much on a common ground, and were apparently untrammelled
by that strict and exclusive etiquette so
characteristic of the Bornean Malays. Some of the
ladies were very comely and richly dressed, notably the
court ladies and the pretty wife of Datu Haroun, the
former Sulu governor of Sandakan. This lady spoke
Malay well, an accomplishment which few of the Sulu
women possess, and we spent a very pleasant quarter
of an hour in her company.
The dress of the Sulu women consists of a pair of
loose trowsers of white cloth generally, but for holiday
times often red, yellow, magenta, or blue silk, and a loose
jacket ( baju ) also of silk, often braided down the front,
and ornamented with large gold or silver buttons. Over
these along sarong, or petticoat, is worn as a sash, cloak,
skirt, or petticoat and belt combined, according to the
fancy of its wearer at the time, for to the Sulus and
Malays the sarong supplies the place of the dress and
bonnet of civilised society here at home. Most of the
sarongs worn by the ladies I saw to-day were of silk,
very richly embroidered with flowers, butterflies, or complicated
designs of a foliated pattern, the same on both
sides the material, and really producing a beautiful effect.
I he colours were mainly gaudy and barbaric in splendour,
but here and there real taste was evident. One lady wore
a buff sarong of very rich texture, with a neatly-worked
border in black, while another, in a green and black check
or tartan, was especially noticeable. Bings of gold and
silver, often richly set with stones and pearls, are worn
on the left hand as a rule, but ladies of the highest
class have both hands studded with jewelry. Ear ornaments
are not so much affected as by the Malays, and
although most of the girls have apertures slit in their
pietty little ears, these are rarely used for earrings, being,
indeed, as often made receptacles for cigarettes as anything
else. Ornate cloth or silk kerchiefs and headdresses
of black, yellow, or red, set off their raven tresses
to advantage on high days and holidays, and among an
assemblage of fully two hundred women, such as we
saw here to-day, not two were dressed alike. Yellow
is the colour which predominates most, and the amount
of chrome which would render a European lady most
conspicuous and vulgar, seems only to enhance the dusky
charms, bright eyes, and luxuriant hair of these Sulu
belles. Only the Sultana and one or two others wore
stockings, and slippers were only used by the elite, and
to these they seemed a superfluity, since they mostly
carried them in their hands. The abundance of hair
possessed by these women is a noticeable feature, and
they do not dress it so neatly as the Malays, but merely
comb it out straight, after which it is loosely knotted up
so as to form a mass on the top or one side of the head.
From the opportunities I had of seeing the Sulu
women generally, I should say that they are far superior to
the men, and evidently have, as has been before noticed,
great influence with their husbands. A present to the
Sultana and one or two of the Datu’s wives, would he
amply sufficient to ensure the safety and popularity of a
traveller here, a secret well known to the rich Chinese
traders, who make visits hither occasionally during the
year. Wishing to pay our respects to the Sultan ere
leaving for the night, we sought His Highness in vain
for some time, but at last found him with one of our
Chinese friends, smoking opium in a gloomy little compartment,
from the close, penetrating odour of which we
were glad to escape as quickly as possible. We went on
board, but did not sleep much, owing to the talking and
gong-beating, which continued almost all night. We