Excursion to Duitensorg. — Javanese Miles. 203 



tlic Kinffs of Lombok who had fled to Sumbawa. But for 

 the preponderating influence of the Dutch Government the 

 two disputants woukl long before have resorted to war. 



On the 13th May we set forth in two large and very com- 

 fortable coaches for Buitenzorg (signifying in Dutch " on the 

 farther side of sorrow"), the usual residence of the Governor- 

 general, who only comes to Batavia on certain days in the 

 month to give audiences. He had not alone invited the 

 members of the Expedition to visit the Preanger Regencies as 

 guests of the government, and caused arrangements to be 

 made for their ascending w^ith as little trouble as possible the 

 volcanic peak of Gunung Pangerango (10,194 feet), but like- 

 wise detached one of his adjutants, M. de Kock, and Dr. 

 Bleeker, both well acquainted with the natural history of the 

 country, to accompany us upon this excursion. Messengers 

 were sent in advance, to announce our approach at each 

 station, so as to secure us a comfortable and courteous 

 reception wherever we wished to pass a few hours, or to 

 take a night's rest. 



Buitenzorg is distant from the capital 39 paals or Javanese 

 miles,* which distance^ thanks to the excellence of the roads 

 and the horses in Java, is traversed in about three hours, 

 two " loopers," or runners, as is the custom here, as else- 



* 73.75 paals (posts) are equal to one degree of the equator, whence one paal=\\nthin 

 a small fraction of 4943 feet 6 inches. This method of indicating land-measure originated 

 in the circumstance that on every road intersecting Java from west to east, the re- 

 spective distances from the three chief places, Batavia, Saraarang, and Siurabaya, are 

 marked up upon wooden "paale" or posts. 



