Page:Life in Java Volume 2.djvu/35

 THE BIDDING. 19

The announcement of the name caused no little excitement amonn; the merchants, some of whom struck their thighs with the palms of their hands, while others heat their foreheads, accompanying the action with a loud exclamation, apparently ex- pressive of disappointment.

When the noise and l)ustle had suhsided, the auctioneer rose and said, that, in the name of the Government, the ]tesident of Madioen acknow- ledged Ngawie to be the ])riiicipal and largest oj)iuin farm in the pntvince, in ciise(|uence of which pi'ivilege the value of its licence was ten ihousiiiid floi'ius (ahfiut >>',')) (In. .S(/.) a mouth.

"Now,"' he ad(hMl, ' capitans, we are waiting for \"ur liid."

'I'lic (ir;iiig ch('(,>n;i, howcxcr, (<iusidcring the price named \('rv high,;iske(l whetlur the (iovern- iiient eoidd not he imhieed to lo\wi" it. 'Vlic rejiK' was a deeide(l jiegative. A hdl ensut'd, ominous, as some thouglit, of a dull market.

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