NATIVE CHRISTIANS. 
bidden in the Mohammedan faith, is too frequent, 
and they are altogether less reliable than their 
Islamite brethren. 
Service is conducted in Malay, and is a copy 
of the Dutch form of worship, singing, prayer, 
and sermon following each other. The native 
clergyman wears a very old and ill-fitting dress- 
suit, with white tie ; and all the congregation, 
men and women, wear black, the sign that they 
are Siranl or “ Nazarenes.” 
It is several centuries since the Portuguese 
brought Christian influences amongst these 
Malays through the teaching of the Romish 
Church, and in Paso there is the ruin of a stately 
edifice in use in the time of Lusitania's power, 
but now greatly out of keeping with the bamboo 
erections surrounding it. It is now roofless, 
except for the arches of a magnificent tree which 
takes root in the centre of the building, and 
whose foliage overshadows the massive walls 
and depends in graceful tracery over the shapely 
windows. 
Paso is situated at the apex of a well-rounded 
bay, measuring about eight miles, and encircled 
by richly wooded slopes, behind which moun- 
tains tower. There is a sort of method in the 
laying out of the village, and easy paths cross 
