The Eastern Seas, or Voyages and adventures in the Indian Archipelago, in 1832, 33, 34 ... also an account of the present state of Singapore, etc

Front matter

THE EASTERN SEAS, OR VOYAGES AND ADVENTURES IN THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO, IN 1832-33-34, COMPRISING A TOUR OF THE ISLAND OF JAVA— VISITS TO BORNEO, THE MALAY PENINSULA, SIAM, &c. ; ALSO AN ACCOUNT OF THE PRESENT STATE OF SINGAPORE, WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE COMMERCIAL RESOURCES OF THE ARCHIPELAGO. By GEORGE WINDSOR EARL, m.r.a.s. LONDON: Wm. H. ALLEN and CO. LEADENHALL STREET. 1837. Printed by J. la. Cox and Sons, 75, Great Queen Street, Lincoln's-Inn Fields, TO Dr. JOSE D'ALMEIDA, OF SINGAPORE, WHOSE KINDNESS AND LIBERALITY ARE SO WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED NUMEROUS TRAVELLERS WHO HAVE BEEN WELCOMED UNDER HIS HOSPITABLE ROOF, THE FOLLOWING WORK #b jFrtsmietr AS A TRIBUTE OF GRATITUDE AND A MEMORIAL OF ESTEEM, BY HIS SINCERE FRIEND THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS.

Chapter I. Voyage From Western Australia To Java

BATAVIA. PAGE Departure from Western Australia to Batavia. — Native Seamen. — Make the Island of Java. — Chinese Quarrel. — Arrival at Anjer. — Continue the Voyage. — The Thou sand Islands. — Arrival at Batavia. — Transactions there. — European Mode of Life. — Horses. — Schuterij. — Climate of Batavia. — Commerce. — Native Inhabitants.—* A rich Landed Proprietor. — Chinese Campong. — Capitan China. — Relative Position of the Chinese and the Natives. — Dutch Merchants. — Nederlandsch Handel Maatschappy. — British and Chinese Sugar Planters. — British Landed Proprietors 1

Chapter II

S OURAB AYA. Sail for Sourabaya. — Javanese Mode of taking Fish. — Land and Sea Breezes. — Native Prahus. — Anecdotes of the Pirates. — Raja Raga. — Adventure between his favourite Panglima and a British Man-of-War. — Arrival b VI CONTENTS. PAGE atSamarang Attempted Murder of a Javanese Fisher man. — Continue the Voyage. — Heavy Squall. — Teak Forests.— Sagacity of a Manilla Bloodhound. — Arrival at Sourabaya. — Description of the Town English Residents. — Promenades. — Lizards Anecdote of a Tokkay.— Life in Sourabaya.— Liplaps.— Manners and Customs of the Javanese System of enlisting Seamen. — Costume of the Natives. — Habitations. — Visit to an Arab Merchant. — Native Christians. — Novel Mode of Ship-building. — Sail for the South Coast of Java 36

Chapter III. Tour Of Java

Incidents at Sea. — Arrival at Samanap. — Salt Pans. — Cattle. — The Panambahan and his Fish Ponds. — Departure from Samanap. — Economy of a Country Ship. — Comparative Efficiency of Javanese Seamen. — Their Mode of Life. — Amusements. — Gummock, a Mountaineer. — Enter the Indian Ocean by Lombok Strait. — Present State of the Islands of Bali and Lombok. — Voyage along the South Coast of Java. — Nusa Kambangan, or the Floating Island. — Dangerous Situation of the Ship — Anchor at Cali Pujang. — Transactions. — Desertion and Capture of Two Seamen. — Marine Fete given to the Javanese. — Dancing Girls. — Wyang, or Native Play — Anecdote of a Mountaineer Entertainment at the Port — Topography of Cali Pujang Government Productions — Edible Birds' Nests Zoology Prospective Importance of Cali Pujang. — Sail for Batavia. — Arrival there — Sir Stamford Raffles CONTENTS. VII PACE 125

Chapter IV. Voyage From Java To Singapore

Embark and Sail for Singapore. — Dutch Invalids returning Home. — Palo Babi. — Passengers. — The East Coast of Sumatra. — Weather. — Enter Banca Straits. — Fall in with a Chinese Junk. — A Javan Chinese Passenger. — Scenes in the Straits — Stillness of the Jungle. — Savage Inhabitants of Sumatra. — Banca. — Inhabitants. — Tin Mines. — Palembang. — Anecdote of its Capture by the British. — Enter Rhio Straits. — Ban Ok, the Capitan China of Rhio. — Present State of the Settlement. — Continue the Voyage to Singapore. — Ship touches on the Rocks. — Arrival at Singapore

Chapter V. Voyage To Siam

BANKOK. Embark for Siam. — Object of the Voyage. — Passengers. — A Malay Hadjee. — Seamen. — Arrive at Tringanu. — Transactions there. — Proceed to Calantan. — Continue the Voyage.— Cape Patani. — Arrive at Siam. — A Night Excursion up the River to Bankok. — Appearances of the Town. — Factory. — Hattee's Canoe. — Visit to the Royal Tombs. — Cavalier Treatment of Visitors. — Appearance, Manners, and Dress of the Siamese. — Talapoins or Priests. — Siamese Women. — Chinese andother Foreign Settlers. — Aggressions of the Siamese on the Malays. — An Ex-Raja. — Siamese Christians. — Adepts at Pig-stealing. — Anecdote. — Floating Houses. — Commerce of Bankok. — Leave Bankok for the Mouth of the River. CONTENTS. TACE — Scene in a Coco-nut Grove. — Arrival on board the Schooner 1*'

Chapter VI. Voyage Down The East Coast Of The Malay Peninsula

TRINGANU. Departure from Siam. — Arrive at Tringanu. — Malay Habitations Occupations of the Natives — The Sultan and the Pangerans. — Manners and Customs of the Malays. — The Pirates. — Precautions against their Attacks. — Visit from a Spy. — Specimen of the Malay Aristocracy. — Departure of a Musquito Fleet to attack the Pirates. — Departure for Singapore. — Malay Fishermen. — Hooks and Lines. — Fish. — Severe Squall. — Cochin Chinese Vessels and Seamen. — Arrival at Singapore 182

Chapter VII. Voyage To Borneo

Preparations for the Voyage. — Sail from Singapore Opium Smokers. — Arrival on the Coast of Borneo. Search for a Town. — A Fortified Creek. — Anchor off Sinkawan. — Dutch Cruise-prahus Visit to the Town. — Reception from the Chinese. — The Town and its Inhabitants. — The Kung Se. — A Popular Assembly. Return to the Schooner. — Mud Banks and their Occupants. — Novel Mode of taking Fish. — Continue our Voyage to the Sambas River. — Excursion up the River to the Town. — Visit to the Dutch Resident Bring the Schooner up the River. — Interview with some wild CONTENTS. IX PAGE Dyaks. — Description of Sambas. — Visit to the Sultan. — The Pangerans. — Former System of Piracy. — Excur sion up the River in search of the Orang Outan. — Trees. — Baboons. — The Orang Outan. — The Wou- Wou. — Domestic Animals. — A Public Dinner. — Departure from Sambas 199

Chapter VIII. Borneo

DUTCH COLONIES. — RECENT DISCOVERIES. THE ABORIGINES. The West Coast of Borneo. — Malay and Chinese Colonies. — Cession to the Dutch. — Monopoly of the Diamond Mines. — Blockade of the Chinese Colony by the Dutch. — Consequent Destruction of its Commerce. — Revenue of the Dutch Settlements. — Commerce. — Productions. — Population. — Rivers. — Recent Discoveries in the Interior. — The Danau Malayu. — The Dyaks, the Aboriginal Inhabitants of Borneo. — Personal Appearance. — Women. — Habitations and Plantations.— Commerce. — Skill in Tempering Iron Weapons. — Religion. — Human Sacrifice. — Human Head Hunting. — Destruction of the Population of Slaku. — Dyaks said to be Cannibals. — Susceptible of Improvement. — Relicts of an Ancient People — Oracular Jars 239

Chapter IX. Visit To The Gold Mines, And To The Capital Of

THE CHINESE COLONY. Return to Sinkawan. — Departure for Montradok.— Appearance of the Country. — Sedan Chairs. — Exhausted Gold CONTENTS. X PAGE Mines.— The Great Plain of Montradok. — Arrival at the Capital.— Gold and Diamond Mines.— A Meeting of Congress. — Habits and Form of Government of the Chinese Colonists Notions of the Chinese concerning the Origin of the Dyaks. — Alarming Reports from the Sea Coast. — Depart for Sinkawan — Interview with some Dyaks. — Pirates. — Commercial Transactions with the Kung Se. — Mode of Bargaining. — Clamorous Pur chasers. — Excursion to the Neighbouring Islands. — Pig Hunting. — Return to Singapore. — Remarks on the Obstacles to a Commercial Intercourse with Western Borneo 278

Chapter X. Sketch Of The Present State Of Borneo, And Recent Discoveries

IN THE INTERIOR. Serawak. — Antimony Mines. — North-west Coast. — Lanun Pirates. — Borneo Proper. — Dyak Tribes. — Commerce. — The North-east corner of Borneo. — Cochin Chinese Emigration. — Productions. — East Coast of Borneo. — Coti. — Expedition of the Dutch to explore the Coti River. — Mr. Dalton's Journey. — Dyaks. — Supply of Salt.— The Coti River.— Habits of the Orang-Badju.— Banjar Massin. — Inhabitants and Commerce. — South Coast, Cota Ringin. — Geological Formation of Borneo... 308

CHAPTER XL SINGAPORE.

Singapore — The Town and Country. — The Institution. — Soil and Climate. — Sumatras. — European Residents. — CONTENTS. XI PAGE Amusements. — Native Population. — Campong Glam. — — Malacca-born Chinese. — Arrival of the Junks from China. — Landing of the Emigrants.. — Secret Societies. Attack of a Band of Robbers on the Dobies Campong. — Prevalence of Crime 343

Chapter XII. Singapore

Malay Settlers. — Their Pursuits. — People of Menangkabu. — Running-a-muck. — Sampan-Boys. — Boat Racing. — Malay Chiefs. — Pirates. — Their System. — Alarming extent to which it is carried. — Bugis. — Their Honesty and commercial Enterprise. — Erroneously supposed to be addicted to Piracy. — Settlers from Continental India. — Native Christians. — Jesuit Missionaries. — Effect of their Doctrines on the Natives. — Religious State of the Natives ofthe Archipelago 373

Chapter XIII. Singapore

Form of Government at Singapore. — Revenue and Expenditure. — Proposed Infliction of Duties. — Agricultural Capabilities. — Pepper and Gambir Plantations. — Sago and Agar-agar. — Timber. — Commerce. — Mercantile Houses. — Mode of Transacting Business. — Decrease of Trade at Singapore.— Commercial Report C ONIENTS, XII

Appendix

. PAGE Observations on the Commercial Resources of the Indian Archipelago 421 Observations on the Unexplored Parts of North and North-western Australia VOYAGES and ADVENTURES, &c &c

Chapter I. Voyage From Western Australia To Java Batavia

Departure from Western Australia to Batavia. — Native Seamen. — Make the Island of Java. — Chinese Quarrel. — Arrival at Anjer. — Continue the Voyage. — The Thousand Islands. — Arrival at Batavia Transactions there. — European Mode of Life. — Horses. — Schuterij — Climate of Batavia. — Commerce. — Native Inhabitants. — A rich Landed Proprietor. — Chinese Campong Capitan China. — Relative position of the Chinese and the Natives. — Dutch Merchants. — Nederlandsch Handel Maatschappy. — British and Chinese Sugar Planters. — British Landed Proprietors. On the 5th August 1832, after a stay of several months at Fremantle, Western Australia, I em barked for Java, on board the Dutch schooner Monkey, and sailed in the evening. On the fol- B NATIVE SEAMEN. lowing day, the wind, which had been increasing during the night, freshened to a gale from the westward, which continued for three days, bringing us to the limits of the south-east trade wind, and whence we carried a steady and favourable breeze during the remainder of the passage.

The schooner, which was only fifty tons bur then, had been originally a Dutch gun-boat, purchased from the Batavian government by . the commander, an Englishman, who was the only European on board besides myself ; the whole of the crew being natives of Eastern India. The cook and the steward were Chinese, and the serang or boatswain, together with several of the seamen, natives of Java and Madura ; but although they were all considered as Malays by Europeans, there was not one genuine Malay among them. The best seamen in the vessel consisted of an intelligent Bugis of Celebes, and a wide-mouthed good-humoured native of the island of Sumbawa, said by his shipmates to have been a man-eater ; the accusation, however, was indignantly repelled by the individual in question, although he acknowledged that some of the mountaineers of his native island occasionally made a dinner of each other.

TRADE WINDS. 3 The poor fellows had all suffered severely from the cold weather, which prevailed during their stay at Swan River ; and they, of course, rejoiced at their return to the mild climate to which they had been previously accustomed. At the com mencement of the voyage I had felt inclined to think them morose and sulky ; but when we entered the tropics, their increasing liveliness and gaiety proved that their previous dulness had been the result of circumstances. Voyaging within the influence of the trade winds is always more tedious than in higher latitudes, as in the latter the variable breezes create a constant excitement ; for when the wind is fair, it is the more valued from the uncertainty which exists as to its duration, and when contrary, a favourable change is anxiously looked for.

In the trades, however, where the breeze continues steady for days, or even weeks together, so that an alteration in the arrangement of the sails is rarely required, there can be little or no excitement of any kind ; and then more than at any other time some occupation becomes necessary to beguile the tedium. I was fortunate in having ample employment, for, as I purposed to remain two or three years in the Indian Archipelago, my leisure was chiefly occu~ b FIRST VIEW OF JAVA. pied in gaining an acquaintance with the Malay language* from the native seamen ; and I was enabled to devote the greater attention to this study from having no other amusement, for my books had all been perused and reperused during my three years' absence from England, and the schooner's library contained only a Nautical Almanack, Norie's Navigation, and Horsburgh's Sailing Directory.

As we neared the Island of Java, the prevailing easterly winds, assisted by a strong current, prevented our reaching the Strait of Bali, through which we had intended to pass into the Java sea. On the 20th of August the alteration in the colour of the water, and the disappearance of the flying fish, gave notice of our approach to the land, and shortly afterwards the high land of Java was in distinctly visible through the haze. We immediately bore up and sailed along-shore to the westward, and when the mist cleared off in the afternoon, the shore was perceived within a short * The Malay language is generally understood by the maritime population of the Archipelago, where it forms the " Lingua Franca," the language of commerce. Those who propose a visit to this interesting portion of the world, will be glad to learn that, from its simplicity and smoothness, it is to be acquired with greater facility, probably, than any other tongue.

CHINESE QUARREL. distance. It was lined by a range of hills which sloped gently down to the beach, the sides being for the most part covered with trees, but in many places patches of considerable extent were cleared and cultivated. A high peaked mountain rose up at the back of the hills, and on referring to the chart, I was surprised to find that it was fifty miles inland, for it appeared to be much nearer. I was highly delighted with my first view of Java, and wished that at some future period I might be enabled to visit this portion of the country ; but as I was informed that the Dutch permitted no intercourse with the south coast of the island, even by their own merchant ships, I could entertain a very faint hope that my wish would be gratified before I left the island : a circumstance the more pleasing, from its being unexpected.

Our usual quietude was interrupted during the afternoon by a difference of opinion between the cook and the steward. We had heard them for some time haranguing each other in their barbarous Tartar dialect, but supposing that it was only an argument respecting the propriety of boiling a yam with or without the skin, or some discussion of equal moment, we paid little attention to it. A CHINESE QUARREL. scuffle however reaching our ears shortly after wards, we were led to believe that the " argumen tum ad hominem " had been resorted to, and on hastening to the forecastle, we found it to be the case, for the two Chinese were rolling on the deck engaged in mortal strife, each having fast hold of his opponent's pig-tail, and both tugging with all their might, until their eyes appeared ready to start from their sockets.

They jumped on their feet when we approached, and the steward, a tall, sedate-looking personage, appeared greatly shocked at being discovered in a situation so incompatible with his usual dignity. He pointed at his opponent, and after several vain attempts to artic A* 3 (his breath having been expended in the late ggle,) at last uttered with a voice of horror, " thhe,"* and we were rather surprised to find tha all this disturbance had been caused by the coo.: having embezzled and applied to his own use half of the last coco-nut, which had been carefully preserved by the steward to aid the concocting of a currie for our dinner on making the land. I take pleasure in recording that this steward was what is rarely to be met with among his countrymen, an honest man, and he was also a * The Chinese English for " he is a thief."

PRINCE'S STRAIT. 7 remarkably attentive servant. He had resided two or three years with an English gentleman on the Cocos, a group of small islands in the Indian ocean, during which time he had acquired, as he thought, a perfect knowledge of the English language, but from the extraordinary simplicity to which he had reduced it, his speech was not always intelligible. For instance, when inform ing us that breakfast, dinner, or tea, were ready, he would make the same expressions, with very little alteration, answer for each. These were respectively, " fish lelly," " dish lelly," and " tish lelly," none of which, it must be confessed, be^r remarkable resemblance to the originals. now continued along the south coast of the ish ,v0 and early in the morning of the 24th, passes Pulo Klappa, a small low island, entirely covevpd with coco-nut trees, when we steered for the strait which divides Prince's Island from the main land of Java.

Although the strait is only a few miles long, we did not pass through it until the next day, and in the evening of the 27th the schooner was anchored off the little town of Anjer, which is situated on the north-west end of Java, near the narrowest part of the Straits of Sunda. ANJER The following morning, as the captain was rather unwell, I went on shore in his place to ask permission from the Dutch commandant to fill up our water-casks, a courtesy expected from the commanders of ships touching here for the pur pose. We entered a small creek, on the banks of which the bamboo houses of the natives were erected, and I landed among a group of the inhabitants, who were admiring the proportions of a new fishing prahu which had just been launched into the water, and she certainly appeared to be well adapted for fast sailing.

The houses of the natives were low, and consisted generally of only two rooms. They were shaded by large trees, among which were many palms, and the general appearance of the scenery and people reminded me forcibly of paintings which I had seen of some of the South Sea Islands. On landing I was accosted in tolerable English by an individual dressed in a shirt and native sarong, or petticoat, who enquired if he could be of any service to me, and on my informing him of the purport of my visit, he offered to conduct me to the commandant's quarters in the fort. From the dress of my companion, who proved to be the government secretary, I had at first taken him for ANJER. a native, but the information he displayed soon undeceived me, and I found that his costume was that usually adopted as a morning dress by the Europeans in Java.

We found the commandant making preparations for his morning walk, and he immediately gave me the desired permission. Anjer is scarcely of sufficient importance to be called a town, as there are no substantial houses excepting those within the fort, in which all the Europeans reside ; the natives occupying the village on the banks of the creek. The fort con sists of a quadrangle of about an acre, enclosed by banks of earth covered with turf, which are so thick and soft that a ball could not injure or penetrate them. Upon these outworks several guns are mounted, which protect the inhabitants from the piratical attacks of the natives of Sumatra, but cannot molest ships in passing the strait. As the place possesses no trade, except in pro visions for the refreshment of vessels, there are no merchants established in the settlement, so that it can only be considered as a military post.

The natives in the vicinity are descended from the Sumatran Malays, and do not much resemble the Javanese either in habits or appearance. They have no taste for agriculture, but prefer an irregular NATIVES. mode of life, subsisting principally by fishing, and selling stock to the ships which pass through the Straits of Sunda. Refreshments are to be procured here cheaper than in any part of the Indian Archipelago, for the inhabitants of the neighbour ing inland villages devote their whole time to rearing stock, and growing sweet potatoes, yams, and other vegetables. On my arrival on board the schooner, I found her surrounded by small canoes, laden with turtle, ducks, fowls, cockatoos, monkies, and numbers of small animals and birds, which they expected to sell to some of the ships which might pass during the day.

The captain had purchased several handsome Lampung monkies, which he intended to present to his friends at Sourabaya, where they are much valued, from the supposition that their presence in the stables will prevent sickness among the horses. We weighed anchor with the sea-breeze in the afternoon, and proceeded on our voyage to Batavia. The wind soon fell light, and we made but little progress until towards midnight, when the land wind came off, bringing with it an aromatic smell of decaying vegetation, to which the ancient navigators probably alluded, when speaking of BANTAM. 11 the " spicy gales of India." It created a chilly, damp sensation, and was doubtless pregnant with malaria. The monsoon being now against us we made but little progress, for, during the night, when the wind generally became a little favourable, it was dangerous to get under weigh on account of the intricate navigation among the low islands and coral reefs.

On the 30th we passed Bantam, which town, from its having been so often mentioned by the English navigators, who first visited the Archi pelago, is classic ground to a seaman. The foreign commerce formerly enjoyed by Bantam has been destroyed since the establishment of the Dutch at Batavia, and the town is now of no greater importance than the smallest residency on the coast. The sea near Batavia is covered with in numerable little islets, all of which are clothed with luxuriant vegetation. Native prahus, with their yellow mat sails, are occasionally seen to shoot from behind one of them, to be shielded from view immediately afterwards by the green foliage of another ; and over the tops of the trees may often be descried the white sails of some state ly ship, threading the mazes of this little archi- FISHING BOATS. pelago.

One group, appropriately named the Thou sand Islands, has never yet been explored, and its intricacies afford concealment to petty pirates, who prey upon the small prahus and fishing-boats. We rounded Ontang Java point on the 2d of September, and bore up for Batavia roads, occasionally having a view of the shipping between the islands. A number of large fishing-boats were coming in from sea, and standing with us into the roads ; and although we were running at the rate of seven knots an hour, they passed us with great rapidity. They had a most graceful appearance : many of them were fourteen or fifteen tons bur then, and each boat carried one immense square sail. As the breeze was strong, a thick plank was thrust out to windward for an out-rigger, on which several of the numerous crew sat, or stood, to prevent the press of sail they were carrying from capsizing the boat.

They were occasionally hidden from our view by their passing behind some of the small islets ; but in a few seconds they would appear on the other side, having shot past so rapidly, that we could scarcely fancy that we had lost sight of them at all. We ran through the shipping, and anchored at five o'clock near the mouth of the river, and the BATAVIA ROADS. 13 schooner was soon visited by a boat from the guard-ship, to make inquiries relative to the port from which we had arrived. We anchored too late in the afternoon to have any communication with the shore, and therefore amused ourselves while the daylight lasted in examining the ships in the roads with a telescope, for the town was nearly concealed from our view by the trees. The majority of the ships were Dutch ; but there were also several other flags flying, among which the stars and stripes of the United States were not the least numerous.

The English ships, of which there were five or six, did not appear to advantage when compared with the handsome models of the Dutch Indiamen, the finest class of merchant vessels in the world. After breakfast the next morning I accompanied Captain Pace to the town, being sheltered from the sun's rays by a canvas awning spread over the boat. The river is carried out about a mile into the sea between two piers, which have been erected for the purpose of contracting the current, so that it might acquire sufficient force to keep the channel clear of mud, as it would not other wise have depth enough to afford entrance even to deeply laden boats. When we entered between the THE RIVER. piers, the boat's-crew jumped upon one of them with a rope, one end of which was fixed to the boat, to track it up the river, as the strength of the current is too great to permit the river to be ascended by means of oars alone.

The objects that met my view on our way to the town, were by no means calculated to give a favourable impression of the place. We first overtook a boat carrying three sick Europeans to the hospital, and a little farther we passed a large lighter, in which a number of native convicts were busily employed in clearing the mud from the bottom of the river. Many of them were heavily ironed, and being nearly naked and covered with mud, had a very unprepossessing appearance. A short distance below the town, a large alligator, of a light brown colour, was floating in the centre of the river devouringsome garbage. He did not deem it necessary to move out of our way, and we passed close to him without interrupting his meal. The sameness of the alligators is accounted for by their being protected from injury by the authorities, as they devour the refuse of the slaughter-houses, which might otherwise be in jurious to the health of the inhabitants.

The natives appeared to have no fear of them, for BATAVIA. several children were bathing on the banks, near the spot where the monster was feeding. During the period of calm, which elapses between the land and sea breezes, the alligators sometimes take an excursion in the roads among the shipping, and as they are rarely seen when the sea breeze prevails, it is probable that they then retire into the river. On arriving at the Boom or Custom-house, a large building immediately below the town, the boat was narrowly searched, and we then passed on to the principal part of the town, where a number of whitewashed brick houses, chiefly occupied as offices and warehouses by European merchants, were ranged along each bank of the river, fronted by rows of trees. We landed opposite to a large retail store, belonging to an Englishman, which I found was the rendezvous of all the English, who have an hour to throw away.

A group of merchants and ship captains were con versingat the entrance of the store, many of whom greeted the captain as an old acquaintance. Under the trees in front of the store, a number of natives were lounging about, having poultry of all descriptions for sale, for which some of the ship captains were bargaining. COUNTRY HOUSES. In the afternoon I accompanied a gentleman, to whom I had brought a letter of introduction, to his house, which was situated about six miles from Batavia. All the Europeans reside in the country ; sleeping in the town even for a single night, exposed to the noxious vapours which rise from the swamp in which it is built, being almost certain to create a fever. We left town at four o'clock, in my friend's buggy or gig, drawn by a fast little Javanese horse. The first part of our journey lay over ground of a swampy nature, crossed by numerous water-courses ; but after the first two miles the country became gradually more elevated.

This being the dry season, the roads were in excellent condition, and they were rendered cool and pleasant by rows of trees planted on each side, as in the boulevards of Paris. We passed many handsome houses, situated in square en closures or compounds,* which were generally planted with shrubs, having a circular carriage drive, leading from the great gates to the door of the house, and arrived at my friend's residence at * This word, I imagine, is a corruption of the Malay can pong or village, and probably alludes to the houses of the servants which are erected within the enclosure. It is applied in the same sense all over British India, where, however, it is supposed to be derived from the Portuguese word Campania. EUROPEAN RESIDENTS. five o'clock. Several neat, gaily dressed native servants were hastening to and fro from the house to the kitchen, and two gardeners were chasing a large cassowary round the compound, the bird having apparently ran away with something to which it had no right.

We soon sat down to a sumptuous dinner of fish, flesh, and fowl of all descriptions, aided by numerous dainties in the shape of curries and stews. Some pine-apples, mangosteins, and other fruits were brought on table for the dessert, but I noticed that my host did not partake of any ; indeed they are all of so luscious a nature, that the palate soon tires of them, and longs for the fresh tartness of the apple and other European fruits. The mode of life pursued by the European residents at Batavia is rather monotonous, but is easily supported by those who have great pecuniary advantages in view. Early rising is generally practised, the morning being by far the most agreeable part of the day. The time before breakfast is spent in riding or gardening, according to the taste of the individual, and after a substantial meal at eight o'clock, they repair to their town offices.