the malay archipelago-1-第44章

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not　yet　breakfasted；　we　begged　he　would　get　us　something　to　eat；　which　be　promised　to　do　as　soon　as　possible。　It　was　however　about　two　hours　before　anything　appeared；　when　a　small　tray　was　brought　containing　two　saucers　of　rice；　four　small　fried　fish；　and　a　few　vegetables。　Having　made　as　good　a　breakfast　as　we　could；　we　strolled　about　the　village；　and　returning；　amused　ourselves　by　conversation　with　a　number　of　men　and　boys　who　gathered　around　us；　and　by　exchanging　glances　and　smiles　with　a　number　of　women　and　girls　who　peeped　at　us　through　half…opened　doors　and　other　crevices。　Two　little　boys　named　Mousa　and　Isa　（Moses　and　Jesus）　were　great　friends　with　us；　and　an　impudent　little　rascal　called　Kachang　（a　bean）　made　us　all　laugh　by　his　mimicry　and　antics。

At　length；　about　four　o'clock；　the　Pumbuckle　made　his　appearance；　and　we　informed　him　of　our　desire　to　stay　with　him　a　few　days；　to　shoot　birds　and　see　the　country。　At　this　he　seemed　somewhat　disturbed；　and　asked　if　we　had　brought　a　letter　from　the　Anak　Agong　（Son　of　Heaven）　which　is　the　title　of　the　Rajah　of　Lombock。　This　we　had　not　done；　thinking　it　quite　unnecessary；　and　he　then　abruptly　told　us　that　he　must　go　and　speak　to　his　Rajah；　to　see　if　we　could　stay。　Hours　passed　away；　night　came；　and　he　did　not　return。　I　began　to　think　we　were　suspected　of　some　evil　designs；　for　the　Pumbuckle　was　evidently　afraid　of　getting　himself　into　trouble。　He　is　a　Sassak　prince；　and；　though　a　supporter　of　the　present　Rajah；　is　related　to　some　of　the　heads　of　a　conspiracy　which　was　quelled　a　few　years　since。

About　five　o'clock　a　pack…horse　bearing　my　guns　and　clothes　arrived；　with　my　men　Ali　and　Manuel；　who　had　come　on　foot。　The　sun　set；　and　it　soon　became　dark；　and　we　got　rather　hungry　as　we　sat　wearily　under　the　shed　and　no　one　came。　Still　hour　after　hour　we　waited；　until　about　nine　o'clock；　the　Pumbuckle；　the　Rajah；　some　priests；　and　a　number　of　their　followers　arrived　and　took　their　seats　around　us。　We　shook　hands；　and　for　some　minutes　there　was　a　dead　silence。　Then　the　Rajah　asked　what　we　wanted；　to　which　Mr。　Ross　replied　by　endeavouring　to　make　them　understand　who　we　were；　and　why　we　had　come；　and　that　we　had　no　sinister　intentions　whatever；　and　that　we　had　not　brought　a　letter　from　the　〃Anak　Agong；〃　merely　because　we　had　thought　it　quite　unnecessary。　A　long　conversation　in　the　Bali　language　then　took　place；　and　questions　were　asked　about　my　guns；　and　what　powder　I　had；　and　whether　I　used　shot　or　bullets；　also　what　the　birds　were　for；　and　how　I　preserved　them；　and　what　was　done　with　them　in　England。　Each　of　my　answers　and　explanations　was　followed　by　a　low　and　serious　conversation　which　we　could　not　understand；　but　the　purport　of　which　we　could　guess。　They　were　evidently　quite　puzzled；　and　did　not　believe　a　word　we　had　told　them。　They　then　inquired　if　we　were　really　English；　and　not　Dutch；　and　although　we　strongly　asserted　our　nationality；　they　did　not　seem　to　believe　us。

After　about　an　hour；　however；　they　brought　us　some　supper　（which　was　the　same　as　the　breakfast；　but　without　the　fish）；　and　after　it　some　very　weak　coffee　and　pumpkins　boiled　with　sugar。　Having　discussed　this；　a　second　conference　took　place；　questions　were　again　asked；　and　the　answers　again　commented　on。　Between　whiles　lighter　topics　were　discussed。　My　spectacles　（concave　glasses）　were　tried　in　succession　by　three　or　four　old　men；　who　could　not　make　out　why　they　could　not　see　through　them；　and　the　fact　no　doubt　was　another　item　of　suspicion　against　me。　My　beard；　too；　was　the　subject　of　some　admiration；　and　many　questions　were　asked　about　personal　peculiarities　which　it　is　not　the　custom　to　allude　to　in　European　society。　At　length；　about　one　in　the　morning；　the　whole　party　rose　to　depart；　and；　after　conversing　some　time　at　the　gate；　all　went　away。　We　now　begged　the　interpreter；　who　with　a　few　boys　and　men　remained　about　us；　to　show　us　a　place　to　sleep　in；　at　which　he　seemed　very　much　surprised；　saying　he　thought　we　were　very　well　accommodated　where　we　were。　It　was　quite　chilly；　and　we　were　very　thinly　clad　and　had　brought　no　blankets；　but　all　we　could　get　after　another　hour's　talk　was　a　native　mat　and　pillow；　and　a　few　old　curtains　to　hang　round　three　sides　of　the　open　shed　and　protect　us　a　little　from　the　cold　breeze。　We　passed　the　rest　of　the　night　very　uncomfortably；　and　determined　to　return　in　the　morning　and　not　submit　any　longer　to　such　shabby　treatment。

We　rose　at　daybreak；　but　it　was　near　an　hour　before　the　interpreter　made　his　appearance。　We　then　asked　to　have　some　coffee　and　to　see　the　Pumbuckle；　as　we　wanted　a　horse　for　Ali；　who　was　lame；　and　wished　to　bid　him　adieu。　The　man　looked　puzzled　at　such　unheardof　demands　and　vanished　into　the　inner　court；　locking　the　door　behind　him　and　leaving　us　again　to　our　meditations。　An　hour　passed　and　no　one　came；　so　I　ordered　the　horses　to　be　saddled　and　the　pack…horse　to　be　loaded；　and　prepared　to　start。　Just　then　the　interpreter　came　up　on　horse　back；　and　looked　aghast　at　our　preparations。　〃Where　is　the　Pumbuckle？〃　we　asked。　〃Gone　to　the　Rajah's；〃　said　he。　〃We　are　going；〃　said　I。　〃Oh！　pray　don't；〃　said　he；　〃wait　a　little；　they　are　having　a　consultation；　and　some　priests　are　coming　to　see　you；　and　a　chief　is　going　off　to　Mataram　to　ask　the　permission　of　the　Anak　Agong　for　you　to　stay。〃　This　settled　the　matter。　More　talk；　more　delay；　and　another　eight　or　ten　hours'　consultation　were　not　to　be　endured；　so　we　started　at　once；　the　poor　interpreter　almost　weeping　at　our　obstinacy　and　hurry；　and　assuring　us　〃the　Pumbuckle　would　be　very　sorry；　and　the　Rajah　would　be　very　sorry；　and　if　we　would　but　wait　all　would　be　right。〃　I　gave　Ali　my　horse；　and　started　on　foot；　but　he　afterwards　mounted　behind　Mr。　Ross's　groom；　and　we　got　home　very　well；　though　rather　hot　and　tired。

At　Mataram　we　called　at　the　house　of　Gusti　Gadioca；　one　of　the　princes　of　Lombock；　who　was　a　friend　of　Mr。　Carter's；　and　who　had　promised　to　show　me　the　guns　made　by　native　workmen。　Two　guns　were　exhibited；　one　six；　the　other　seven　feet　long；　and　of　a　proportionably　large　bore。　The　barrels　were　twisted　and　well　finished；　though　not　so　finely　worked　as　ours。　The　stock　was　well　made；　and　extended　to　the　end　of　the　barrel。　Silver　and　gold　ornament　was　inlaid　over　most　of　the　surface；　but　the　locks　were　taken　from　English　muskets。　The　Gusti　assured　me；　however；　that　the　Rajah　had　a　man　who　made　locks　and　also　rifled　barrels。　The　workshop　where　these　guns　are　made　and　the　tools　used　were　next　shown　us；　and　were　very　remarkable。　An　open　shed　with　a　couple　of　small　mud　forges　were　the　chief　objects　visible。　The　bellows　consisted　of　two　bamboo　cylinders；　with　pistons　worked　by　hand。　They　move　very　easily；　having　a　loose　stuffing　of　feathers　thickly　set　round　the　piston　so　as　to　act　as　a　valve；　and　produce　a　regular　blast。　Both　cylinders　communicate　with　the　same　nozzle；　one　piston　rising　while　the　other　falls。　An　oblong　piece　of　iron　on　the　ground　was　the　anvil；　and　a　small　vice　was　fixed　on　the　projecting　root　of　a　tree　outside。　These；　with　a　few　files　and　hammers；　were　literally　the　only　tools　with　which　an　old　man　makes　these　fine　guns；　finishing　then　himself　from　the　rough　iron　and　wood。

I　was　anxious　to　know　how　they　bored　these　long　barrels；　which　seemed　perfectly　true　and　are　said　to　shoot　admirably；　and；　on　asking　the　Gusti；　received　the　enigmatical　answer：　〃We　use　a　basket　full　of　stones。〃　Being　utterly　unable　to　imagine　what　he　could　mean；　I　asked　if　I　could　see　how　they　did　it；　and　one　of　the　dozen　little　boys　around　us　was　sent　to　fetch　the　basket。　He　soon　returned　with　this　most　extraordinary　boring…machine；　the　mode　of　using　which　the　Gusti　then　explained　to　me。　It　was　simply　a　strong　bamboo　basket；　through　the　bottom　of　which　was　stuck　upright　a　pole　about　three　feet　long；　kept　in　its　place　by　a　few　sticks　tied　across　the　top　with　rattans。

The　bottom　of　the　pole　has　an　iron　ring；　and　a　hole　in　which　four…cornered　borers　of　hardened　iron　can　be　fitted。　The　barrel　to　be　bored　is　buried　upright　in　the　ground；　the　borer　is　inserted　into　it；　the　top　of　the　stick　or　vertical　shaft　is　held　by　a　cross…piece　of　bamboo　with　a　hole　in　it；　and　the　basket　is　filled　with　stones　to　get　the　required　weight。　Two