Page 256 - Malay sketches

MALAY SKETCHES

Almost immediately, Pandak Indut, the Maharaja
Lela's father-in-law, tore them down and took them
off to the Maharaja Lela's house. That chiefs
dictum, was " Pull down the proclamations, and, if
they persist in putting them up, kill them." Then
it may be supposed he washed his hands of all
and Pandak Indut went out to
responsibility,
execute his master's orders.
Meanwhile, Mr. Birch had handed to his inter-
some more to
preter proclamations replace those
removed, and, after giving directions to prepare his
breakfast, went into the Chinaman's bath-house to
bathe, leaving his Sikh orderly at the door with a
loaded revolver. This bath-house was of the
type
common in Perak, two large logs floating in the
stream, fastened together by cross-pieces of wood,
and on them built a small house with mat sides
about five feet high, and a roof closing on the sides
two
but leaving open triangular spaces at front and
back. The structure is so moored that it floats
to the bank, and a even
parallel person standing
up inside it cannot see what is taking place on the
shore close by.
It was now about 10 A.M., and in spite of the
threatening attitude of the large crowd of armed
Malays standing in groups and passing between
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