Page 335

An.1686

Of the Sultan and his Family.

that any Man has Money, if it be but 20 Dollars, which is a great matter among them, he will send to borrow so much Money, pretending urgent oc- casions for it; and they dare not deny him. Some- times he will send to sell one thing or another that he hath to dispose of, to such whom he knows to have Money, and they must buy it, and give him his price; and if afterward he hath occasion for the same thing, he must have it if he sends for it. He is but a little Man, between 50 and 60 years old, and by relation very good natured, but over-ruled by those about him. He has a Queen, and keeps about 20 Women, or Wives more, in whose com- pany he spends most of his time. He has one Daughter by his Sultaness or Queen, and a great many Sons and Daughters by the rest. These walk about the streets, and would be always beg- ging things of us; but it is reported, that the young Princess is kept in a room, and never stirs out, and that she did never see any Man but her Father and Raja Laut her Uncle, being then about 14 years old.

When the Sultan visits his Friends he is carried in a small Couch on 4 Mens shoulders, with 8 or 10 armed Men to guard him; but he never goes far this way: for the Country is very woody, and they have but little paths, which renders it the less commodious. When he takes his pleasure by Wat- ter, he carries some of his Wives along with him. The Proes that are built for this purpose, are larger enough to entertain 50 or 60 persons, or more. The Hull is neatly built, with a round head and stern, and over the Hull there is a small light- house built with Bamboos; the sides are made up with split Bamboos about 4 foot high, with little Windows in them of the same, to open and shut at their pleasure. The roof is almost flat, neatly thatched with Palmeto leaves. This house is di- vided