ONRUST ISLAND. 351 



^ rich and beautiful appearance, as the setting sun 

 cast its rays over the landscape. Occasionally 

 the thatched Javanese habitations became visible, 

 peeping from beneath a canopy of wood. Most 

 Malay villages are buried amidst the foliage of 

 tropical fruit and other trees, which form a cool 

 and agreeable shelter ; but such situations can- 

 not be regarded as conducive to health. 



After a tedious passage since making the Island 

 of Java, we passed " Onrust Island," which is 

 the marine depot, where ships are hove down 

 and repaired ; there are some neat buildings 

 erected upon it, with rows of trees before them, 

 in the usual Dutch style : but silence reigned ; 

 there was no bustle ; and the black countenances 

 of two sepoys were all the human beings visible. 

 We anchored in Batavia Roads on the 21st ; and 

 the scene before us was a low wooded coast, lofty 

 mountains in the distance ; a few tiled houses, 

 or native huts, scattered among the trees ; and 

 an extensive jetty, which is erecting on each side 

 of the river : the town being built on a swamp, 

 and planted with trees, was entirely concealed 

 from the shipping in the roadstead.* 



* Some ships, seeking freights, anchor outside the roads, 

 by which it seems the port charges are saved ; and then an- 

 chor in the roadstead, if they consider there is a sufficient 

 inducement for them to remain at this port. 



