ARRIVAL AT PASO. 
n 
lessening, however, the heat, as the sun rose in 
its strength. 
About noon we were thankful to sail close under 
the shade of the foliage on the shore. You 
must remember that this was my first experience 
off the beaten track. Till now I had been in 
highly civilised surroundings ; and although in 
many cases they have been quite novel, all bore 
the trace of European influence. But here was 
only the forest, and the quiet shore, and the 
native at his daily avocation, quite unconscious 
that the small boat passing held beneath its 
slight awning eyes more curious than usual. 
On arrival at Paso w r e found the Rajah (the 
chief of the village, an official appointed by 
Government, without any territorial possession) 
preparing to leave for a week, to attend a native 
festival. But he has kindly offered us a room 
in his house— a bamboo erection, very neat and 
clean. The whole village is in a bustle. The 
feast is to celebrate the continuance for two 
hundred years of amicable relations between 
this chiefs line and another. The Rajahs 
entire household, except the old and infirm, 
and about three hundred villagers, set off, after 
no little shouting and hurrying to and fro, to 
the boats, the final start for which was made 
