the malay archipelago-1-第34章

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；　krisses；　knives　and　guns　are　brought　out　against　him。　He　rushes　madly　forward；　kills　all　he　canmen；　women；　and　childrenand　dies　overwhelmed　by　numbers　amid　all　the　excitement　of　a　battle。　And　what　that　excitement　is　those　who　have　been　in　one　best　know；　but　all　who　have　ever　given　way　to　violent　passions；　or　even　indulged　in　violent　and　exciting　exercises；　may　form　a　very　good　idea。　It　is　a　delirious　intoxication；　a　temporary　madness　that　absorbs　every　thought　and　every　energy。　And　can　we　wonder　at　the　kris…bearing；　untaught；　brooding　Malay　preferring　such　a　death；　looked　upon　as　almost　honourable　to　the　cold…blooded　details　of　suicide；　if　he　wishes　to　escape　from　overwhelming　troubles；　or　the　merciless　of　the　hangman　and　the　disgrace　of　a　public　execution；　when　he　has　taken　the　law　into　his　own　hands　and　too　hastily　revenged　himself　upon　his　enemy？　In　either　case　he　chooses　rather　to　〃amok。〃

The　great　staples　of　the　trade　of　Lombock　as　well　as　of　Bali　are　rice　and　coffee；　the　former　grown　on　the　plains；　the　latter　on　the　hills。　The　rice　is　exported　very　largely　to　other　islands　of　the　Archipelago；　to　Singapore；　and　even　to　China；　and　there　are　generally　one　or　more　vessels　loading　in　the　port。　It　is　brought　into　Ampanam　on　pack…horses；　and　almost　everyday　a　string　of　these　would　come　into　Mr。　Carter's　yard。　The　only　money　the　natives　will　take　for　their　rice　is　Chinese　copper　cash；　twelve　hundred　of　which　go　to　a　dollar。　Every　morning　two　large　sacks　of　this　money　had　to　be　counted　out　into　convenient　sums　for　payment。　From　Bali　quantities　of　dried　beef　and　ox…tongues　are　exported；　and　from　Lombock　a　good　many　ducks　and　ponies。　The　ducks　are　a　peculiar　breed；　which　have　very　long　flat　bodies；　and　walk　erect　almost　like　penguins。　They　are　generally　of　a　pale　reddish　ash　colour；　and　are　kept　in　large　flocks。　They　are　very　cheap　and　are　largely　consumed　by　the　crews　of　the　rice　ships；　by　whom　they　are　called　Baly…soldiers；　but　are　more　generally　known　elsewhere　as　penguin…ducks。

My　Portuguese　bird…stuffer　Fernandez　now　insisted　on　breaking　his　agreement　and　returning　to　Singapore；　partly　from　homesickness；　but　more　I　believe　from　the　idea　that　his　life　was　not　worth　many　months'　purchase　among　such　bloodthirsty　and　uncivilized　peoples。　It　was　a　considerable　loss　to　me；　as　I　had　paid　him　full　three　times　the　usual　wages　for　three　months　in　advance；　half　of　which　was　occupied　in　the　voyage　and　the　rest　in　a　place　where　I　could　have　done　without　him；　owing　to　there　being　so　few　insects　that　I　could　devote　my　own　time　to　shooting　and　skinning。　A　few　days　after　Fernandez　had　left；　a　small　schooner　came　in　bound　for　Macassar；　to　which　place　I　took　a　passage。　As　a　fitting　conclusion　to　my　sketch　of　these　interesting　islands；　I　will　narrate　an　anecdote　which　I　heard　of　the　present　Rajah；　and　which；　whether　altogether　true　or　not；　well　illustrates　native　character；　and　will　serve　as　a　means　of　introducing　some　details　of　the　manners　and　customs　of　the　country　to　which　I　have　not　yet　alluded。

CHAPTER　XII。

L0MBOCK：　HOW　THE　RAJAH　TOOK　THE　CENSUS。

The　Rajah　of　Lombock　was　a　very　wise　man　and　he　showed　his　wisdom　greatly　in　the　way　he　took　the　census。　For　my　readers　must　know　that　the　chief　revenues　of　the　Rajah　were　derived　from　a　head…tax　of　rice；　a　small　measure　being　paid　annually　by　every　man；　woman；　and　child　in　the　island；　There　was　no　doubt　that　every　one　paid　this　tax；　for　it　was　a　very　light　one；　and　the　land　was　fertile　and　the　people　well　off；　but　it　had　to　pass　through　many　hands　before　it　reached　the　Government　storehouses。　When　the　harvest　was　over　the　villagers　brought　their　rice　to　the　Kapala　kampong；　or　head　of　the　village；　and　no　doubt　he　sometimes　had　compassion　for　the　poor　or　sick　and　passed　over　their　short　measure；　and　sometimes　was　obliged　to　grant　a　favour　to　those　who　had　complaints　against　him；　and　then　he　must　keep　up　his　own　dignity　by　having　his　granaries　better　filled　than　his　neighbours；　and　so　the　rice　that　he　took　to　the　〃Waidono〃　that　was　over　his　district　was　generally　good　deal　less　than　it　should　have　been。　And　all　the　〃Waidonos〃　had　of　course　to　take　care　of　themselves；　for　they　were　all　in　debt　and　it　was　so　easy　to　take　a　little　of　the　Government　rice；　and　there　would　still　be　plenty　for　the　Rajah。　And　the　〃Gustis〃　or　princes　who　received　the　rice　from　the　Waidonos　helped　themselves　likewise；　and　so　when　the　harvest　was　all　over　and　the　rice　tribute　was　all　brought　in；　the　quantity　was　found　to　be　less　each　year　than　the　one　before。　Sickness　in　one　district；　and　fevers　in　another；　and　failure　of　the　crops　in　a　third；　were　of　course　alleged　as　the　cause　of　this　falling　off；　but　when　the　Rajah　went　to　hunt　at　the　foot　of　the　great　mountain；　or　went　to　visit　a　〃Gusti〃　on　the　other　side　of　the　island；　he　always　saw　the　villages　full　of　people；　all　looking　well…fed　and　happy。　And　he　noticed　that　the　krisses　of　his　chiefs　and　officers　were　getting　handsomer　and　handsomer；　and　the　handles　that　were　of　yellow　wood　were　changed　for　ivory；　and　those　of　ivory　were　changed　for　gold；　and　diamonds　and　emeralds　sparkled　on　many　of　them；　and　he　knew　very　well　which　way　the　tribute…rice　went。　But　as　he　could　not　prove　it　he　kept　silence；　and　resolved　in　his　own　heart　someday　to　have　a　census　taken；　so　that　he　might　know　the　number　of　his　people；　and　not　be　cheated　out　of　more　rice　than　was　just　and　reasonable。

But　the　difficulty　was　how　to　get　this　census。　He　could　not　go　himself　into　every　village　and　every　house；　and　count　all　the　people；　and　if　he　ordered　it　to　be　done　by　the　regular　officers　they　would　quickly　understand　what　it　was　for；　and　the　census　would　be　sure　to　agree　exactly　with　the　quantity　of　rice　he　got　last　year。　It　was　evident　therefore　that　to　answer　his　purpose　no　one　must　suspect　why　the　census　was　taken；　and　to　make　sure　of　this；　no　one　must　know　that　there　was　any　census　taken　at　all。　This　was　a　very　hard　problem；　and　the　Rajah　thought　and　thought；　as　hard　as　a　Malay　Rajah　can　be　expected　to　think；　but　could　not　solve　it；　and　so　he　was　very　unhappy；　and　did　nothing　but　smoke　and　chew　betel　with　his　favourite　wife；　and　eat　scarcely　anything；　and　even　when　he　went　to　the　cock…fight　did　not　seem　to　care　whether　his　best　birds　won　or　lost。　For　several　days　he　remained　in　this　sad　state；　and　all　the　court　were　afraid　some　evil　eye　had　bewitched　the　Rajah；　and　an　unfortunate　Irish　captain　who　had　come　in　for　a　cargo　of　rice　and　who　squinted　dreadfully；　was　very　nearly　being　krissed；　but　being　first　brought　to　the　royal　presence　was　graciously　ordered　to　go　on　board　and　remain　there　while　his　ship　stayed　in　the　port。

One　morning　however；　after　about　a　week's　continuance　of　this　unaccountable　melancholy；　a　welcome　change　tool　place；　for　the　Rajah　sent　to　call　together　all　the　chiefs；　priests；　and　princes　who　were　then　in　Mataram；　his　capital　city；　and　when　they　were　all　assembled　in　anxious　expectation；　he　thus　addressed　them：

〃For　many　days　my　heart　has　been　very　sick　and　I　knew　not　why；　but　now　the　trouble　is　cleared　away；　for　I　have　had　a　dream。　Last　night　the　spirit　of　the　'Gunong　Agong'the　great　fire　mountain　appeared　to　me；　and　told　me　that　I　must　go　up　to　the　top　of　the　mountain。　All　of　you　may　come　with　me　to　near　the　top；　but　then　I　must　go　up　alone；　and　the　great　spirit　will　again　appear　to　me　and　will　tell　me　what　is　of　great　importance　to　me　and　to　you　and　to　all　the　people　of　the　island。　Now　go　all　of　you　and　make　this　known　through　the　island；　and　let　every　village　furnish　men　to　make　clear　a　road　for　us　to　go　through　the　forest　and　up　the　great　mountain。〃

So　the　news　was　spread　over　the　whole　island　that　the　Rajah　must　go　to　meet　the　great　spirit　on　the　top　of　the　mountain；　and　every　village　sent　forth　its　men；　and　they　cleared　away　the　jungle　and　made　bridges　over　the　mountain　streams　and　smoothed　the　rough　places　for　the　Rajah's　passage。　And　when　they　came　to　the　steep　and　craggy　rocks　of　the　mountain；　they　sought　out　the　best　paths；　sometimes　along　the　bed　of　a　torrent；　sometimes　along　narrow　ledges　of　the　black　rocks；　in　one　place　cutting　down　a　tall　tree　so　as　to　bridge　across　a　chasm；　in　another　constructing　ladders　to　mount　the　smooth　face　of　a　precipice。　The　chiefs　who　superintended　the　work　fixed　upon　the　length　of　each　day's　journey　beforehand　according　to　the　nature　of　the　road；　and　chose　pleasant　places　by　the　banks　of　clear　streams　and　in　the　neighbourhood　of　shady　trees；　where　they　built　sheds　and　huts　of　bamboo　well　thatched　with　the　leaves　of　palm…trees；　in　which　the　Rajah　and　his　attendants　might　eat　and　sleep　at　the　close　of　each　day。

And　when　all　was　ready；　the　princes　and　priests　and　chief　men　came　again　to　the　Rajah；　to　tell　him　what　had　been　done　and　to　ask　him　when　he　would　go　up　the　mountain。　And　he　fixed　a　day；　and　ordered　every　man　of　rank　and　authority　to　accompany　him；　to　do　honour　to　the　great　spirit　who　had　bid　him　undertake　the　journey；　and　to　show　how　willingly　they　obeyed　his　commands。　And　then　there　was　much　preparation　throughout　the　whole　island。　The　best　cattle　were　killed　and　the　meat　salted　and　sun…dried；　and　abundance　of　red　peppers　and　sweet　potatoes　were　gathered；　and　the　tall　pinang…trees　were　climbed　for　the　spicy　betel　nut；　the　sirih…leaf　was　tied　up　in　bundles；　and　every　man　filled　his　tobacco　pouch　and　lime　box　to　the　brim；　so　that　he　might　not　want　any　of　the　materials　for　chewing　the　refreshing　betel　during　the　journey。　The　stores　of　provisions　were　sent　on　a　day　in　advance。　And　on　the　day　before　that　appointed　for　starting；　all　the　chiefs　both　great　and　small　came　to　Mataram；　the　abode　of　the　king；　with　their　horses　and　their　servants；　and　the　bearers　of　their　sirih　boxes；　and　their　sleeping…mats；　and　their　provisions。　And　they　encamped　under　the　tall　Waringin…trees　that　border　all　the　roads　about　Mataram；　and　with　blazing　fires　frighted　away　the　ghouls　and　evil　spirits　that　nightly　haunt　the　gloomy　avenues。

In　the　morning　a　great　procession　was　formed　to　conduct　the　Rajah　to　the　mountain。　And　the　royal　princes　and　relations　of　the　Rajah　mounted　their　black　horses　whose　tails　swept　the　ground；　they　used　no　saddle　or　stirrups；　but　sat　upon　a　cloth　of　gay　colours；　the　bits　were　of　silver　and　the　bridles　of　many…coloured　cords。　The　less　important　people　were　on　small　strong　horses　of　various　colours；　well　suited　to　a　mountain　journey；　and　all　（even　the　Rajah）　were　bare…legged　to　above　the　knee；　wearing　only　the　gay　coloured　cotton　waist…cloth；　a　silk　or　cotton　jacket；　and　a　large　handkerchief　tastefully　folded　around　the　head。　Everyone　was　attended　by　one　or　two　servants　bearing　his　sirih　and　betel　boxes；　who　were　also　mounted　on　ponies；　and　great　numbers　more　had　gone　on　in　advance　or　waited　to　bring　up　the　rear。　The　men　in　authority　were　numbered　by　hundreds　and　their　followers　by　thousands；　and　all　the　island　wondered　what　great　thing　would　come　of　it。

For　the　first　two　days　they　went　along　good　roads　and　through　many　villages　which　were　swept　clean；　and　where　bright　cloths　were　hung　out　at　the　windows；　and　all　the　people；　when　the　Rajah　came；　squatted　down　upon　the　ground　in　respect；　and　every　man　riding　got　off　his　horse　and　squatted　down　also；　and　many　joined　the　procession　at　every　village。　At　the　place　where　they　sto