informed us,
that we must not address the King directly, but that if we had
anything to say, we must say it to him, and he would communicate
it to a courtier of higher rank than himself within the lesser
hall. This person, in his turn, would explain our wishes to the
Governor's brother, and he, speaking through a tube in an
aperture of the wall would communicate our sentiments to a
courtier near the King, who would make them known to his
Majesty. Meanwhile, we were instructed to make three obeisances
to the King with the joined hands over the head, and raising,
first one foot and then the other, and then kissing the hands.
This is the royal salutation. * * * All the persons present in
the palace had their loins covered with gold embroidered cloth
and silk, wore poiniards with golden hilts, ornamented with
pearls and precious stones, and had many rings on their fingers.

* * * * * *

We remounted the elephants and returned to the house of the
Governor. * * * After this there came to the house of the
Governor ten men, with as many large wooden trays, in each of
which were ten or twelve porcelain saucers with the flesh of
various animals, that is, of calves, capons, pullets, pea-fowls
and others, and various kinds of fish, so that of meat alone
there were thirty or two-and-thirty dishes. We supped on the
ground on mats of palm-leaf. At each mouthful we drank a
porcelain cupful, the size of an egg, of a distilled liquor made
from rice. We ate also rice and sweetmeats, using spoons of
gold, shaped like our own. In the place where we passed the two
nights, there were always burning two torches of white wax,
placed on tall chandeliers of silver, and two oil lamps of four
wicks each, while two men watched to look after them. Next
morning we came on the same elephants to the sea side, where
forthwith there were ready for us two _prahus_, in which we were
reconducted to the ships."

Of the town itself he says:--

"The city is entirely built in the saltwater, the King's house
and those of some chieftains excepted. It contains 25,000
_fires_, or families. The houses are all of wood and stand on
strong piles to keep them high from the ground. When the flood
tide makes, the women, in boats, go through the city selling
necessaries. In front o