232 RAIL TO SOERAKARTA. 



four posts, an open gallery above, and a pretty roof 

 generally ending in a carved dragon. The neatness 

 of tlieir houses is also conspicuous, as the concave 

 outline of the pitched roof is usually ornamented with 

 a border of coloured tiles. 



Samarang has a large trade, it being the port of 

 tlie principal agricultural provinces of the island, 

 notably of the " Kadoe," the beauty and fertility of 

 which, and other favourite districts, is apt to create 

 a not very unnatural regret that the island, after 

 having been subject to British rule for the space of 

 five years, from 1811 to 1816, under the able Gover- 

 nor, Sir Stamford Raffles, had to be restored to the 

 Dutch, to whose energy, in a great measure, no doubt, 

 Java owes her m.aterial prosperity. 



There is a short railway of barely fifty miles run- 

 ning between Samarang and Soerakarta, but, owing 

 to its gradual ascent, four hours are consumed in 

 reaching the latter. The country through which we 

 passed by this route is fertile throughout, and the 

 scenery, especially where we approached the hilly 

 region, became very picturesque. Tlie rice fields and 

 acaciae near the coast soon made room for the cocoa- 

 nut, the palmyra, and the areca palms, the tulip tree 

 {Liriode7idron tulipifera) covered with flowers ; also 

 the dragon tree [Draccena draco), some with straight 



