length of each day’s journey beforehand according to the
nature of the road, and chose pleasant places by the banks
of clear streams and in the neighbourhood of shady trees,
where they built sheds and huts of bamboo well thatched
with the leaves of palm-trees, in which the Rajah and his
attendants might eat and sleep at the close of each day.
And when all was ready, the princes and priests and
chief men came again to the Rajah, to tell him what had
been done and to ask him when he would go up the
mountain. And he fixed a day, and ordered every man
of rank and authority to accompany him, to do honour
to the great spirit who had bid him undertake the journey,
and to show how willingly they obeyed his commands.
And then there was much preparation throughout the
whole island. The best cattle were killed and the meat
salted and sun-dried ; and abundance of red peppers
and sweet potatoes were gathered; and the tall pinang-
trees were climbed for the spicy betel nut, the sirih-leaf
was tied up in bundles, and every man filled his tobacco
pouch and lime box to the brim, so that he might not want
any of the materials for chewing the refreshing betel during
the journey. And the stores of provisions were sent on
a day in advance. And on the day before that appointed
for starting, all the chiefs both great and small came to
Mataram, the abode of the king, with their horses and
their servants, and the bearers of their sirih boxes, and
their sleeping-mats, and their provisions. And they encamped
under the tall Waringin-trees that border all the
roads about Mataram, and with blazing fires frighted away
the ghouls and evil spirits that nightly haunt the gloomy
avenues.
In the morning a great procession was formed to. conduct
the Rajah to the mountain. And the royal princes
and relations of 'the Rajah mounted their black horses,
whose tails swept the ground; they used no saddle or
stirrups, but sat upon a cloth of gay colours; the bits
were of silver and the bridles of many-coloured cords.
The less important people were on small strong horses of
various colours, well suited to a mountain journey; and all
(even the Rajah) were bare-legged to above the knee,
wearing only the gay coloured cotton waist-cloth, a silk
or cotton jacket, and a large handkerchief tastefully folded
round the head. Every one was attended by one or two
servants bearing his sirih and betel boxes, who were also
mounted on ponies; and great numbers more had gone on
in advance or waited to bring up the rear. The men in
authority were numbered by hundreds and their followers
by thousands, and all the island wondered what great thing
would come of it.
For the first two days they went along good roads and
through many villages which were swept clean, and where
bright cloths were hung out at the windows; and all the