Page 65 - Malay sketches

THE JOGET

musical sound like the noise of rippling water, a?
gambang. The other members of the orchestra)
consisted of a very small boy who played, with a
very large and thick stick, on a gigantic gong an
old woman who beat a drum with two sticks, and
several other boys who played on instruments like

triangles called chdnang.
All these performers, we were told with much
were artists of the
solemnity, first order, masters
and a mistress in their craft, and if vigour of execu-
tion counts for excellence they proved the justice of
the praise.
The Hall, of considerable size, capable of accom-
modating several hundreds of people, was only
dimly lighted, but the fact that, while the audience
was in semi-darkness, the light was concentrated on
the performers added to the effect. Besides our-
selves I question whether there were more than
twenty spectators, but sitting on the top of the da'is
near to the dancers it was hard to pierce the sur-
rounding gloom.
The orchestra was placed on the left of the
entrance to the Hall, that is rather to the side and
rather in the background, a position evidently chosen
with due regard to the feelings of the audience.
From the elaborate and vehement execution of
49 D