the rhinoceros. A disgusting sight was the feeding,
when dead dogs were thrown to them from above, which
they all tore at, making a fearful noise. All the country
round is scoured for dogs to satisfy the tiger’s raven-
ing appetite, and a small coin or a little rice is given in
exchange,—it is astonishing that the canine breed does
not die out under these circumstances. Here I also
saw the Emperor’s mosque, a very poor building, constructed
of wood and plaster, and ornamented with
mirrors and roughly-painted pillars.
On the day of the feast from an early hour the
principal street leading to the Kraton, which is
surrounded by high walls, with several gates and
minarets, was alive with natives in gay holiday costume,
and many a long procession entered the enclosure,
headed by a band of music. The latter consisted
of brass gongs of different sizes strung to a long bamboo
pole which is carried on the shoulders of two men; the
sound of these instruments, when beaten by an adept,
is very sweet and melodious, something between that
of a glass harmonica and the bells at our New Year
wakes, especially when heard from a little distance,
and on its gradual approach. The coloured official
umbrella accompanied most of these processions, whilst
some of the members of the Imperial family entered the
gates in a carriage, and four of these were each followed
by a picket of lancers, their occupants glittering with
diamonds.
I must now, however, make for the Residency, the
appointed hour of ten o’clock being at hand, here the
same difficulty unexpectedly presented itself as had
already occurred at Batavia. All the gentlemen, who
were thus assembled, were decked out in strict evening
costume, and I was expected to appear in the same.
Here, however, the Resident kindly came to my rescue,
and made me put on an old suit of his, which might
easily have held a pair of my faille. I felt that everybody
must laugh at the ridiculous figure I cut, which
was by no means a pleasant idea; however, there was
nothing for it but to put a bold face on it and join the
formidable procession of officers and Dutch residents.
The exeat man himself, who in fact © rules the Emperor
completely, drove to the palace in state. Just before
starting, an escort arrived, .headed by the Court
Minister in a carriage, from which he had to alight
at the outer gate, although Europeans drove up to the
verandah steps. Such is the humiliating etiquette
imposed upon natives by the Dutch Government.
Equally strict is that within the precincts of the
Kraton, which, not even the dalem, or reception hall,
the minister or any other native, excepting the