the malay archipelago-1-第47章

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s　and　emeralds　sparkled　on　many　of　them；　and　he　knew　very　well　which　way　the　tribute…rice　went。　But　as　he　could　not　prove　it　he　kept　silence；　and　resolved　in　his　own　heart　someday　to　have　a　census　taken；　so　that　he　might　know　the　number　of　his　people；　and　not　be　cheated　out　of　more　rice　than　was　just　and　reasonable。

But　the　difficulty　was　how　to　get　this　census。　He　could　not　go　himself　into　every　village　and　every　house；　and　count　all　the　people；　and　if　he　ordered　it　to　be　done　by　the　regular　officers　they　would　quickly　understand　what　it　was　for；　and　the　census　would　be　sure　to　agree　exactly　with　the　quantity　of　rice　he　got　last　year。　It　was　evident　therefore　that　to　answer　his　purpose　no　one　must　suspect　why　the　census　was　taken；　and　to　make　sure　of　this；　no　one　must　know　that　there　was　any　census　taken　at　all。　This　was　a　very　hard　problem；　and　the　Rajah　thought　and　thought；　as　hard　as　a　Malay　Rajah　can　be　expected　to　think；　but　could　not　solve　it；　and　so　he　was　very　unhappy；　and　did　nothing　but　smoke　and　chew　betel　with　his　favourite　wife；　and　eat　scarcely　anything；　and　even　when　he　went　to　the　cock…fight　did　not　seem　to　care　whether　his　best　birds　won　or　lost。　For　several　days　he　remained　in　this　sad　state；　and　all　the　court　were　afraid　some　evil　eye　had　bewitched　the　Rajah；　and　an　unfortunate　Irish　captain　who　had　come　in　for　a　cargo　of　rice　and　who　squinted　dreadfully；　was　very　nearly　being　krissed；　but　being　first　brought　to　the　royal　presence　was　graciously　ordered　to　go　on　board　and　remain　there　while　his　ship　stayed　in　the　port。

One　morning　however；　after　about　a　week's　continuance　of　this　unaccountable　melancholy；　a　welcome　change　tool　place；　for　the　Rajah　sent　to　call　together　all　the　chiefs；　priests；　and　princes　who　were　then　in　Mataram；　his　capital　city；　and　when　they　were　all　assembled　in　anxious　expectation；　he　thus　addressed　them：

〃For　many　days　my　heart　has　been　very　sick　and　I　knew　not　why；　but　now　the　trouble　is　cleared　away；　for　I　have　had　a　dream。　Last　night　the　spirit　of　the　'Gunong　Agong'the　great　fire　mountain　appeared　to　me；　and　told　me　that　I　must　go　up　to　the　top　of　the　mountain。　All　of　you　may　come　with　me　to　near　the　top；　but　then　I　must　go　up　alone；　and　the　great　spirit　will　again　appear　to　me　and　will　tell　me　what　is　of　great　importance　to　me　and　to　you　and　to　all　the　people　of　the　island。　Now　go　all　of　you　and　make　this　known　through　the　island；　and　let　every　village　furnish　men　to　make　clear　a　road　for　us　to　go　through　the　forest　and　up　the　great　mountain。〃

So　the　news　was　spread　over　the　whole　island　that　the　Rajah　must　go　to　meet　the　great　spirit　on　the　top　of　the　mountain；　and　every　village　sent　forth　its　men；　and　they　cleared　away　the　jungle　and　made　bridges　over　the　mountain　streams　and　smoothed　the　rough　places　for　the　Rajah's　passage。　And　when　they　came　to　the　steep　and　craggy　rocks　of　the　mountain；　they　sought　out　the　best　paths；　sometimes　along　the　bed　of　a　torrent；　sometimes　along　narrow　ledges　of　the　black　rocks；　in　one　place　cutting　down　a　tall　tree　so　as　to　bridge　across　a　chasm；　in　another　constructing　ladders　to　mount　the　smooth　face　of　a　precipice。　The　chiefs　who　superintended　the　work　fixed　upon　the　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。　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　around　the　head。　Everyone　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　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　until　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；　until　they　passed　up　above　the　great　trees；　and　then　among　the　thorny　bushes；　and　above　them　again　on　to　the　black　and　burned　rock　of　the　highest　part　of　the　mountain。

And　when　they　were　near　the　summit；　the　Rajah　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　mov