The Rajah Seated Himself Opposite To Her
In A Similar Chair, And A Similar Spittoon And Sirih-Box Were
Held By A Little Boy Squatting At His Side.
Two other chairs were
brought for us.
Several young women, some the Rajah's daughters,
others slaves, were standing about; a few were working at frames
making sarongs, but most of them were idle.
And here I might (if I followed the example of most travellers)
launch out into a glowing description of the charms of these
damsels, the elegant costumes they wore, and the gold and silver
ornaments with which they were adorned. The jacket or body of
purple gauze would figure well in such a description, allowing
the heaving bosom to be seen beneath it, while "sparkling eyes,"
and "jetty tresses," and "tiny feet" might be thrown in
profusely. But, alas! regard for truth will not permit me to
expatiate too admiringly on such topics, determined as I am to
give as far as I can a true picture of the people and places I
visit. The princesses were, it is true, sufficiently good-
looking, yet neither their persons nor their garments had that
appearance of freshness and cleanliness without which no other
charms can be contemplated with pleasure. Everything had a dingy
and faded appearance, very disagreeable and unroyal to a European
eye. The only thing that excited some degree of admiration was
the quiet and dignified manner of the Rajah and the great respect
always paid to him. None can stand erect in his presence, and
when he sits on a chair, all present (Europeans of course
excepted) squat upon the ground.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 303 of 419
Words from 82532 to 82804
of 114260
