The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-03-30
A NATIVE GENTLEMAN.

he restraints the vulgar outbreak of passion,
and is very often truthful. He does not
work more than he can help; and aban.
dons to the Chiuamsn, if possible, all dirty
occupations. His person is always clearly
for the "orang laurel - may be called the
stanchest, if least erudite Of Mussulmans.
He dresses as well as he can aiford-better,
indeed, as q rule-and his fashions are rs
manly as graceful, What may be set against
these gcntlemanly traits of character / shall
not here put down for i am very fond of
the Malays, and heir dement's do not
"come into my brief" at this moment.
After reflection. j do not think of a bet
ter example for my case than Douroup, the
old cxecutioner Of Sarawak. An official of
that sort is not regarded with aversion in
the Far East partly, may be, because the
mode of execution is digniled for both
parties, and also, because such an officer
is evidently indispensable. knew Douroup
very well before he called on me. one
morning, in the pretty bungalow which Sir
James Brooke had assigned to us for a resi-.
dence. With an air unmatched by pur-
suivant or chamberlain. he used TO stalk
upon the rajah's heels when he took a stroll,
shielding that good white head f." with a
stat umbrella. Pleasant to behold was
DOuroup on these occasions Unthinking
visitors laughed 10 see him, but i never
could perceive the Joke. Grave loyalty aud
s~elf-respectful performance Of that which
a brave old mar regards Is honorable duty
are not absurd. A sympathetic smile one
might allo ones self, but no more.
In picturesque effect Douroup could not
be surpassed on these occasions. He had a
stature much exceeding the average of his
small race. limbs vigorous and sinevy, q
thin, hard featured countenanco. His little
eyes twinkled sternly under. lids triangular,
so deeply were they wrinkled his large
mouth was s1uarely set, like a trap of
steel; his broad, bony jaws had an air OF
well-tried determination Douroup pos.
sessed a snowy beard-what might be called
a goatee, and at least two dozen hairs on
each side the upper lip. Not even his um-
brella of scarlet silk and fringed, nor his
kris of that special shape which belongs to
the executioner, distinguished him more
proudly from the herd" One Malay in
u thousand may possess enough mustachc
to swear BY, but / never saw among that
people a beard like Douroup's. l have his
likeness before me as l write my drawing
was photographed by Vernon Heath, of Pic,
cadilly, fourteen years ago. 1t shows the
old mans figure, upright as n spar, arrayed
in pink cotton bajo or jersey, fitting like
glove on his gaunt muscles; petticoat Of
tartan, red and green, gracefully Topped in
folds to show the handle of his official kris;
trousers snowy white, falling over bony
ankles.
Thus arrayed he came to my bungalow,
intent to sell q handsome "parangn of ma
tive manufacture. | admired and bought
the weapon; in fact, it hangs now on my
wall, with many another yet more fantas.
tic. The bargain was apparently concluded
to Douroup's satisfaction, for he laughed
in grim delight, showing teeth like ebony
with prismatic lights upon them.
The blarkaninu 10 Inpa with ,b. Ill -
burnt c%ocoanut in early youth, and the foil.
like appearance, so startling to newcomers,
may be due to decay, or to the immoderate
use of penang, as the betel-nut is called by
Malays.
He asked If / cared for n Lanuu kris. and
sent his slave boy to fetch II, seating him
self meanwhile on my invitation. lie rolled
a plug =" of betel. tobacco, and lime from
the bamboo case hanging at his waist, en-
veloped it in a pepper-leaf, and began to
chew gravely.
Ny interpreter at that time was Ali
kasut, or Ali of the Shoes, so called from
his invariable habit of sporting " that
article Of luxury. 1t was nothing less than
q superstition with my excellent follower.
He had the small and delicate feet of his
race, but outsPread at the toes by walking
barefoot at an age, when, of all possible
e~xtravagances, a boot would have seemed
to Ali the most absurd. This formation
made him difficult to fit. No lady's shoe,
such as he loved, could be too small, or too
slender, or too high at the instep but his
prehensile toes demanded greater breadth
to work in than would be needful for an
Irish giant. Ali overcame this difficulty
by Sitting up the front part Of the boot at
either side. Thus he allowed his toes fair
play, quite indifferent to appearance or
utility.
Whist the execut oner surveyed me with
dignity and decorum, Ali observed This
Lanun kris ut fight of rainbow betakenbe."
i should observe hat my interpreter was
a much-travelled man. who had dwelt at
Brunei and Johore. where people who re-
spect themselves talk " pangaran," or court
Malay. The popularity Of this speech is a
redundance OF prefxes and a~tfixes, which are
used with the most delicate discrimination
Though, l believe, much more correct. it
bears no greater resemblance to the COM
mon form of words than isOes classic Greek
to Romaic, and in . very few generations it
will become a dead language. Meanwhile
Ali kasut rejoiced in his accomplishment,
and transferred the theory of it to English
when addressing persons of Importance. He
told me once that the reason he did not I'M
derstand great tuans" when they spoke
together, whilst he could follow easily sailors
and such like, was because the former spoke
pangaran English, and he naturally con
cluded that the great difference Law in pre-
fixes and afixes. Whence his mode of
fpeech.
| supposed that a kind of NEUROLOGICAL
c was to be offered me. THE kris
Iar.st be very old. | said grayely.
Oh, old. Malay man like swords olden
fifty years perhaps be-
And who took itr"
He there - the interpreter anYgered
o,nting to Douroup.
WHAT !" ! exclaimed HI has fought
= rainbow ! "
1idaE Lanun man be Il rainbow
soughten6y, Douroup, he rainbow with
UNI
l concluded that the weapon in its way
had been drawn in sacrilegious assault of
taat cial phenomenon. Douroup chewed
with respectful Indifference. He did not
soem to take any special pride in the
recollection of his victorious efforts OH
behalf Of the rainbow
Was anybody hurt 4" | asked, keeping
ray copntenance.
Lannn ali k~iiledness, but some betaken
so perish all who would attack the
eenehcent powers. What punishment did
the rainbow infiict on those betakenbe Pm
They shotum Rajah in Highlander
He hearum mndnest."
WHAT"
YES. Rajah Mudah, Captain Brooke
you know, left hereaway. Old Raiah in
E~nglandness very angry when teldful
He want Lanun man alive"
lk suddenly flashed upon my bewilder.