270 Voyage of the Novara. 



Saleli, a Javanese of high birth, and princely descent, who, 

 born in 1816 at Djokjokarta in the interior of the island, was 

 at the expense of the Dutch Government brought to Europe 

 when a boy of 14, where he lived for a long time at the Hague, 

 and afterwards in Dresden and Paris, turning his attention 

 chiefly to painting, and who, after 23 years' absence, liad return- 

 ed to Java shortly before our arrival. Raden Saleh, who speaks 

 and writes several European languages with fluency, draws a 

 not inconsiderable sum yearly from the Colonial Government, 

 by way of remuneration for pictures which he is from time to 

 time commissioned to paint for Government House. At the 

 period of our visit the artist was busy engaged in executing 

 for the King of Holland a large oil-painting, representing a 

 stag-hunt on the plain of Mundschul, in the Preanger Re- 

 gency, at the foot of the Malabar range. The composition, 

 the landscape, the aerial perspective, the attitudes and group- 

 ing of the mounted huntsmen, gave evidence of uncommon 

 talent, which unfortunately, however, has not been cultivated 

 to that extent as to enable him to stamp all his ^performances 

 with the impress of artistic perfection. Radhen Saleli cher- 

 ishes a warm feeling for Germany, wliich even his placid, de- 

 lightful residence among the Eden-like landscapes of his own 

 native land has not been able to weaken. " I owe so much 

 to Germany," he would say to us; "my thoughts and my 

 feelings ever revert to Germany ! " It seemed that in his case, 

 as in that of the young negro prince, Aquasie Boachi, of the 



