for sale, I noticed embroidered kerchiefs and sarongs,
also rope of good quality. Fish, eggs, cocoa-nuts, jack-
fruit, and cucumbers, were exceedingly plentiful.
It is not uncommon to see some few of the Sulus from
the hills wearing tunics of chain armour, having brass
plates on the breast and down the back, all the rest being
fine chain-work. At the time of our visit Mr. Cowie.
bought one of these tunics for about two pounds, which
he paid in rice. The Sulus themselves say that these
were formerly made in the island, but I t.hmk this is
extremely doubtful; and it is far more probable that
this armour formerly belonged to their old enemies the
Spaniards, from whom they have obtained it during the
numerous wars between them. The most aingnW thing
is that the comparatively few Sulus who possess these
tunics should continue to wear them, as they most
assuredly do.
There are a good few Chinese settlers here in Meim-
hong who have stalls on which to expose their goods in
the markets. They supply needles, thread, betel-nut
knives, cheap calico and print goods, handkerchiefs, and
occasionally blades of the choppers generally used in
Sulu, and other common cutlery, looking-glasses, boxes,
&c. The currency here is now the Chinese brass “ cash,”
the rate of exchange at the time of my visit being 900
to the dollar. Payments of small amounts however, say
up to twenty dollars, can always be made in white or
“ grey shirting.” The packets of Chinese tobacco before
alluded to, serve for small change.
CHAPTER XI.
THE SULTAN’S ISTANA AND THE “ H IL L OF T EA R S .”
A moonlight ride—A fragrant weed—The Istana—Modem armament—
“ Gelah”—Royal hospitality—A social servant—The Sultan—State
sword or “Barong”—A Sulu dinner—A long audience—Curiosity
of the ladies—Departure to the mountain—A newly-made grave—
Orchids at home—A treat for our cattle—Rough climbing—Ferns
and mosses—The summit—Good views—Old traditions of the mountain—
A picnic under cocoa-nut palms—“ Gelah ” v. Hennessy—
Return to the Istana—Further audience of the Sultan—Former
civilisation—Carved wood-work—-Old manufactures—Old enemies—
Physique of the Sulus—A pearl among the swine—Market-people—
Slavery—Language—Land culture—Native food products—Domestic
animals—Sea fruit.
On e evening about sundown, immediately after an
early dinner on board, we set off to the Sultan’s Istana,
which is situated just at the foot of feu’at Timantangis,
the highest mountain in the island. The distance from
the harbour at Meimbong is seven or eight miles, a
pleasant ride indeed across an undulating and tolerably
well cultivated plain. We had ordered our ponies to be
in readiness at the Orang Kayu’s house, and the boatmen
who accompanied us from the ship soon saddled
them for us and made all ready. Mr. Anson Cowie
accompanied me. We had three ponies, two for ourselves,
and one for a Sulu lad who had charge of our
stores, guns, &c., and who came to attend to the ponies
and accompany us up the mountain, to ascend which was
the main object of our journey. All the little details