t68 A JtJORNEY 



centre; I was near liini, on liis rigtii haiid^ 

 and the Rev. M' Borie on his left; tfie iiigli 

 priest stood outside the throne, and many 

 persons placed themselves in tlie verandah. 

 We had already spent about an liour in 

 rriendiy conversation, wlicn there arrived 

 a dignitary of the state termed orang hesar, 

 Ipreal mmi; he was accused of some mis- 

 chief (it appears the aifair was not of great 

 importance). The two parties^ complainant 

 and defendant, made tliree prostrations, 

 touching the ground with I heir heads, and 

 came to kiss tire hands of tlie king, after 

 which they went to take their places at some 

 distance before the tlirone. 



They were both very kindly received by 

 the king, wlio appeared to pay great atten- 

 tion to the cause, hearing botli parties in 

 silence; he afterwards put several questions 

 lo them, and, having received their answers, 

 he became exceedingly angry, assuredly ex- 

 cited h\ hoiTor a( the miscliiel , and began 



