plump, fresh slices of egg-plant. Then came the sambuls, or condiments, more
than forty varieties, in little circular dishes of Japanese ware on big silver trays.
There were fish-roes, ginger, and dried fish, or “Bombay duck,” duck’s eggs
hashed with spices, chutney, peppers, grated cocoanut, anchovies, browned
crumbs, chicken livers, fried bananas, barley sprouts, onions, and many more,
that were mixed and stirred into the spongy rice until your taste was baffled and
your senses bewildered.
We knew that the curry was coming, so we passed courses that were as
expensive and rare in this equatorial land as the fruit of the durians would be in
New York,—mutton from Shanghai, turkey from Siam, beef from Australia, and
oysters from far up the river Maur. We felt that besides being a pleasure to
ourselves it was a compliment to our royal host to partake generously of his
national dish.
“This service,” said the old Tuan Hakim, or chief justice, pointing to the gold
plate off which we were dining, “is the famous Ellinborough plate that once
belonged to that strange woman, Lady Ellinborough. His Highness attended the
auction of her things in Scotland. Do you see the little Arabic character on the
rim of each? It is the late Sultana’s name. His Highness telegraphed to her for
the money to pay for it, and she telegraphed back two hundred thousand dollars,
with the request that her name be engraved on each. Then she presented them to
her husband. The Sultana was very rich in her own right, and left the Sultan over
two million dollars when she died.”
Throughout the long dinner the native band played the airs of Europe and
America, intermixed with bits of weird Malayan song. After we had lighted our
cigars from the golden censer, the British Governor arose and proposed the
health of the Sultan and the young heir apparent. His Highness raised his glass of
pineapple juice to his lips in acknowledgment, and said smilingly to me as the
Prime Minister said the magic word that stirs every Englishman’s heart,—
“The Queen!”
“Your people think all Orientals very bad.”
I protested.