AUDIENCE WITH SULTAN. 



(57 



were dressed with eijual gauditiot^s, in liright silks ; in the 

 selection^ however, of their colours thej displayed consi- 

 derable taste. Many of tlio guards were dressed in very 

 ancient chain-armoui', consisting of akull-caps and tiiriics, 

 covering tlie arms and readiing from the throat to the 

 knee. 



Those armed with sword, spear, and kris did not look 

 amiss ; but two sentries, placed to guard the entrance to 

 this ancient hall of audience, each shouldering a very 

 shabby-looking old Tower musket^ of which they looked 

 very proud, bad an absurd effect. 



After a reasonable time passed by each party in. 

 admiration of the other, the conversation was opened by 

 Sir James Brooke, who, as Her Majesty's ComTuissioner 

 hi these regions, submitted to the Sultaii certaia 

 propositions on matters of haziness. 



To these His Majesty expressed lus willingness to 

 accede ; and he graciously reminded Sir James that the 

 royal family of Soloo were under considerable obligations 

 to the Engli^sh ; inasmuch as his great grand-father. 

 Sultan Amir, having been once upon a time imprisoned 

 by the Spaniards in tho fortress of Manilla^ was delivered 

 from dm^ance vile and reinstated on the throne of his 

 ancestors by Alexander Dalrymple, — a.p. 15^63, This 

 was now the more liberal on the part of His Majesty, 

 because his royal ancestor had not at the time allowed 

 the service to be altogether unrequited ; for he ceded to 

 the English Government a fine island adjoining Soloo (of 



V 2 



