152 LIFE IN JAVA.
time, kept the pulse of Djokdja at fever heat.
We were invited one evening to the house of the Tumungong Mertonegoro (signifying "the good of the hind"), in order to witness some dances which had been got up for our entertainment. The resi- dence of this prince is about two miles from the town; and we had a pleasant moonlight drive to it. The Tumungong was ready to welcome us as we alighted. He is a colonel in the Sultan's troops, and brother to the prime-minister. He made him- self very agreeable, and seemed remarkably desir- ous for information, showing a great deal of curi- osity on many subjects.
The ladies of his household, consisting of his wife, daughters, nieces, &c., blazing Avitli jewels, were seated in a semicircle round the upper part of the Pringitan. The gentlemen were in the Pen- dopo, which had many stands full of glittering spears, and quite a museum of native arms.
To the riwht of the Prinoitan was the orchestra.
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