Raja Besar, who made
himself at home in the gallery of the long communal house, told me that he
wanted his "children," as he called the men, to remain until the following
day, his plan being to obtain double wages for them. With the swift
current, however, they could easily return the same day, so I said I had
no objection to their staying, but that they would receive no extra pay
for the additional time; whereupon they left without argument.
Comfortably established on the cool, spacious gallery of the large house,
I received articles they were willing to sell, had decorative designs
interpreted for me, and interviewed the more intelligent of these pleasant
Oma-Sulings. On the floor lay an admirably finished plank, which was used
as a seat; it was about four centimetres thick and nearly two metres
broad, the bark remaining on the edges. In Long Pahangei I noticed a
similar one of slightly narrower width.
The women, who were genial in their manners, came to my tent constantly to
ask for tobacco, which evidently was a great luxury with them, and
sometimes they were even troublesome. One afternoon when all was ready for
my bath, which I always take at one side of the tent opening, three young
women came and seated themselves just outside.
