Evening star., 1928-12-23

play the part of the kings servant, but
you find yourself troubled because he
is silent and you feel that in truth he
is right? You will get up and go. But
I can't do that"
I'm the realm where I find myself at
home Panya, there is neither master
nor servant; there are only living be-
ings, and the goal of all living being is
freedom. But he who genuinely desires
freedom does not look to others in
search for it; first of ALL he directs his
gaze within. ThuSwiSe no one need have
concern about his rights; every one has
his portion, when every one knows his
own and watches over it,"
IF that is what your God teaches
you," said Panya, "he does not know
the world, and does not know what goes
on in it."
Perhaps he does not know what the
world is like, but he knows what 1t
ought to be like"
Presently our talk was interrupted by
a distant fluting and the clash of GYM
balls.
There is the king!" Panya said. HE
would have kept you waiting long but
for his curiosity"
THE noisy music drew nearer, arous-
= ing eXpectant thought as to what
was approaching behind the green cur
tain of underground. Its rhythm was
strangely exciting.
The first thing to come into view
was the gray head of an elephant, sur
mounted by brightly colored cotton
canopy, somewhat crookedly supported
by four slaves, three of which were
guided while one was of simple iron.
To t1aA JntN Oh nt,r
made of cane, and on this sat the
king of Shamadji turning his head
eagerly in all directions on the look
out for the visitor to his Kingdom. Eight
retainers, disposed on either side of the
elephant, carried fans made of peacock S
feathers attached to thin bamboo rods.
These fans were trifle the worse for
wear, their rainbow eyes were to some
extent blinded; and the attire of the
train suggested the haste of impromptu
preparations Nevertheless the process
sion was by no means lacking in
Splendor.
Above all, the elephants trappings
were extremely handsome, being made
Of beautiful stuffs, richly embroidered
and decked with imitation jewels the
size of a mans fist The musicians.
contrary to the usual custom, marched
king had been unwilling to allow them
the front places. The consequence was
that their aspect was not so much one
of solemnity as of curiosity, for they
were doing their utmost to catch sight
of the stranger by peering to the right
and left of the kings unwieldy mount.
Behind them, in disorderly array, was
the entire population of the village.
We made our way to clearing and
the king bowed to me tremendously,
after quieting the music with wave
of his brown hand. Having glanced
searchingly at my baggage, he hade me
welcome in the English tongue. I an
swered in the same language. Panya
interrupted, for he did not believe that
the kings English would go very far,
| and he was right in his suppoSition.
Now the monarch nimbly alighted
from the back of his elephant treading
as unconcernedly on the shoulders OF
his retainers as If they had been a
wooden step-ladder He kept his dis
tance, as a hint that he had no taste
for western handShake, while passed
few compliments concerning his power
and prestige. with which, I said the
jungle was resonant.
These remarks were greatly to his
| taste, and he went on to inform me
that he possessed another elephant
which however. he had not brought
along today. His city was open to me
and I was welcome to pitch my tent In
his palace garden.
We crossed the village square, which
was surrounded by mangroveS, looking
like huge grayishgreen tents. Their
| interlacing aerial roots like the lattice
work of a cage, made 1t difficult to
see the hutS, which were almost hidden
by the foliage.
X X X X
THE palace was at the farther end
of the village, In a grove of wild
lemon trees and areca palms 1t was
a tWo-storied building of white plaster,
and was surrounded by tall cactus
hedge, between the stems of which were
ternnite heaps forming natural turrets.
The windows were shaded with bamboo
Sun-blinds and were mysteriously silent
in the afternoon light falling obliquely
athWart the palms; but from time to
time the rods of these hangings clicked,
as if gently pushed by the hand of an
inquiSitive inmate.
was admitted only to the courtyard
of the house. After our first brief in
terview I should probably have seen
nothing more of the king had it not
been for an exciting incident that
riveted my interest, and, though I was
not in search of adventure, involved
me in perilous complications.
When the night had swiftly fallen
and we were sitting in front of the
tent after finishing our supper, heard
from the darkness of the garden a
plaintive chanting, strangely poignant
in its forlornness.