CHAPTER XXIV.
WE LAND AT MOJOPAHIT, AND ARE IMPRISONED AS REBELS.
Being forced far out of our intended course by the Dutch grab, and along the coast of those provinces of Java known to be ruled by chiefs or princes in the interest of the European Government, Prabu, in fear that a general description of the prahu might have been sent to the latter, ordered his crew to set about disguising the vessel with all speed. This they did by re-painting her a totally different color, from stem to stern; hewing down one of the masts, so that she should have one instead of two, and altering in a very artful manner, the character of her rigging. As for Martin and me, he recommended us to blacken our teeth, and color our skins to the mahogany hue of the natives. Thus, with the addition of donning the scant attire of the island seamen, we had soon become indistinguishable from them, except, indeed, we should happen to be very closely scrutinized by an European.
Well, we had run through the Straits of Bali, and rounded Cape Sedano—the most easterly promontory of Java—and had nearly made the entrance to the Straits of Madura, when we fell in with a hurricane, that so knocked us about that we were compelled to put into the first harbor, without mast or rudder, in fact, a mere hull, and that, too, with holes in her, that required incessant working at the pumps. To make matters worse, that port was near Mojopahit, once the seat of empire of the ancient Buddhist Sultans of Java, but now governed by a chief whom Prabu believed to be a firm and fast friend of the Dutch Government.
“This is jumping out of the frying-pan into the fire with a vengeance,” said I, as some of the native authorities ascended the sides, to inquire who and what we were, and for what purpose the prahu had put into that harbor.
“We must brazen it out,” replied Martin. “As for you and me, Claud, since we have turned mahogany color, the best thing we can do will be to say nothing, and look as savage as we can. It is a pity, though,” he added, with a laugh, “that we are not a little uglier and shorter, then they wouldn’t know us from their own brothers.”
Prabu’s reply to our visitors’ queries was, that he was a Batavian merchant of the lower town, who, having been to Singapore with birds’-nests, had taken in a cargo of cloth at Bali, and was then running around the coast to Samarang upon the north coast; and with this they appeared satisfied, but declared they could not allow him to refit without he first obtained the Chief’s permission. “Will my elder brothers, then, carry a message to the Chief?” asked Prabu.
“No, that they could not do, but they promised, however, to come the next morning, and conduct him to the feet of his lordship;” and with this—although a personal interview was sorely against his inclination—he was compelled to rest content.
Accordingly, the next morning, in anticipation of their coming, Prabu dressed himself as elaborately and as handsomely as his wardrobe would permit; indeed, we were astonished that he had on board such fine linen, gorgeous sarongs, handsome turbans, jeweled-hafted creeses, and golden rings and bracelets—enough, indeed, to attire the whole three of us, for we were to accompany him, to swell his state, as his two chief officers; we were, however, no longer surprised at all this finery, when he told us that the people inhabiting that portion of the island had, from all time, been noted for their love of show, and that, without it, they would treat strangers with derision, and their requirements with contempt.
By the way, the old traveler, Captain Dampier, gives a humorous illustration of the importance attached to mere dress by the Indian Islanders generally:
“Among the rest of our men,” says he, “who used, when on shore to dance with the Chief and his people, was one John Thacker, who was a seaman bred, and could neither read nor write, but had formerly learned to dance in the music-houses about Wapping. This man came to the South Seas with Captain Harris, and getting a good quantity of gold, laid some of it out in the purchase of a very handsome suit of clothes.