The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-10-27


Copyright, 1901, by Frank q. Carpenter)
Djokjakartn, laval am taking . trip
through a land Of the Arabian Nights. |
am In the native states Of Java. ana the
scenes about me are stranger than those of
the days Of Haroun nj Raschid In Cairo
and Bagdad. Princes and mobiles in gor.
geous costumes strut through the streets
with their woman servants and slaves fol-
lowing them. Some go about under huge
umbrellas Of gold, silver and cloth of bright
sstors. The common people squat down ON
the ground as they pass and look up in
reverence. This city is the capital Of one
OF the native states. and It has n sultan,
who has "A great palace within It.
The pnlace city has white walls twenty
feet high all around It. 1t contains magnlA-
cent buildings, the homes Of the princes
and the poorer houses OF the mobiles of the
court. 1t contains an enormous hlrem. 1t
has n menagerle of tigers, lions and other
wild animals, as well as stnte elephants
which go about in his majesty's professions.
phere are moro than ten thousand people
connected with the court OF this Javanese
monarch, and he has soldiers. slaves and
treasures galore, He maintains the same
state now that his ancestors had hundreds
OF years ago. for though the Dutch rule
bis province, they do SO solely through him
unking the people believe that they nre
ebeyIng the sultan. 1t Is the same with the
gteat state, adjoining, that of Socrkarta,
shall write later on.
In the past these sultans ruled the whole
Island, and they are stiil looked up to Nv
tho natives. The Dutch appreciate their
power, and keep the hand of lron. concealed
IN the velvet glove with which they handle
them. Right IN front of the p0lacc in
Dutch soldiers, and about the whole is n
mont with drawhridgeS which can he low
eFed or raised. The palace Is fortified, and
70 protect the sultan, but so arranged that
they could be easily turned on his palace
ana shatter MS imperial city to pieces.
A Visit to the Sultan.
: The Dutch resident governor has the
same standing as The sultan. lie sits be.
side him on public occasions and is ON a
level with him. The eultan sends word
TO the resident every morning askiir~ how
ne has rested and the resident replies in
turn. When the sultan goes out in state he
has the gorgeous gold umbrellas above him.
held Icy his servants. and when the resi-
Ent calls on the sultan 1t Is In a coach
with four horses with similar umbrellas
held over him.
Through my letter from the governor
general Of the Dutch East Indies I was
invited by the resident TO attend a great
hANbNh Nv 'H' FIiN'' fl tue fulihN. L.
was the circumcision OF one Of the sultnn's
sous, according TO the rites of the Mohaf-
medan religion, and all the court and the
highest of the Dutch officials were invited
TO attend. Before my Invitation was ten
dercd / was asked " had 81 dress suit and
white nccktle aud told chat / must BE-
In full evening dress, although the cerc-
mouy was TO take place at z o'clock la the
morning.
We started from the palace Of the resi-
dent ut Is no a. m ttuF Marty was NIL in
full dress. There were n dozcn rich Dutch
plHnters, sCyernl officers Of the army, each
of whom was rcsplcndcut IN gold lace and
trimmings. aud also The civil officials who
wore evening clothes. The party all told
was more like Il group Of best dressed
men taken from a diplomatic reception
at the White House than what YOU Would
expect to tud on this island, generally sup
posed To he o Jungle OF sayagcs, rhinoce-
roses, tigers and snakes. We rode to the
palace In state, escorted by che European
guards of the sultan. Those number thirty
two. They were mounted on fine black
Australian horses and always accompany
They arc stationed inside his city uomi.
9ally FOR NY profession and nominally I'm,
to prevent revolution or conspiracy against
tho Dutch rule without.
Going in State.
Our procession was, / judge, at least a
half mile long. The resident, surrounded
by this guard. rode az the head in a splcn-
dld carriage drawn by four high. stepping
fawn-colored J~avauese ponies. His coach
man was in livery and his footmcn stood
beside him, carrying TIE great golden nm
brellas which formed a part ot his state.
Behind came The assistant resident, a line
looking Hollander, in a coat Of gold braid,
but witt more modest umbrellas. He had
also four horses. Further back were other
four-horsc equipages, and Their came the
more modest two-horsc carriages, each with
its swell coaehmen and footmcn, containing
the planters and visitors, aud among them
myself.
] wish you could have seen the natives
dropping down to the earth and looking
up at us almost With reverence as we
dashed down The long avenue OF wide
snrcAhLmg lrens which lnnAa frnn tho hnmn