26 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



before this time tlie empire liad been nominally di- 

 vided, the hereditary prince being styled Susunan, 

 or " object of adoration," whose descendants now re- 

 side at Surakarta, near Solo; and a second prince, 

 who was styled Sultan, and whose descendants re- 

 side at Jokyokarta. Each receives a large annuity 

 from the Dutch Government, and keeps a great num- 

 ber of servants. Their wives are chosen from all the 

 native beauties in the land, and the engi'aving we give 

 from a photograph represents those of one of the 

 highest dignitaries in full costume, but barefoot, just 

 as they dress themselves on festive occasions to dance 

 before their lord and his assembled guests. 



The next day when the sea-breeze came, about 

 one o'clock, we sailed up through the many islands 

 of this part of the coast of Java. They are all very 

 low and flat, and covered with a short, dense shrub- 

 beiy, out of which rise the tall cocoa-nut palm and 

 the waringin or Indian fig. This green foliage is 

 only separated from the sea by a narrow beach of 

 ivory-white coral sand, which reflects the bright light 

 of the noonday sun until it becomes positively daz- 

 zling. Where the banks are muddy, mangi'ove-trees 

 are seen below high-water level, holding on to the 

 soft earth with hundi^eds of branching rootlets, as if 

 trying to claim as land what really is the dominion 

 of the sea. 



This dense vegetation is one of the great charac- 

 teristics of these tropical islands ; and the constantly 

 varied grouping of the palms, mangroves, and other 

 trees, and the iiTegular contour and relief of the 

 shores, afford an endless series of exquisite views. 



