The Malay archipelago : the land of the orang-utan ... - Wallace Online

XI.] LOMBOCK : CUSTOMSOF THE PEOPLE. 129accommodated where we were. It was quite chilly, and wewere very thinly clad and had brought no blankets, but all wecould get after another hour's talk was a native mat and pillow,and a few old curtains to hang round three sides of the ojienshed and protect us a little from the cold breeze. We passedtlie rest of the night very uncomfortably, and determined toreturn in the morning and not submit any longer to such shabbytreatment.We rose at daybreak, but it was near an hour before the interpretermade his appearance. We then asked to have somecoffee and to see the Pumbuckle, as we wanted a horse for Ali,who was lame, and wished to bid him adieu. The man lookedpuzzled at such iinheard-of demands and vanished into the innercourt, locking the door behind him and leaving us again to ourmeditations. An hour passed and no one came, so I ordered thehorses to be saddled and the pack-horse to be loaded, and preparedto start. Just then the interpreter came up on horseback,and looked aghast at our preparations. " Where is the Pumbuckle? " we asked. " Gone to the Eajah's," said he. " We aregoing," said I. " Oh ! pray don't," said he " ; wait a little ; theyare having a consultation, and some priests are coming to seeyou, and a chief is going off to Mataram to ask the permission ofthe Anak Agong for you to stay." This settled the matter. Moretalk, more delay, and another eight or ten hours' consultationwere not to be endured ; so we started at once, the poor interpreteralmost — weeping at our obstinacj'' and hurry, andassuring us " the Pumbuckle would be very sorry, and theEajah would be very sorry, and if we would but wait all wouldbe right." I gave Ali my horse, and started on foot, but heafterwards mounted behind Mr. Eoss's groom, and we got homevery well, though rather hot and tired.At Mataram we called at the house of Gusti Gadioca, one ofthe princes of Lombock, who was a friend of Mr. Carter's, andwho had promised to show me the guns made by native workmen.Two guns were exhibited, one six the other seven feetlong, and of a proportion ably large bore. The barrels weretwisted and well finished, though not so finely worked as ours.The stock was well made, and extended to the end of the barrel.Silver and gold ornament was inlaid over most of the surface,An open shed with a couple of small mud forges werebut the locks were taken from English muskets. The Gusti assuredme, however, that the EajaTi had a man who made locksand also rifled barrels. The workshop where these guns weremade and the tool used were next shown us, and were very remarkable.the chief objects visible. The bellows consisted of two bamboocylinders, with pitsons worked by hand. They move veiy easily,having a loose stuffing of feathers thickly set round the pistonso as to act as a valve, and produce a regular blast. Bothcylinders communicate with the same nozzle, one piston risingwhile the other falls. An oblong piece of iron on the ground wasK