The sheaths are of ornamental wood and
ivory, often covered on one side with gold.
The blades are
beautifully veined with white metal worked into the iron, and
they are kept very carefully. Every man without exception carries
a kris, stuck behind into the large waist-cloth which all wear,
and it is generally the most valuable piece of property he
possesses.
A few days afterwards our long-talked-of excursion to Gunong Sari
took place. Our party was increased by the captain and supercargo
of a Hamburg ship loading with rice for China. We were mounted on
a very miscellaneous lot of Lombock ponies, which we had some
difficulty in supplying with the necessary saddles, etc.; and most
of us had to patch up our girths, bridles, or stirrup-leathers
as best we could. We passed through Mataram, where we were joined
by our friend Gusti Gadioca, mounted on a handsome black horse,
and riding as all the natives do, without saddle or stirrups,
using only a handsome saddlecloth and very ornamental bridle.
About three miles further, along pleasant byways, brought us to
the place. We entered through a rather handsome brick gateway
supported by hideous Hindu deities in stone. Within was an
enclosure with two square fish-ponds and some fine trees; then
another gateway through which we entered into a park. On the
right was a brick house, built somewhat in the Hindu style, and
placed on a high terrace or platform; on the left a large fish-
pond, supplied by a little rivulet which entered it out of the
mouth of a gigantic crocodile well executed in brick and stone.
The edges of the pond were bricked, and in the centre rose a
fantastic and picturesque pavilion ornamented with grotesque
statues. The pond was well stocked with fine fish, which come
every morning to be fed at the sound of a wooden gong which is
hung near for the purpose. On striking it a number of fish
immediately came out of the masses of weed with which the pond
abounds, and followed us along the margin expecting food. At the
same time some deer came out of as adjacent wood, which, from
being seldom shot at and regularly fed, are almost tame. The
jungle and woods which surrounded the park appearing to abound in
birds, I went to shoot a few, and was rewarded by getting several
specimens of the fine new kingfisher, Halcyon fulgidus, and the
curious and handsome ground thrush, Zoothera andromeda. The
former belies its name by not frequenting water or feeding on
fish. It lives constantly in low damp thickets picking up ground
insects, centipedes, and small mollusca. Altogether I was much
pleased with my visit to this place, and it gave me a higher
opinion than I had before entertained of the taste of these
people, although the style of the buildings and of the sculpture
is very much inferior to those of the magnificent ruins in Java.
I must now say a few words about the character, manners, and
customs of these interesting people.
The aborigines of Lombock are termed Sassaks. They are a Malay
race hardly differing in appearance from the people of Malacca or
Borneo. They are Mahometans and form the bulk of the population.
The ruling classes, on the other hand, are natives of the
adjacent island of Bali, and are of the Brahminical religion. The
government is an absolute monarchy, but it seems to be conducted
with more wisdom and moderation than is usual in Malay countries.
The father of the present Rajah conquered the island, and the
people seem now quite reconciled to their new rulers, who do not
interfere with their religion, and probably do not tax them any
heavier than did the native chiefs they have supplanted. The laws
now in force in Lombock are very severe. Theft is punished by
death. Mr. Carter informed me that a man once stole a metal
coffee-pot from his house. He was caught, the pot restored, and
the man brought to Mr. Carter to punish as he thought fit. All
the natives recommended Mr. Carter to have him "krissed" on the
spot; "for if you don't," said they, "he will rob you again." Mr.
Carter, however, let him off with a warning, that if he ever
came inside his premises again he would certainly be shot. A few
months afterwards the same man stole a horse from Mr. Carter. The
horse was recovered, but the thief was not caught. It is an
established rule, that anyone found in a house after dark,
unless with the owner's knowledge, may be stabbed, his body
thrown out into the street or upon the beach, and no questions
will be asked.
The men are exceedingly jealous and very strict with their wives.
A married woman may not accept a cigar or a sirih leaf from a
stranger under pain of death. I was informed that some years ago
one of the English traders had a Balinese woman of good family
living with him - the connection being considered quite honourable
by the natives. During some festival this girl offended against
the law by accepting a flower or some such trifle from another
man. This was reported to the Rajah (to some of whose wives the
girl was related), and he immediately sent to the Englishman's
house ordering him to give the woman up as she must be "krissed."
In vain he begged and prayed, and offered to pay any fine the
Rajah might impose, and finally refused to give her up unless he
was forced to do so. This the Rajah did not wish to resort to, as
he no doubt thought he was acting as much for the Englishman's
honour as for his own; so he appeared to let the matter drop. But
some time afterwards he sent one of his followers to the house,
who beckoned the girl to the door, and then saying, "The Rajah
sends you this," stabbed her to the heart.
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