50 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



here as elsewliere by tlie Dutcli Government, is a 

 large cathedral-like building, finished in the interior 

 in an octagonal form. One side is occupied by the 

 pulpit, another by the organ, and the others are for 

 the congregation. At the time I entered, the pastor 

 was lecturing in a conversational but earnest manner 

 to some twenty Malays and Chinese, gathered around 

 him. At the close of his exhortation he shook hands 

 with each in the most cordial manner. 



From this church I went to the Mohammedan 

 mosque, a square pagoda-like structure, with three 

 roofs, one above the other, and each being a little 

 smaller than the one beneath it. It was Friday, the 

 Mohammedan Sabbath, and large numbers were 

 coming to pay their devotions to the false prophet, 

 for his is the prevailing religion in this land. By 

 the gate in the wall enclosing the mosque were a well 

 and a huge stone tank, where all the faithful per- 

 formed the most scrupulous ablutions before proceed- 

 ing to repeat the required parts of the Koran. It 

 was pleasant to see that at least they believed and 

 practised the maxim that " cleanliness is next to 

 godliness." From the gate I walked up an inclined 

 terrace to the large doorway, and at once saw, from 

 the troubled expression on the faces of those who 

 were kneeling on their straw mats outside the build- 

 ing, that I had committed some impropriety; and 

 one answered my look of inquiry by pointing to my 

 feet. I had forgotten that I was treading on " holy 

 ground," and had therefore neglected " to put off my 

 shoes." Opposite the entrance is usually a niche, 

 and on one side of this a kind of throne, but what 



