ei A VISIT TO THE INDlAtX ARCHIPELAGO. 



would ride up alongside ; then both wowld start off in a 

 line of their own choosing, at a brisk trot, at which kind 

 of pace the races were generally contested. On several 

 occasions I noticed a ruffian, apparently mounted no 

 better than liis neighbours, start out from the crowd,— 

 still no one seemed to accept the challeuge, Thcso men 

 I found were a sort of bravo, whom nobody cared to 

 quarrel with, which such an offence as beating them at a 

 race would be sure to end in. Wben any of these known 

 diaracfccrs G^me out, they were loudly cheered by tbo 

 spectators. Their seat and gait were awkward in the 

 extreme, but they did not seem to think so, and I should 

 not have willingly ventured to tell them so. 



December 80th was the day appointed for Sir James 

 Brooke's interview with the Sultan of Soloo. We landed 

 in fuU costumo at ten o'clock. Having walked over the 

 sea suburbs, and arrived at the beach, we found a guard 

 of honour and attenrlants Tvaiting to conduct Sir James 

 to the Sdtan^s presence : they were a motley group, but 

 made themselves useful in clearing the way. 



Passing within the outer stockade, we arrived, after a 

 few minutes' walk, at tbe royal residence* It was walled in 

 and fortified : a large space was indosed by double rows 

 of heavy piles dnven into the earth* about five feet apart, 

 and the space was filled up with large stones and earth, 

 making a very solid wall of about fifteen feet in height, 

 having embrasurcSi or rather port-hole^^ in convenient 

 places for cannon, — out uf which we noticed the rusty 



