as a huge building composed largely of bamboo
wooden-planks and wicker-work, with a high thatched roof, and it stood,
like all the other houses, on posts formed of great tree-stems which
rose eight or ten feet from the ground.

"You have frunds here too, I zink," said Verkimier to the hermit, as
they ascended the ladder leading to the door of the hall.

"Well, yes--I believe I have two or three."

There could be no doubt upon that point, unless the natives were
consummate hypocrites, for they welcomed Van der Kemp and his party with
effusive voice, look and gesture, and immediately spread before them
part of a splendid supper which had just been prepared; for they had
chanced to arrive on a festive occasion.

"I do believe," said Nigel in some surprise, "that they are lighting up
the place with petroleum lamps!"

"Ay, and you will observe that they are lighting the lamps with Congreve
matches--at least with matches of the same sort, supplied by the Dutch
and Chinese. Many of their old customs have passed away, (among others
that of procuring fire by friction), and now we have the appliances of
western civilisation to replace them."

"No doubt steam is zee cause of zee change," remarked the professor.

"That," said Nigel, "has a good deal to do with most things--from the
singing of a tea-kettle to the explosion of a volcano; though,
doubtless, the commercial spirit which is now so strong among men is the
proximate cause."

"Surely dese people mus' be reech," said the professor, looking round
him with interest.

"They are rich enough--and well off in every respect, save that they
don't know very well how to make use of their riches. As you see, much
of their wealth is lavished on their women in the shape of ornaments,
most of which are of solid gold and silver."

There could be little doubt about that, for, besides the ornaments
proper, such as the bracelets and rings with which the arms of the young
women were covered, and earrings, etcetera,--all of solid gold and
native-made--there were necklaces and collars composed of Spanish and
American dollars and British half-crowns and other coins. In short,
these Sumatran young girls carried much of the wealth of their parents
on their persons, and were entitled to wear it until they should be
relegated to the ranks of the married--the supposed-to-be unfrivolous,
and the evidently unadorned!

As this was a region full of birds, beasts, and insects of many kinds,