The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-06-10
CHAPTER VI.

Departure of Laksamana for CHARACTERIZATION Of
the Princess Umba.
King Sapidin was sorrowful 10 see how much
the devotion of his daughter the Princess had
been awakened by the heroic achievement of
Laksamana. He drended the prospect of such
a son-in-law. Lakasanana might be the chef
of heroes but who knew his father or mother
and how could a Princess of the Imperial line of
Menangkabau be welded to an adventurer with
out lineage?
On the day following the games Laksamana
spoke to King SapIdin, saying ., King, give
me right to protect the Princess for ever, and |
will bring to the Palnce Of Sansuma one hundred
slaves" Then King Sapidin saw hope in this
promise of Laksamana to procure one hundred
slaves to get rid Of him. And the King replied
smilIngly to the terrible sutton " Good, O.
L ,ksamana. you will prove that you are a great
chief. Bring me from the land of Pom tianak
fifty young men slaves and fifty young women
slaves, also one picul (l33 lbs of pure gold,
twice fly diamonds as large as beans. and when
you have brought all these things to Sansnma.
then will | give you tie Princess, and you shall
have her for ever"
Good, o King. swear" And the King
sware to L~aksamana that he would keep his
royal word.
Now the Princess Umba met Lakeamana with
a sad countenance saying " What rash promise
have you made, D. my Chiei? The land of
Pontianak Tin the Island OF Bornco) abounds in
terrible giants. who cut off human heads Tor wor-
ship. The King, my father, breads your suit
for me, and he hopes that you will perish by the
hands of the giants OF Borneo." But Laksnmana
spoke smiling and reassuring. saying II fear
no giants. | am the greatest of the giants. l
will bring back the slaves and the gold. and the
diamonds, and | will win my beautiful wife
Umba." As he said this he clasped her in his
strong arms, and pressed her to his heart.
When Laksamana declared his readiness to 90
to the great Island OF Borneo. to procure slaves
opd Uoid and dinmonds Kinu Sapidin oova
orders that five large war canoes, called tam
b~angaDs, should be got ready, and that one
hundred men should man each canoe. But when
Laksamanu heard of this. he objected, and said /:
80, King Snpidin, let me take but two canoes
with fifty men each. If have more they will
be in my way but with one hundIed brave
men, such as | can choose, | will bring back two
slaves for every man | have with me and they
will bring also gold and diamonds to salty the
Kings desire"
King SapidIn was reJoiced at these bold words.
and said to Laksamana that if he returned sue
cessIul, then he would rejoice to have his daughter
the Princess protected by his strong arms.
Now it was the case that the jealous and
Inundated chiefs of the Court of Sansuma Sc
cretly reloiced, az they felt certain that the
terrible pirates of Borneo would destroy Laksa-
mBna and his company.
Lqksamana did not heed any prophecies of
evil, but declared his desire to start that very day
on his expedition. As lie spoke thus the Princess
Umba began to weep. and SAID that her chief
and protector was very anxious 10 leave her.
mot SO, my beautiful Princess, - cried LAX
SANTANA. T" Let me go quickly | 90 for you
Therefore let me go this very hour, that | may
return all the sooner to you" And at once
Lsksamana ordered two strOn. war canoes, such
as he wanted, and he picked out fifty men, who
were all bold fishermen, who lived in their canoes
or on the sea beach, and who seldom or never
slept in q house, and who had been trained HI
fighting men for King SapIdin. And then he
selected other fifty men. who were slaves, and
who do the work Of. padding and sailing tho
canoes. Because tile Malay races oi people, who
are notorious since ancient times as great sea
warriors or pirates. would never do any work az
common sailors. The Malays always had slaves
to do the work of manning their vessels. whilst
they attended exclusively to what they deemed
the nobler business ol fighting. The Malay
warriors were even 20 proud of their destructive
character as warriors that they would not allow
their slaves to assist them in times OF great strife
and danger. So the sailor slaves could only
look on whilst the warriors fought.
Laksamana quickly supplied weapons and pro-
visions, and set sail from Ma.
The Princess Umba wept when her chief was
gone. She no longer found pleasure in the
Palace OF Sausuma. She cared no more for the
amusement of the Court. Her desire was only
for whatever would remind her of her absent
hero. Therefore she frequently went to the sea-
shore to visit the wreck Of the proa, and especi-
ally the cave where she and her savage lover first
repOsed. She went unattended and IN disguise,
so that che might not be interrupted in her
thoughts and feelings about the man she loved
She went to the cave on several different days,
and sat alone there, and gave herself up to
, Teverie and tears.
On one occasion, bong al'er the departure oil
L~aksamana, and when her heart was made sore
by the false rumors of the jealous chiefs Of the
Court, that her lover Laksamana had been killed
by the pirates OF BOrneO, she gave utterance to
the sorrow Of her heart in weeping and outcries,
and in these words she lamented for Laksamana
Come back, o Chief, and give ne kisses,
And 1 will not ask for diamonds.
Thy clasp Is stronger than q tigers
And sweeter than the mangOstin.
Why hast thou left me to go and set gold I?
Why hast thou gone in search Of pearls
Are not my breasts thy treasure 4!
And my embrace richer than golds
Thou vert my child to follow me.
And 1 was thy child Wien in thy arms.
O., that there were a child between us.
And We three TO rejoice as one.
Come back, o, Lahsamana;
NV heart is weary for thee
My heart is hungry for thee
Come back, o, Chief of the wild wood
Come back, o, Chief of the sea
Come back, o, King of my heart,
And let me rest for ever with thee.
When Umba had ceased her lamentation for
LaksamaDa, she cast herself down upon the bed
Of dry moss and grass upon which she bad re-
posed on the night when cast ashore IN the storm
She laid down with her face resting in the
palms OF her hands, and therefore did not observe
the face of a man who was peering into the mouth
of the cave. He was a fierce, ugly looking man
with very dark features, heavy0bushy eyebrows.
and with a sinister squint in his expression. He
entered the cave, stepping along softly and
stealthily, and stood over Umba. who was so
absorbed in her sorrow that she did not notice a
n