that the ladder was always removed in the night, for the sake of security.  We entered at once into the presence-chamber, where the whole divan, if such it may be called, sat in arm-chairs, occupying the half of a large round table, covered with a white cotton cloth.  On the opposite side of the table, seats were placed for us.  On our approach, the Sultan and all his council rose, and motioned us to our seats.  When we had taken them, the part of the room behind us was literally crammed with well-armed men.  A few minutes were passed in silence, during which time we had an opportunity of looking at each other, and around the hall in which we were seated.  The latter was of very common workmanship, and exhibited no signs of oriental magnificence.  Overhead hung a printed cotton cloth, forming a kind of tester, which covered about half of the apartment.  In other places the roof and rafters were visible.  A part of the house was roughly partitioned off, to the height of nine or ten feet, enclosing, as I was afterwards told, the Sultan’s sleeping apartment, and that appropriated to his wife and her attendants.

The Sultan is of middle height, spare and thin; he was dressed in a white cotton shirt, loose trousers of the same material, and slippers; he had no stockings; the bottom of his trousers was worked in scollops with blue silk, and this was the only ornament I saw about him.  On his head he wore a small colored cotton handkerchief, wound into a turban, that just covered the top of his head.  His eyes were bloodshot, and had an uneasy wild look, showing that he was under the effects of opium, of which they all smoke large quantities.  His teeth were as black as ebony, which, with his bright cherry-colored lips, [271] contrasted with his swarthy skin, gave him anything but a pleasant look.

On the left hand of the Sultan sat his two sons, while his right was occupied by his councillors; just behind him, sat the carrier of his betel-nut casket.  The casket was of filigree silver, about the size of a small tea-caddy, of oblong shape, and rounded at the top.  It had three divisions, one for the leaf, another for the nut, and a third for the lime.  Next to this official was the pipe-bearer, who did not appear to be held in such estimation as the former.

[Treaty with United States.] I opened the conversation by desiring that the Datu would explain the nature of our visit, and tell the Sultan that I had come to make the treaty which he had some time before desired to form with the United States. [272]

The Sultan replied that such was still his desire; upon which I told him I would draw one up for him that same day.  While I was explaining to him the terms, a brass candlestick was brought in with a lighted tallow candle, of a very dark color, and rude shape, that showed but little art in the manufacture.  This was placed in the center of the table, with a plate of Manila cigars.  None of them, however, were offered to us, nor any kind of refreshment.