in their hands, dipped them in the gravy and swallowed them rapidly, with little
pieces of meat and fowl cooked in a variety of ways. A boy fanned the young
Rajah while eating. He was a youth of about fifteen, and had already three
wives. All wore the kris, or Malay crooked dagger, on the beauty and value of
which they greatly pride themselves. A companion of the Rajah's had one with a
golden handle, in which were set twenty-eight diamonds and several other
jewels. He said it had cost him £700. The sheaths are of ornamental wood and
ivory, often covered on one side with gold. The blades are beautifully veined
with white metal worked into the iron, and they are kept very carefully. Every
man without exception carries a kris, stuck behind into the large waist-cloth
which all wear, and it is generally the most valuable piece of property he
possesses.
A few days afterwards our long-talked-of excursion to Gunong Sari took
place. Our party was increased by the captain and supercargo of a Hamburg ship
loading with rice for China. We were mounted on a very miscellaneous lot of
Lombock ponies, which we had some difficulty in supplying with the necessary
saddles, etc.; and most of us had to patch up our girths, bridles, or stirrup-
leathers as best we could. We passed through Mataram, where we were joined
by our friend Gusti Gadioca, mounted on a handsome black horse, and riding as
all the natives do, without saddle or stirrups, using only a handsome saddlecloth
and very ornamental bridle.
About three miles further, along pleasant byways, brought us to the place. We
entered through a rather handsome brick gateway supported by hideous Hindu
deities in stone. Within was an enclosure with two square fish-ponds and some
fine trees; then another gateway through which we entered into a park. On the
right was a brick house, built somewhat in the Hindu style, and placed on a high
terrace or platform; on the left a large fish-pond, supplied by a little rivulet
which entered it out of the mouth of a gigantic crocodile well executed in brick
and stone. The edges of the pond were bricked, and in the centre rose a fantastic
and picturesque pavilion ornamented with grotesque statues. The pond was well
stocked with fine fish, which come every morning to be fed at the sound of a
wooden gong which is hung near for the purpose. On striking it a number of fish
immediately came out of the masses of weed with which the pond abounds, and
followed us along the margin expecting food. At the same time some deer came
out of as adjacent wood, which, from being seldom shot at and regularly fed, are
almost tame. The jungle and woods which surrounded the park appearing to
abound in birds, I went to shoot a few, and was rewarded by getting several
specimens of the fine new kingfisher, Halcyon fulgidus, and the curious and