sticks tied across the top with rattans.
The bottom of the pole has an iron ring, and a hole in which four-cornered
borers of hardened iron can be fitted. The barrel to be bored is buried upright in
the ground, the borer is inserted into it, the top of the stick or vertical shaft is
held by a cross-piece of bamboo with a hole in it, and the basket is filled with
stones to get the required weight. Two boys turn the bamboo round. The barrels
are made in pieces of about eighteen inches long, which are first bored small,
and then welded together upon a straight iron rod. The whole barrel is then
worked with borers of gradually increasing size, and in three days the boring is
finished. The whole matter was explained in such a straightforward manner that
I have no doubt the process described to me was that actually used; although,
when examining one of the handsome, well-finished, and serviceable guns, it
was very hard to realize the fact that they had been made from first to last with
tools hardly sufficient for an English blacksmith to make a horseshoe.
The day after we returned from our excursion, the Rajah came to Ampanam to
a feast given by Gusti Gadioca, who resides there; and soon after his arrival we
went to have an audience. We found him in a large courtyard sitting on a mat
under a shady tree; and all his followers, to the number of three or four hundred,
squatting on the ground in a large circle round him. He wore a sarong or Malay
petticoat and a green jacket. He was a man about thirty-five years of age, and of
a pleasing countenance, with some appearance of intellect combined with
indecision. We bowed, and took our seats on the ground near some chiefs we
were acquainted with, for while the Rajah sits no one can stand or sit higher. He
first inquired who I was, and what I was doing in Lombock, and then requested
to see some of my birds. I accordingly sent for one of my boxes of bird-skins
and one of insects, which he examined carefully, and seemed much surprised
that they could be so well preserved. We then had a little conversation about
Europe and the Russian war, in which all natives take an interest. Having heard
much of a country-seat of the Rajah's called Gunong Sari, I took the opportunity
to ask permission to visit it and shoot a few birds there which he immediately
granted. I then thanked him, and we took our leave.
An hour after, his son came to visit Mr. Carter accompanied by about a
hundred followers, who all sat on the ground while he came into the open shed
where Manuel was skinning birds. After some time he went into the house, had a
bed arranged to sleep a little, then drank some wine, and after an hour or two had
dinner brought him from the Gusti's house, which he ate with eight of the
principal priests and princes, he pronounced a blessing over the rice and
commenced eating first, after which the rest fell to. They rolled up balls of rice