3ig SUMATRA, 
tachment to their old eftablifhed cuQoms and laws. The king ufually 
maintains a guard of an hundred Sepoys (from the Cmmmdel coaft) 
about his palace, but pays them indifferently. 
The grand council of the nation confifts of, the King or SuHan, 
four Ooloohalkngs^ and eight of a lower .degree, who fit on his right 
hand; and fixteen cajoorangs^ who fit on his left. At the king's 
feet fits a woman^ to whom he makes known his plcafure ; by ber 
it is communicated to an Eunuch, who fits next to her, and by him to 
an officer named Cajooran Gondongf who then proclaims it aloud to the 
affembly. There arc alfo prefenttwo other officers, one of whom has the 
government of the Bazar or market, and the other, the fuperintending 
and carrying into execution th nunifhment of criminals. All matters 
relative to commerce and thecuftoms of the port come under thejurif- 
dl<ftion of the Skahandar^ who performs the ceremony of giving the 
chap or licenfe for trade ; which is done by lifting a golden hafted cree£b 
over the head of the merchant who arrives, and without which he dares 
not to land his goocis. Prefents, the value of which are become pretty 
regularly afcertained, are then fent to the king and his ofiScers. If the 
ftrangcr be in the fiylc of aa cmbaffiiclor, tEie royal elephants are fent 
down to carry him ai^his letters to the monarch's prefence, thefe being 
fii-il delivered into the hands of an eunuch who places them in a iilver 
diih, covered with rich filk, on the back of the largft elephant, which 
is provided with a machine ( bonder ) for that purpofe. Within about 
an hundred yards of an open hall where the king fits, the cavalcade ftops^ 
and the embaffador difmounts and makes his obeifance by bending his 
body, and lifting his joined hands to his head. When he enters the 
palace* if an European^ he is obliged to take off his flioes and having 
made a fecond obeifance, is feated upon a carpet on the floor, where 
held is brought to him. The throne was fome years ago of ivory and 
tortoifefhel, and when the place was governed by Queens, a curtain of 
gauze was hung before it, which did not obftrudt the audience, but pre- 
vented any perfedb view. The Granger, after fome general difcourfe,, 
IS then conducted to a feperate building where he is entertained with 
the delicacies of the country, by the officers of ftate, and in the evening 
returns 
