Another Attendant,
Yet More Richly Dressed, Carried A White Scarf Fringed And Embroidered
With Gold Over One Shoulder, And Two Vases Of Solid Gold, With Their
Surfaces Wrought By Exquisite Workmanship Into Flowers Nearly As
Delicate As Filigree Work.
One of these contained betel-nut, and the
other sirih leaves.
Meanwhile the police, with their bayonets flashing
in the sun, and the swarthy, richly-costumed throng on the palm-shaded
slopes, were a beautiful sight. The most interesting figure to me was
that of the reforming heir, the bigoted Moslem in his gold-colored
baju, with his swarthy face, singular and almost sinister expression,
and his total lack of all Western fripperies of dress. I think that
there may be trouble when he comes to the throne, at least if the
present arrangements continue. He does not look like a man who would
be content to be a mere registrar of the edicts of "a dog of an
infidel."
The Sultan has a "godown" containing great treasures, concerning which
he leads an anxious life - hoards of diamonds and rubies, and priceless
damascened krises, with scabbards of pure gold wrought into marvelous
devices and incrusted with precious stones. On Mr. Douglas's suggestion
(as I understood) he sent a kris with an elaborate gold scabbard to the
Governor, saying: "It is not from the Sultan to the Governor, _but from
a friend to a friend_." He seems anxious for Selangor to "get on." He
is making a road at Langat at his own expense; and acting, doubtless,
under British advice, has very cordially agreed that the odious system
of debt slavery shall be quietly dropped from among the institutions of
Selangor.
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