IN THE EASTERN AUCHIPELAOO. 161 



CHAPTEE III. 



SOJOUKN IN THE PALEMBANG EESIDENCY. 



I 



From Batavia to Anjcr — lleturn to TeloU-bctong — rrocecd to Bcneawanp 

 Leave this for the BLilau region — Camp at Sanghi — Camp in tlic 

 forest— Phospliorcscent disiilay — Camp a^ain in forest — "Reach Bumi- 

 padan^; — Pass on to Batii-hrah — Description of the village — Move on to 

 Kenali — Description of llie villa<];e — Proceed to Iloudjoong — Description of 

 the village — Its tobacco industry — Its rice-fields — Planting and reaping — 

 Superstitions — Goitre — Fauna and flora of tlic Besagi volcano — Birds 

 and insects of the neighbonrhood. 



Haying despatched my collections to England, in the middle 

 of December, I turned my steps once more to Sumatra, to 

 investigate the Highlands of the Bencoolen and Palembang 

 Residencies. Just . then, because of a break in the cable 

 between Anjer and Telok-betong, a Government steamer was 

 plying to keep up communication between the two stations, 

 which thu autliurities kindly allowed mo to make use of, if I 

 should choose to proceed by that way. Accordingly, a day's 

 ride in a Kahar brought me to Anjer, where I renewed my 

 acquaintance with the beautiful view obtained from the 

 verandah of the little that ivas there. Alas ! that I should 



F 



have to write was : for the cruel Krakatoa wave of dawn of the 

 23rd August, 1883, washed away the village, and with it the 

 little inn and the kind Dutch landlarly and her whole family. 

 Having crossed to Telok-betong, I proceeded after a short 

 delay across country to Rencawang at the top of the Semangka 

 Bay. As I was making for the slopes of the Besagi volcano, 

 the easiest route would have been to take steamer to Kroe, on 

 the west coast, and thence by road eastwards; but I was 



desirous of seeing the scenery and the vegetation along tlie 

 valley of the Semangka river, which, running south through 

 the Sawah Mountains, falls into the sea at the top of its own 

 bay. Although it was reported to be a very rarely followed 

 route, I decided to attempt the journey ; but it proved a more 



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