“Why do you call the religion of Siva terrible, Claud?” asked my brother.
“Because it is a superstition of horrors—one that enjoins everything that is terrible—blood and destruction. It is the reverse of Christianity, even as black is to white; ay, and of Buddhism, which, pagan as it is, yet teaches only that which is innocent and simple.”
CHAPTER XVIII.
ADVENTURES IN BALI.
We fully experienced the difficulty a hostile army might have in effecting a landing upon the shores of Bali; for we were a full week prowling along the coast, with all our eyes open, ere we discovered a good anchorage, and then it was up a creek or inlet to the westward. True, we landed in the dominions of the Rajah or King of Blilling, but it was in the remotest part, and a district under the rule of an almost independent chief. Going ashore, the natives, who were of more savage aspect and manner than I had expected to see in Bali, flourished their creeses and spears in our faces, demanding who and what we were; but when Prabu told them he was an envoy from the Pangeran of Pugar to the Rajah of Bali, and desired to pass through that territory, they became suddenly as submissive as slaves, and begged he would follow them to their chief—a request with which he gladly complied, Martin and I following.
They conducted us to the palace, which consisted of several buildings, erected upon terraces called pandapas; each of these were four-sided, with a thatched roof, and supported by four wooden pillars, around which was a movable hoarding of bamboos. To one of these we were introduced, where we found a ferocious-looking little savage, in the undress of his race, smoking a large pipe, and in earnest converse with a younger but equally ferocious-looking personage, whom we afterwards discovered to be his son.
“How, dogs,” exclaimed the senior, “is this that you bring a stranger to this presence without our bidding?”
“The lives of his slaves,” replied the chief of our guides, trembling, “are at the great lord’s disposal; but the noble stranger is an ambassador to his Highness the Rajah. It may please our dread Prince to question him.”
“Ah! what words are these?” cried the senior, playing with his creese.
“Thy servant, O great chief and warrior,” replied Prabu, “has a mission to his Highness the Rajah of Blilling, from the Pangeran of Pugar; he therefore craves help and aid to reach the royal city and palace, for it is only upon your lordship’s territory he has been able to find a landing-place.”
At the name of their royal master the chiefs bent their heads low, and the senior desired Prabu to be seated by his side. For several minutes they conversed together in low tones, and although we could not hear their words, we had little doubt of their importance; for the whole time the Chief kept playing with the handle of his creese, and rolling his savage eyes about terribly. When, however, it was concluded, he ordered his slaves to conduct us to the largest of the pandapas, which was to be at our service during our sojourn in his territory. Moreover, he invited us to a banquet in the evening.