Page:Life in Java Volume 1.djvu/40

parts of large towns, and chiefly in the interior, these guardos are more substantially built; having roofs of tiles instead of attap, and brick walls in lieu of rough hewn poles. Before this building is a stand of arms, peculiarly Javanese, which, though simple, I cannot pass over unnoticed. The three implements which are seemingly indispensable for constabular use are the bunday, the kumkum, and the toyah. The first is a short pole, about four feet in length, upon the top of which are tied two pieces of wood, so placed as to meet in an acute angle, and open towards the ends, like the distended jaws of an alligator; the resemblance being made greater by the addition of dried stems of sharp thorns, tied on the two pieces of wood, and looking somewhat like rows of teeth. These effectually serve the purpose of detaining any runaway around whose neck they are fixed, lacerating the flesh to a terrible extent should he offer the slightest resistance.