456 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



ing there was a grand j^arade on tlie lawn, in front 

 of the governor's palace, of all the European and 

 native troops, numbering in all some four or five 

 thousand, but many others are stationed in small 

 bodies at various places in the interior. They were 

 organized in battalions on the French plan, and their 

 appearance and manoeuvring were very creditable. 

 There was a small mounted force, much like our 

 flying artilleiy. This, I was informed, proved to be 

 one of the most efficient parts of the army in their 

 contests with the natives — the paths in the interior 

 always being so narrow and so extremely uneven 

 that only very light cannon can be brought into use. 

 After the parade the governor, as the representative 

 of the king, received the congratulations of all the 

 officials in that region. The day ended with a grand 

 ball, to which, I may add, the mestizo belles were 

 not only invited, but came, and took as prominent 

 a part as the ladies who had the envied fortune to 

 be born in Europe. At every little post the highest 

 official receives the congi-atulations of his brother- 

 officers in similar manner, and all are required to 

 apj)ear in full dress with cocked hats. 



After having served in our own gigantic war, 

 where a sash, a pair of small shoulder-straps, a fe^\ 

 bright buttons, and a gold cord round a slouched 

 hat, were sufficient to indicate the rank of even a 

 major-general, I was quite dazzled by the brilliant 

 uniforms of even the most petty officials in the 

 Dutch service. The army officers wear epaulets, and 

 broad bands of gold lace on the pantaloons, collars, 

 and cuffs. The backs of their coats are figured 



