A VOYAGE TO BORNEO.

121

Then he told us, that he would favour us with a fight of fome of his diverfions,which indeed we found to be very comical. At a diftance from us, behind a fort ofa fcene, fate an old woman with a white wand in her hand. The King caufed themufic to play, and taking himfelf a large ill fhaped, ill-tuned fiddle, nodded to theold woman, "who on a fudden (truck a blow with her wand on the floor : upon which,fignal immediately entered four very beautiful girls of about feventeen years of age,three much of a height, but one taller than the reft ; all drefled in rich filks after apretty antic manner, with coronets of pure gold on their heads, their hair hangingdown in a carelefs, though* pretty order ; their necks, breafts, arms, legs, and feetwere bare, but painted with a light yellow, which they count beautiful. 1 hey alfowore weighty gold rings, as big as a man’s thumb, about their wrifts, and round thefmall of their legs. The tailed: was the richeft drefled, and feemed to reprefent aqueen. They entered the room following ciofe behind one another ; and as foon asthey came on the carpet before the King, they fell on their faces to the ground thenrofe on their knees, and lifting up their hands, bowed low three times ; this beingthe rel'peft due to him. After which they fell into an odd fafhioned fort of dance,which confifted chiefly in fcrewing their bodies into feveral antic and lafcivtous poftures,fcarce ftirring their feet from the ground. The old woman (who I fuppofed to betheir teacher) would often ftrike the floor with her wand, whereupon they would allimmediately fquat down almoft on their breech, and rife in fo flow and whimfical amanner, as cannot be well defcribed. This lafted above half an hour to our greatfatisfaftion. Then they made their obedience as before, and withdrew.

He alked us how we liked it. We anfwered very well, and fignified that we Ihouldbe very glad to fee fomething more of this nature, which he readily condefcended to :but we were told by his prieft, who fat by him, that we muft wait half an hour ; forthat now was an unlucky, or improper time, and therefore God would be difpleafedat it: that the Sultan was a good man, loved God , his women, and all honeft men ;fo they all muttered fomething to theinfelves; I fuppofe fome prayers, or rather fomefuperftitious incantations. After which we had a fecond part of the aforementioneddiverfion, and then took our leaves. He advifed us very civilly not to ramble far byourfelves, neither in the evening, or late at night: for, fays he, there may as yet befome perfons willing-to revenge the injuries they fuftained by your countrymen in thelofs or a father or brother, &c. We returned him our moft humble'thanks for hiskind and generous admonition, and departed to our lodgings at Cay Demon’s houfe,who is a man of as much integrity as any in that country •, but is very old, and couldnot be fo ferviceable to us as he wilhed.

We employed our time in buying up pepper, as aforefaid, till the 28th of July,then we took our leave of the King ; and upon his earned: and reiterated requeft, didat laft promife to fpare him our two gunners to go about three hundred miles up thecountry, to Ihew them how to ufe their cannon againft the rebels. We fet out for■Tatas again, having been fix days abfent from our fhips and houfe.

Our paflage down in the day was as pleafant, as our fatigue was great in comingnp in the night: for we had a very ftrong current, by means of which we made fortymiles in lefs than five hours. The water in fome places, and at certain times, is asrapid as under London Bridge at half flood : the river is about thirty yards broad atthe wideft, and is mighty pleafant, becaufe of the thick woods, and lofty trees oneach fide always green ; full of ftrange birds and monkeys, a great many of whichv/e (hot. There is a fmall town that lay on our (larboard fide, or right hand, in ourreturn, about three miles from Caytongee; and another fomething larger on our lar-vol, xn r board