70 LIFE IN JAVA.
birds and flowers are carved. It is reached by a flight of steps which extends along two sides. Being ignorant of the etiquette necessary in this foreign court, we determined to make good use of our eyeSj and follow exactly the movements of the colonel and his wife, who, having been frequently at court before, were perfectly familiar with the requisite forms.
As we approached within a few steps of the Pringitan we bowed to his majesty, who graciously acknowledged this mark of respect by a slight in- clination of his head. Mounting the steps, we stopped again on the top one, and all bowed, the officers saluting him with their swords. After ad- vancing a little farther towards him, we came to a dead halt, for the third and last time, and when about a yard from his royal person, lowered our heads once more. When will this end I thought I, for we began to think the ceremony rather tedious. All that remained now, however, was
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