Page 179 - Malay sketches

THE KING'S WAY

The King affected gay colours, and his appear-
ance, when he took his walks abroad, was striking,
not to remarkable. A tartan silk com-
say jacket,
bining many violent colours and fastened at the
neck clothed his this had a
only, body ; jacket high
collar which enclosed the wearer's bull-neck and
reached to the ears. The nether garment was a
of wide and loose white silk trousers
pair very
fastened by many yards of a scarlet silk waist-
cloth. These trousers reached a point low down on
the calf of the leg, leaving a fair expanse of
uncovered limb between them and the sky-blue
canvas shoes which encased the stockingless feet.
On his head, tilted rakishly over one ear, the King
wore a wonderful round bright yellow cap, flat on
with in
the top stiff sides, on which were sewn,
Arabic characters of black cloth, a verse from the
Koran.
In his waist-cloth the King usually carried a short
knife in a polished wooden sheath, and when walk-
ing he leant upon a spear or long bamboo stick.
Both hands and feet were white with an unnatural
and mottled whiteness, caused, His Highness
averred, by eating the flesh of the white buffalo,
and, in walking, the toes were turned out to such
an extent as to give a decided waddle.
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