sultan; but intimated that 

 no one but Captain Hudson and myself could be permitted to lay eyes 

 on him. Being informed that we were, he at once, and in our pre- 

 sence, 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 prepared 

 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, 

 seals 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 magnifi- 

 cence. 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 



