Then a strange thing happened, for which I was not prepared. A very picturesque old man, rather taller than the other Malays, dressed in a jacket embroidered with gold, black trousers with a gold band, his head enveloped in a handkerchief tied in a jaunty fashion, with two ends standing up over his left ear, came forward with a large yellow satin umbrella, fringed all round, which he opened with great solemnity and held over the Rajah’s head. His name was Subu, and, as I learned, he occupied a great position in Sarawak: that of Umbrella Bearer to the Rajah and Executioner to the State. The Rajah trudged forward, the umbrella held over him, up the steps from the landing-place, and across the broad gravel path, lined with a guard of honour, leading to the house. At the entrance the umbrella was folded up with great reverence by Subu, who carried IT back to ITS home the other side of the river. I followed with the principal European officer present, and the other people who had met us came after us, up the path, and on to the verandah of the Astana. There we seated ourselves on cane chairs prepared for the occasion: the Rajah and myself in the middle of the company. For some minutes we all looked at one another in dead silence: then the oldest Malay chief present, the Datu Bandar, leaning forward with his head on one side and an intent expression, inquired, “Tuan Rajah baik?” (Rajah well?). The Rajah nodded assent. Then more silence: suddenly, the Rajah jumped up and held out his hand as a signal of dismissal. Every one took the hint, got up, shook hands with the Rajah, then with me, and departed down the steps and garden path to the boats waiting to convey them to their homes. I stood on the verandah and watched them go, the Rajah standing by me. I turned to him. “Where are the women?” I said. “What women?” he answered. “The only English ladies staying in the place came to meet you.” “Oh,” I replied, “they do not matter. I mean the women of the place, where are they?--the chiefs’ wives and the Malay women, why have they not come to meet me?” “Malay women,” replied the Rajah, “never accompany the men on public occasions. It is not their custom.” “But,” I said, “you are their Rajah. What is the use of my coming here if I am not to see the women of the place?” “Well,” said the Rajah, with a smile, “we shall see; things may be different by and by.”