184 Report of a Journey Around the ]\ T orld . 



plentifully sprinkled. Arrived on board we found a fine large 

 stateroom reserved for us, and the trunks and other traps we had 

 left in Singapore all in it; our chairs were all right on deck. 

 Although our room was the largest we had found so far on our way, 

 we asked the second steward if he could not give us each one, and 

 he did ; we slept well with the help of the electric fan. 



Friday, Oct. 4. All day loading sugar, but the weather cool 

 and comfortable. The baths and accessories were all that could 

 be desired ; we were at the captain's table, the Chinese service 

 was good and our meals were all we wished. 



Saturday, Oct. 5. During the night we moved on to Pasoeran 

 for 500 T more sugar, and at daylight came to anchor some dis- 

 tance from shore where we were soon joined by twenty praws with 

 the expected cargo. To load this took another day and not until 

 nine in the evening did we get under weigh. A number of curious 

 canoes came by, evidently fishermen's, and one boarded the steamer 

 with a single fish (a snapper) for which he asked such a price that 

 no purchase was made. These canoes w r ere well built, long and 

 narrow, and rather high out of the water, with raised prow and 

 stern. Two bambu outriggers were attached at a slight angle, 

 the bow attachment being to a wing-like projection, at the stern 

 the ordinary fastening. A sort of devil's head preceded by three 

 tiny flags decorated the prow and there was a broad paddle for 

 steering when the triangular sail w T as set. 



Thursday, Oct. 10. Heavy squall during the night, which 

 was otherwise hot and the electric fan was a friend in need. At 

 early dawn we were at the wharf in Port Darwin and we went 

 ashore. There was no train, although the rails were alongside on 

 the wharf, and we were told that passengers from the East had a 

 special train to take them to the town and the Botanical Garden, 

 which by report was a fine one. We climbed the hill to the post- 

 office but found it closed ; later we posted our mail. 



Port Darwin, formerly Palmerston, is situated on a bluff of 

 yellowish limestone, folded in an interesting way and capped with 

 Eucalyptus and other characteristic Australian vegetation. No 

 botanist could hesitate to declare what part of the world he had 

 landed upon. The bay that this bluff commands is extensive and 

 bounded by low mangrove-covered islands. The wharf of cast- 

 iron piles bolted together shows the great tidal variation which we 



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