t78 The Malay ArcMiJelago. [April, 



past and present geographical relations of the various islands wliicli 

 he visited. Political and social economy, good and evil government 

 are discussed ; and although the author is not likely to find many 

 disciples in his advocacy of monopoly abroad and protection at home, 

 yet the facts noted by him even on these subjects are well worthy 

 of the consideration of practical minds. The great charm of the 

 work is its obvious truthfulness and simplicity, and if the author 

 sometimes misses opportunities (of which travellers usually avail 

 themselves with such eagerness) of appealing to the sense of wonder 

 in his readers, he inspires, on the other hand, the most implicit 

 confidence in all he says, and often afi'ords us some consolation for 

 having to read about, rather than participate in his adventures. 



After describing some of the beautiful scenery of Mount Ophir, 

 in the Malay Peninsula, he concludes his account of it by saying : — 

 " The top is a small rocky platform covered with Khododendrons 

 and other shrubs. The afternoon was clear and the view fine in its 

 way — ranges of hill and valley everywhere covered with interminable 

 forest, with ghstening rivers winding among them. In a distant 

 view a forest country is very monotonous, and no mountain I have 

 ever ascended in the tropics presents a panorama equal to that 

 from Snowdon, while the views in Switzerland are immeasurably 

 superior."* Some satisfaction, this, to the tourist at home, whose 

 means or opportunities will not allow him to visit the tropics. 



Again, let us recommend the romantic enthusiast who longs to 

 visit the court of an Eastern Eajah, and catch a glimpse of the 

 beauties who inhabit the Harem, to pause and ascertain the author's 

 experience in that way. He had an interview with a " Eajah," the 

 Queen and her daughters, and concerning the latter he says : — 



" And here I might (if I followed the Gxamj^le of most travellers) 

 launch out into a glowing description of the charms of these damsels, 

 the elegant costumes they wore, and the gold and silver ornaments 

 with which they were adorned. The jacket, or body of pm'ple gauze, 

 would figure well in sncli a description, allowing the heaving bosom 

 to be seen beneath it, while ' sparkling eyes,' and 'jetty tresses,' and 

 ' tiny feet,' might be thro\Mi in profusely. But, alas ! regard for 

 ti'uth will not permit me to expatiate too admiringly on such toiucs, 

 determined as I am to give as far as I can a true pictiire of the people 

 and places I visit. The princesses were, it is true, sufficiently good- 

 looking, yet neither tlieir persons nor their garments had that appear- 

 ance of freshness and cleanliness without which no other charms can 

 be contemplated with pleasure. Everything had a dingy and faded 

 appearance, very disagreeable and unroyal to a Em'opeau eye." f 



And, finally, it will bo pleasing to our countrymen to hear that 

 if the gigantic vegetation of the tropics has so long formed the 

 theme of the traveller's admiration, we have in our EngUsh scenery 



* Wallace, vol., i. p. 50. t Pp. 343-4. 



