192 TRAYELS m TEE BAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



take seats with us was not small. Our bill of fare 

 was sufficient to satisfy the most fastidious epicure : 

 for substantial diet the neighboring forests had fur- 

 nished us with an abundance of venison and the meat 

 of the wild boar^ and the adjoining bays had yielded 

 several kinds of nice fish. All was prepared in an 

 unexceptional manner, and the rich display of pine- 

 apples, mangostius, dukus, and several kinds of bana- 

 nas was finer than many a European prince could set 

 before his guests. The process of demolishing had 

 fully begtm, when the dark beauties, who had been 

 dancing before the house, came in, and ranged them- 

 selves round the table. My first impression was, that 

 they had come in to see how Eui'opeans eat, and I only 

 refrained fr^om hinting to that etfect to the Eesident 

 on my right, because he had already smiled to see 

 my surprise at our novel reception, and besides, I was 

 anxious not to appear to be wholly ignorant of their 

 odd customs. Soon they began to sing, and this, I 

 thought to myself, is probably what is meant by a 

 sumptuous banquet in the East, and, if so, it well de- 

 serves the name. As the song continued, one after 

 another took out a handkerchief of spotless white, 

 and folding it into a triangular form, began to fan the 

 gentleman in front of her. This is indeed Eastern 

 luxury, I said to myself, and while I was wondering 

 what would come next, the damsel behind the Resident 

 reached forward and gave him a loud kiss on his cheek. 

 "That was intended as an appetizer I presume?" 

 KotuurUjhy "Of course," he replied, and I leaned 

 back in my chair to give way to a hearty laugh, which 

 I had been trying for a long time to restrain, when 



