hall in
which we were seated. The latter was of very common workmanship, and
exhibited no signs of oriental magnificence. Overhead hung a printed
cotton cloth, forming a kind of tester, which covered about half of
the apartment. In other places the roof and rafters were visible. A
part of the house was roughly partitioned off, to the height of nine
or ten feet, enclosing, as I was afterwards told, the Sultan's sleeping
apartment, and that appropriated to his wife and her attendants.

The Sultan is of middle height, spare and thin; he was dressed in a
white cotton shirt, loose trousers of the same material, and slippers;
he had no stockings; the bottom of his trousers was worked in scollops
with blue silk, and this was the only ornament I saw about him. On his
head he wore a small colored cotton handkerchief, wound into a turban,
that just covered the top of his head. His eyes were bloodshot, and had
an uneasy wild look, showing that he was under the effects of opium,
of which they all smoke large quantities. His teeth were as black as
ebony, which, with his bright cherry-colored lips, [271] contrasted
with his swarthy skin, gave him anything but a pleasant look.

On the left hand of the Sultan sat his two sons, while his right
was occupied by his councillors; just behind him, sat the carrier
of his betel-nut casket. The casket was of filigree silver, about
the size of a small tea-caddy, of oblong shape, and rounded at the
top. It had three divisions, one for the leaf, another for the nut,
and a third for the lime. Next to this official was the pipe-bearer,
who did not appear to be held in such estimation as the former.

[Treaty with United States.] I opened the conversation by desiring
that the Datu would explain the nature of our visit, and tell the
Sultan that I had come to make the treaty which he had some time
before desired to form with the United States. [272]

The Sultan replied that such was still his desire; upon which I told
him I would draw one up for him that same day. While I was explaining
to him the terms, a brass candlestick was brought in with a lighted
tallow candle, of a very dark color, and rude shape, that showed
but little art in the manufacture. This was placed in the center
of the table, with a plate of Manila cigars. None of them, however,
were offered to us, nor any kind of refreshment.

Our visit lasted nearly an hour. When we arose to take our leave,
the Sultan and his divan did the same