They had
brought an armchair for Patalolo, and Lakamba stood on the right hand
of the old man, who made a speech. Everybody in Sambir was there: women,
slaves, children--everybody! Then Patalolo spoke. He said that by the
mercy of the Most High he was going on a pilgrimage. The dearest wish
of his heart was to be accomplished. Then, turning to Lakamba, he begged
him to rule justly during his--Patalolo's--absence There was a bit
of play-acting there. Lakamba said he was unworthy of the honourable
burden, and Patalolo insisted. Poor old fool! It must have been bitter
to him. They made him actually entreat that scoundrel. Fancy a man
compelled to beg of a robber to despoil him! But the old Rajah was
so frightened. Anyway, he did it, and Lakamba accepted at last. Then
Willems made a speech to the crowd. Said that on his way to the west the
Rajah--he meant Patalolo--would see the Great White Ruler in Batavia
and obtain his protection for Sambir. Meantime, he went on, I, an Orang
Blanda and your friend, hoist the flag under the shadow of which there
is safety. With that he ran up a Dutch flag to the mast-head. It was
made hurriedly, during the night, of cotton stuffs, and, being heavy,
hung down the mast, while the crowd stared. Ali told me there was a
great sigh of surprise, but not a word was spoken till Lakamba advanced
and proclaimed in a loud voice that during all that day every one
passing by the flagstaff must uncover his head and salaam before the
emblem."

"But, hang it all!" exclaimed Lingard--"Abdulla is British!"

"Abdulla wasn't there at all--did not go on shore that day. Yet Ali, who
has his wits about him, noticed that the space where the crowd stood
was under the guns of the Lord of the Isles. They had put a coir warp
ashore, and gave the barque a cant in the current, so as to bring the
broadside to bear on the flagstaff. Clever! Eh? But nobody dreamt of
resistance. When they recovered from the surprise there was a little
quiet jeering; and Bahassoen abused Lakamba violently till one of
Lakamba's men hit him on the head with a staff. Frightful crack, I
am told. Then they left off jeering. Meantime Patalolo went away, and
Lakamba sat in the chair at the foot of the flagstaff, while the crowd
surged around, as if they could not make up their minds to go. Suddenly
there was a great noise behind Lakamba's chair. It was that woman, who
went for Willems. Ali says she was like a wild beast, but he twisted her
wrist