people, when the Rajah came, squatted down upon the
ground in respect, and every man riding got off his horse
and squatted down also, and many joined the procession
at every village. At the place where they stopped for the
night, the people had placed stakes along each side of the
roads in front of the houses. These were split crosswise
at the top, and in the cleft were fastened little clay lamps,
and between them were stuck the green leaves of palm-
trees, which, dripping with the evening dew, gleamed
prettily with the many twinkling lights. And few went
to sleep that night till the morning hours, for every house
held a knot of eager talkers, and much betel-nut was
consumed, and endless were the conjectures what would
come of it.
On the second day they left the last village behind
them and entered the wild country that surrounds the
great mountain, and rested in the huts that had been
prepared for them on the banks of a stream of cold and
sparkling water. And the Rajah’s hunters, armed with
long and heavy guns, went in search of deer and wild
bulls in the surrounding woods, and brought home the
meat of both in the early morning, and sent it on in
advance to prepare the mid-day meal. On the third day
they advanced as far as horses could go, and encamped at
the foot of high rocks, among which narrow pathways only
could be found to reach the mountain-top. And on the
fourth morning when the Rajah set out, he was accompanied
only by a small party of priests and princes with
their immediate attendants; and they toiled wearily up the
rugged way, and sometimes were carried by their servants,
till they passed up above the great trees, and then among
the thorny bushes, and above them again on to the black
and burnt rock of the highest part of the mountain.
And when they were near the summit the Raj ah .ordered
them all to halt, while he alone went to meet the great
spirit on the very peak of the mountain. So he went on
with two boys only who carried his sirih and betel, and
soon reached the top of the mountain among great rocks,
on the edge of the great gulf whence issue forth continually
smoke and vapour. And the Rajah asked for
sirih, and told the boys to sit down under a rock and look
down the mountain, and not to move till he returned to
them. And as they were tired, and the sun was warm
and pleasant, and the rock sheltered them from the cold
wind, the boys fell asleep. And the Rajah went a little
way on under another rock; and he was tired, and the sun
was warm and pleasant, and he too fell asleep.
And those who were waiting for the Rajah thought him
a long time on the top of the mountain, and thought the
great spirit must have much to say, or might perhaps want
to keep him on the mountain always, or perhaps he bad
missed his way in coming down again. And they were