Turning Our Horses To Graze On The Luxuriant Glass Of
The Courtyard, We Waited Until The Great Man's Malay Interpreter
Appeared, Who Inquired Our Business And Informed Us That The Pumbuckle
(Chief) Was At The Rajah's House, But Would Soon Be Back.
As we had
not yet breakfasted, we begged he would get us something to eat,
which be promised to do as soon as possible.
It was however about
two hours before anything appeared, when a small tray was brought
containing two saucers of rice, four small fried fish, and a few
vegetables. Having made as good a breakfast as we could, we strolled
about the village, and returning, amused ourselves by conversation
with a number of men and boys who gathered around us; and by
exchanging glances and smiles with a number of women and girls who
peeped at us through half-opened doors and other crevices. Two little
boys named Mousa and Isa (Moses and Jesus) were great friends with
us, and an impudent little rascal called Kachang (a bean) made us
all laugh by his mimicry and antics.
At length, about four o'clock, the Pumbuckle made his appearance,
and we informed him of our desire to stay with him a few days, to
shoot birds and see the country. At this he seemed somewhat
disturbed, and asked if we had brought a letter from the Anak
Agong (Son of Heaven) which is the title of the Rajah of Lombock.
This we had not done, thinking it quite unnecessary; and he then
abruptly told us that he must go and speak to his Rajah, to see
if we could stay. Hours passed away, night came, and he did not
return. I began to think we were suspected of some evil designs,
for the Pumbuckle was evidently afraid of getting himself into
trouble. He is a Sassak prince, and, though a supporter of the
present Rajah, is related to some of the heads of a conspiracy
which was quelled a few years since.
About five o'clock a pack-horse bearing my guns and clothes
arrived, with my men Ali and Manuel, who had come on foot. The
sun set, and it soon became dark, and we got rather hungry as we
sat wearily under the shed and no one came. Still hour after hour
we waited, until about nine o'clock, the Pumbuckle, the Rajah,
some priests, and a number of their followers arrived and took
their seats around us. We shook hands, and for some minutes there
was a dead silence. Then the Rajah asked what we wanted; to which
Mr. Ross replied by endeavouring to make them understand who we
were, and why we had come, and that we had no sinister intentions
whatever; and that we had not brought a letter from the "Anak
Agong," merely because we had thought it quite unnecessary. A
long conversation in the Bali language then took place, and
questions were asked about my guns, and what powder I had, and
whether I used shot or bullets; also what the birds were for, and
how I preserved them, and what was done with them in England.
Each of my answers and explanations was followed by a low and
serious conversation which we could not understand, but the
purport of which we could guess.
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