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POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



' Padang's Streets wind about in Ways the Most Confusing. ' 



in the jungles within a few years. Eight noble game they make too, 

 ranking with the elephant and tiger in ferocity and clanger. In the 

 rivers one frequently sees what looks like the partly submerged branch 

 of a tree, but which, upon closer inspection, proves to be the horns of 

 several karbow enjoying a bath. 



The streets are kept in excellent order for either foot or wheel. 

 There is not a sidewalk in all Padang. The foreigner does not walk 

 much nor far in such a climate, nor does the native if he is fortunate 

 enough to have a fare in his pocket. The ordinary conveyances are 

 two varieties of carts: the dos-a-dos (pronounced dos) with the seats 

 back to back and holding four persons, and the tram with two short 

 seats lengthwise behind the driver's seat. The latter is the more com- 

 fortable, if not crowded to its full capacity of five persons. Both 

 varieties are two-wheeled and are drawn by a single diminutive pony 

 of the most contrary disposition. Traveling by this means is cheap, 

 the legal rate being one guilder (40 cents American) per hour. The 

 legal rate is, however, seldom paid if a bargain is made beforehand. 

 As four persons ride as cheaply as one, the Chinese and Malays ride 

 in groups. 



At frequent intervals throughout the city are small shelters to 

 protect the policemen and pedestrians from the sudden rains. They 

 are open on one side, and each contains a gong made of a hollow log 

 with a skin stretched across, or sometimes a bell. In cases of fire or 

 crime this gong is beaten to summon help. Many of these shelters 

 contain benches, which are usually occupied in the daytime by some 



