in some basins
of water, in one of which the chief washed his hands, I following his
example. Trays were then brought in, with meat and rice and fish, and
certain vegetables cut up into small fragments. There were no knives,
or forks, or spoons. The chief set an example, which I was obliged to
follow, of dipping his fingers into the mess before him, and, as it
were, clawing up a mouthful and transferring it to his mouth. Had his
hands not first been washed, I certainly should not have liked the
proceeding, but as I was by this time very hungry, and the dishes were
pleasant tasted and well cooked, I did ample justice to the repast.

The chief and his attendants having eaten as much as they well could, my
young attendant Jack, who sat somewhat behind me, having done the same,
water was again brought in, that everybody might wash their hands.

I heard Jack Nobs in a low tone give rough colloquial expressions of his
satisfaction.

"They don't seem much given to talking, though," he added to himself.
"I wonder whether it is that they think we don't understand their lingo,
or that they don't understand ours; I'll just try them, though."

Whereon in a half whisper he addressed the person sitting next to him,
who bowed and salaamed very politely in return, but made no reply.

"What I axes you, mounseer, is, whether you feels comfortable after your
dinner," continued Jack, in a loud whisper. "And, I say, will you tell
us who the gentleman in the fine clothes is, for I can't make out nohow?
Does he know that my master here is a great merchant, and that if he
wishes to do a bit of trade, he is the man to do it with him?"

The same dumb show on the part of the Javanese went on as before.
Jack's attempt at opening up a conversation was put a stop to by the
return of the servant with dishes containing a variety of vegetables and
fruits, which were as welcome, probably, to him as to me. One dish
contained a sweet potato cooked. It must have weighed from twelve to
fifteen pounds. I have heard of one weighing thirty pounds. The
natives appeared very fond of it. We had peas and artichokes and a dish
of sago, the mode of obtaining which I afterwards saw, and will describe
presently. I heard Jack cry out when he saw one of the dishes of fruit.
It was, I found, the _durian_, a fruit of which the natives are very
fond, and which I got to like, though its peculiarly offensive odour at
first gave me a dislike to it. It is near