We intend to discuss the political situation of Lombock presently, but the first question that presents itself to us is: whence did the name derive its origin? Nothing much is known for certain; all that can be learned is, that a fair sized place of that name is situated on a bay on the east coast-the bay also being called Lombock and according to the declarations of the natives, one of the Sassak chiefs must have been established there. Both Zollinger and Van Eck state that a place similarly named is also found on the west coast. There is no difficulty in surmising that the early East India navigators, who used this place as a watering station, should have given the name to the whole island. Anyhow we find the name of Lombock mentioned by our traders, as we shall see later in our review of our early relations with that kingdom. The natives still adhere to the old name of Salaparang, as we have seen in the letter written by the Sassak chiefs.

The origin of Salaparang is likewise hidden in obscurity; Valentyn speaks of an island called "Salamparang" subject to the Balinese, possibly the old name of the island, but more probably of one of the independent little states into which it was divided before the arrival of the Balinese.

should be lost, he called upon the animals of the surrounding woods, promising that whichsoever of them would drink his urine should give birth to a human being and that the offspring should be a girl. The first to respond to this appeal was a sow, who was rewarded in a few weeks time by bringing into the world a lovely little girl, whom she brought up in the woods with the greatest possible care.

"As the girl attained to womanhood the had all she ways and habits of a well brought up Balinese woman and she was specially skilful in weaving sarongs. From early morning to late in the evening she might be seen at her loom; one day while very busy at work, she dropped her shuttle-she picked it up hurriedly, but it fell again and this occurred again and again; as often as the girl attempted to take the shuttle in her hand it slipped from her and at last, losing patience, she exclaimed in despair: Will no one pick up my shuttle for me? If a man answers my prayer I will be his wife, if a woman, she shall be a sister to me.' "Her prayer reached the ear of Batara Indra, who taking pity upon his foster-daughter sent one of his dogs (spirits) to her assistance. He acquitted himself of the task appointed to him and to his great surprise, he became that very day the husband of this lovely maiden. The fruit of this union was a fine boy; his parents called him Mantring Moder (perhaps a corruption of Modar or Prince of death). They themselves could give no reason for thus naming him and history does not enlighten us. All we have ascertained is, that as the boy grew older, he caused his mother considerable annoyance by continually enquiring who his father was. She was ashamed to tell him the truth until compelled by circumstances to do so. "One morning Mantring Moder went as usual to hunt in the wood. His special purpose on this day was to discover the whereabouts of a long and lanky dog, which was in the habit of wandering round their dwelling at night time and disturbing their slumbers by his hideous whinings; finally he espied his tormentor, who suspecting no evil, was seated peacefully beneath a tree in friendly conversation with an old sow. Naturally Mantring Moder was unaware that he saw before him his father and his grandmother, so he let fly at himand a moment later the dog was a corpse.

"Having accomplished this heroic deed the young man returns home. Presently he tells his mother about his day's hunting and only then does he learn from the widow, of what a terrible misdeed he has been guilty. He does not appear very repentant, and indeed what troubles him most of all, is the thought that his father should have been a dog. After meditating upon his wretched fate for a considerable length of time, he decides to try and obtain an audience of Batara Indra. He meets with a kindly reception and does not hesitate to state his request, that it may please Batara to grant him a bangsa (status) amongst men. Indra listens to him patiently but asserts his inability to comply. I have only just-so spoke his Holiness-instituted the tjatoer-djalma (caste divisions of which later) amongst my Balinese children. I have divided them into four classes and more than that I cannot do. You have come too late.

"After a little consideration however Batara added; You have come too late and I cannot

According to Zollinger the title of Rajah of Salaparang was taken by the princes of the island to commemorate the conquest and destruction of the capital of one of the Sassak states bearing that name and in favour of this suggestion we have the fact that at the foot of the hill of Rendjani, in the Sassak division, there still exists a village of that name. Before the arrival of the Balinese the island was divided into various more or less independent districts, which were ruled by chiefs under the title of Datoeq or Raden. One common ruler was not acknowledged, on the contrary there were continuous internecine struggles for authority and supremacy.

So it came to pass, that during the middle of last century some serious struggles were going on between the princes and one of these, the Rajah of Praja, sent a message to Ratoe Gedeh Ngoerah of Karangassim in Bali, to come and assist him to defeat the other native princes. The Balinese prince was not slow to accept the invitation, seeing before him the opportunity of establishing his own authority in Lombock. He agreed to help the prince of Praja in recovering his independence, but on the

include you in the tjatoer-djalman, but I will do something else for you; I will create a new tribe for you. You shall be the head of the 'slams' (Islam, 'slam.) Here is a tiny phial, take it with you to heathen Java and pour its contents into all the waters where the people bathe. The result of this will be that all will be attacked by a deadly disease; when this has come to pass, then present yourself to the public and proclaim loudly that you are possessed of an infallible remedy against the fatal disorder. That remedy is circumcision.' "Now go at once and I promise you that within a very short time you shall be at the head of a race innumerable as the stars in heaven and that to perpetuate your memory they shall be called: 'slams."

Mantring Moder had no sooner received the phial from the hands of Batara than he departed and without resting on the way, he sped to Java. Here he followed out minutely the instructions received and everything occurred as had been foretold. All who bathed were seized with sudden illness and as all stood in fear of death they readily submitted to circumcision; within a few months the whole of Java was converted to Islam.

Our hero instead of being satisfied at finding himself at the head of thousands and tens of thousands of people, pined for further aggrandizement and desired to extend his fame beyond the limits of Java.

In due time Mantring Moder remembers that Batara Indra had spoken to him of Sassaksand he prepares to visit their island with some of his followers: they reach there safely and establish themselves at Dangin Djoering. No one troubles about the stranger, who is apparently peaceably inclined. Very shortly after the Sassaks begin to find out their mistake. An unknown disease, whose ravages the cleverest doctors cannot arrest, has been spread amongst the inhabitants. It must be the stranger who is the cause thereof! The islanders driven to the verge of despair assemble in front of Mantring Moder's abode, and certain it is that his life would have been worth short purchase, had he not possessed the knowledge how to allay the strange malady. Without the slightest demur every man on the island was circumcised and the disease disappeared from their midst as rapidly as it had come.

As a mark of gratitude all the admirers of the honoured stranger covered their head with a piece of cloth (ikat kapala), intended to represent the skin of a dog and the handles of their krisses were so re-shaped, as to remind each one of the circumcision.

This then, according to tradition, would explain the wearing of the head-cloth by the Sassaks, whereas it is only worn in exceptional instances by the Hindu-Balinese.

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Regarding the later fate of the propagator of Islamism, the legend says: that, while his success had been so boundless, there was one to whom it rather gave cause for anxiety and that was no less a personage than Batara Indra, who began to tremble lest Mantring Moder might take it into his head to cross over to Bali with his followers. And what to do to prevent it? The only thing was, to get rid of him and that is what Batara did. Mantring Moder was once more preparing for fresh conquests, when he died quite suddenly and his adherents laid him to rest, at Dangin Djoering, where his remains are still said to be at the present day."

understanding that in return for his services he, the prince of Karangassim, should keep for himself all that he could take.

A numerous expedition crossed over from Bali to fight the enemies of Praja. The petty princes of Lombock were totally unprepared to defend themselves against such an array of force, and one by one they were all defeated. When all had been vanquished, the Balinese turned against Praja itself and this too fell into his power; and since that time the Balinese rule has been established in Lombock.

This of course is the story. But is it not doubtful whether a series of events which occurred at short intervals have not all been rolled into one by tradition?

Considering the close proximity of the islands it is more than probable that communication and connection between Bali and Lombock existed at a much earlier period and that the repeated marauding incursions of the more powerful race of the Hindu-Balinese led up to the ultimate extension of power. As a matter of fact, we find mentioned in Van Eck's writings, that the cause of the Rajah of Praja's troubles with the other princes of Lombock, was his being on too friendly terms with the foreigners the Balinese-and even before that, the reigning princes of the two islands had intercourse with one another. For instance the prince Gusti Wayan Taga, who reigned over Lombock from 1741 to 1775 under the supreme authority of Bali, was on his father's side a descendent of the Sassaks, although his mother was of Balinese descent. There remains no doubt about the fact that since the middle of last century the Balinese have ruled Lombock and their influence has been paramount.

This is an opportune moment to speak of the Hindu-Balinese institutions and religion, for without a knowledge of these things it is impossible to obtain an insight into the social conditions of Bali and Lombock. The religion of the Balinese permeates their whole existence-their gods are present everywhere, they are all-powerful and exercise a direct influence over every act of their lives.

"If a child smiles in its sleep it is a token that its guardian angel is watching over it; abundant rains and plentiful crops are other proofs of the goodness of the gods, who frequently place themselves in communication with men and advise them how to act in the interest of their dessas or their families. It is thought that the deities when in a bad temper or angered send all sorts of misfortunes, such as epidemics, or bad harvests, etc. Their favours are gratefully acknowledged, but it is their anger which most influences the people, who spare no efforts or sacrifices to propitiate them and turn aside their resentment."

Was not the death of the notable Balinese woman on the day planned for the murderous attack on our troops looked upon as an ill-omen and a warning from the gods to delay?.... How grateful we ought to be to that warning!

If amongst many sects we often find traces of their earlier beliefs,