442 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



rockSj while the lightning flashed in broad sheets and 

 the thunders echoed and reechoed in the deep ra\'ine. 

 The Malays who formed iny guard then began to 

 discuss in an undertone, without thinking that I over- 

 heard them, whether the Evil Sjiirit would not^ after 

 all, bring some dreadful misfortune on the white 

 gentleman for daring to visit his abode. One sug- 

 gested that the Battas might yet capture Mm on one 

 of his dangerous excursions. Another said he would 

 probably have an attack of fever (which I confess I 

 myself considered probable), for after such exposure 

 to the hot Sim, and such a drenching, any man, even 

 a native, is likely to find a keen burning in his veins 

 the next morning. The rajah, however, replied to 

 these unfavorable suggestions, that Tuan Allah would 

 take pity on him, and not allow even tlie rain to 

 harm him, for he was a good liiau, and it could not 

 be very wicked in any one simply to go and see 

 where the Evil Spirit lived. My feet and anldes liad 

 become so bruised from treading on the rough rocks 

 in the bed of the toiTent, and so cut from walking 

 through the tall grass, that as soon as I reached my 

 room I went to bed, and did not rise for thirty 

 houi's ; but the rajah's predictions proved true, and 

 I escaped without even an attack of fever. 



A few days afterward, a rajah came from his vil- 

 lage on the coast near Barus, or Barros, a small port 

 about thirty miles toward Achin. He said that 

 some neighboring Battas had taken two of bis men, 

 and had already mteji one of them, and were keeping 

 the other to eat liim also, and that he came to Siboga 

 to ask the Eesident that soldiers be sent to compel 



