VII.] BIMA. 147 



all winds, and the town, placed on its eastern shore, is of course 

 provided with its little fort and large flagstaff — two objects that in 

 our subsequent wanderings among these islands we found, together 

 with low white bungalows, gin and bitters, Manila cheroots, and 

 complete ennui, to be the leading characteristics of a Dutch settle- 

 ment in Malaysia. The country round the entrance to the bay 

 was as parched and dusty-looking as that in the vicinity of Sum- 

 bawa, but as we steamed down the narrow fjord-like inlet every 

 little cove revealed itself as an oasis of coco palms in the desert 

 around. Two forts, each as large as a good-sized room, guard the 

 narrowest part, which is hardly more than a quarter of a mile in 

 breadth. They were unoccupied, but a few rusty old cannon peeped 

 out of the embrasures. Beyond these narrows the bay expands to 

 a considerable size ; to the west a fine range of mountains, 6000 

 feet in height, shuts it in, and southward, seven miles away, some 

 dark blue, Scotch-looking. hills indicate its farthest limits. 



The town is placed on a flat, which in the west monsoon be- 

 comes a swamp, and hence fever, generally of a severe type, is 

 prevalent, more especially on the advent of the rains. We got 

 ashore with some difficulty, — for a mud-bank with an inch or two 

 of water on it makes landing anywhere opposite the town an 

 impossibility, — and paid our respects to Mr. Diepenhorst, the 

 Resident. He welcomed us with such evident pleasure that it 

 expressed, better than any words could have, the monotony of the 

 life he led. He talked English fluently, and had not been away 

 from civilisation long enough to have lost his interest in the world's 

 affairs. His house was entirely open in front, with no other 

 security than blinds, yet he assured us that he felt perfectly secure, 

 and had never lost any of his property. He accounted for it by 

 the fact of there being only tliree Cliinese in Bima, but the 700 

 Klings who were said to be settled in the district must have been 

 of unusually immaculate character. Mr. Diepenhorst estimated 

 the entire population of the island at about 70,000, of which 5000 

 live in Bima. About the same number, the Sultan had informed 



