The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-12-01

had great trouble in making the natives pay up An taxes
cordug the number Of Us inhabitants The taN was
light but the island hicky populated that the rala'
should have had enough for himself and al hs oieaS We
had however thousands Of mobiles through whom he 2G
ing Reports were sent IN from one district h3 INC people
were SICK and could not from another that the crops had
the lands the time observed that the mobiles
better dressed than ever and that many OF them were
The rajah suspected something wrong lie looked over
ton Of Inc sand had aien OF lie should have so much
rice from each woman and child and To- there were
half many the island during his fathers time
e wanted to take new census with The hope Of increasing
they would quickly understand that he after their steal
igs and the number turned in would just be equal 10 the
taken must be without the people knowing it ' ~
CONSULTED THE GREAT SPIRIT
He thought the matter and at last evolved the fol-
lowing plan OF action lie out word to all his chiefs
rival told them that he had had vision in which the
spirit Of the FIRE mountain had him and directed him
ascend the volcano when would again appear to him
in the flesh and give him communication of great inn
portance the people He said that the chiefs with
him almost the top, and that every village furnish
clear the roads and build bridges This done and
with ceremony his royal hghness made the journey
while the people waited and wondered As they nearcd the
top OF the mountain rajah ordered all haG he
went alone the extinct lie remained there a
day and night and then back looking grave, He
what '' was lie Sad nothing until he had reached the
capital when he assembled the chiefs princes and priests
face like burrished gold and said
oh raj.h much plague and sickness and feyers are
coming a. the earth upon upon horses and
cattle but you snd people have obeyed and
great mountain will teach how you and all the
people Of Lombok may escape the plague"
The mobiles terrified but they waited hear the
method Of their salvation After short silence the ajah
told them that the great spirit had commanded that twelve
sacred kses swords be made and that 20 make them
every village and every district send bundle OF
dies needle for every head in the village Aud when
any gTeyous disease appeared in village Of the
sacred krses should be there and II every house in
that village had the right number Of needles the disease
/ e
avail and the people would die.
The natives Of Lombok very superstitious. The
mobiles believed in their raah They word their
villages and all made haste collect the needles with the
greatest for they feared that II wanting
the whole village would suffer One by the head
Of the villages brought in their needles The rajah received
then with his hands and marked the Of the village
and district each bundle and laid them away camphor
wood chest When they all in the rajah ordered the
krises be made from them under his eye. and they
packed for the time Of the plague Soon after this
the collection q taxes occurred To those villages who paid
almost the full tax the rsah said nothing but those who
paid only half fourth Of what they should he
warning, saying:
The needles from your village many than from
such another village YET much less than