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

;138 THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO. [chap.palm-trees, in which the Eajah and his attendants might eat andsleep at the close of each day.And when all was ready, the princes and priests and chiefmen came again to the Eajah, to tell him what had been doneand to ask him when he would go up the mountain. And hefixed a day, and ordered every man of rank and authority toaccompany liim, to do honour to the great spirit who had bidhim undertake the journey, and to show how willingly theyobeyed his commands. And then there was much preparationthroughout the whole island. The best cattle were killed andthe meat salted and sun-dried ; and abundance of red peppersand sweet potatoes were gathered ; and the tall pinang-treeswere climbed for the spicy betel nut, the sirih-leaf was tied upin bundles, and every man filled his tobacco pouch and lime boxto the brim, so that he might not want anj" of the materials forchewing the refreshing betel during the journey. And thestores of provisions were sent on a day in advance. And on theday before that appointed for starting, all the chiefs both greatand small came to Mataram, the abode of the king, with theirhorses and their servants, and the bearers of tlieir sirih boxes,and their sleeping-mats, and their provisions. And they encampedunder the tall Waringin-trees that border all the roadsabout Mataram, and with blazing fires friglited away theghouls and evil spirits that nightly haunt the gloomy avenues.In the morning a great procession was formed to conduct theRajah to the mountain. And the royal princes and relations ofthe Eajah mounted their black liorses, whose tails swept theground ; they used no saddle or stirrups, but sat upon a clothof gay colours ; the bits were of silver and the bridles of manycoloured cords. The less important people were on small stronghorses of various colours, well suited to a mountain journeyand all (even the Eajah) were bare-legged to above the knee,wearing only the gay coloured cotton waist-cloth, a silk orcotton jacket, and a large handkerchief tastefully folded roundthe head. Every one was attended by one or two servantsbearing his sirih and betel boxes, who were also mounted onponies ; and great numbers more had gone on in advance orwaited to bring up the rear. The men in authority were numberedby hundreds and their followers by thousands, and all theisland wondered what great thing would come of it.For the first two days they went along good roads andthrough many villages which were swept clean, and had brightcloths hung out at the windows ; and all the people, when theEajah came, squatted down upon the ground in respect, andeverj' man riding got off his horse and squatted down also, andmany joined the procession at every village. At the placewhere they stopped for the night, the people had placed stakesalong each side of the roads in front of the houses. Thesewere split crosswise at the top, and in the cleft were fastenedlittle clay lamps, and between them were stuck the green leaves