400 DESCRIPTION OF BATAVIA CHAP, xvn 



in our English gardens, but like all the rest most elegant in 

 their fragrance. (6) Sv/ndal malam (Polianthes tuberosa), 

 our English tuberose ; this flower is considerably smaller, 

 as well as more mildly fragrant than ours in Europe. The 

 Malay name signifies "intriguer of the night," from a 

 rather pretty idea. The heat of the climate here allows few 

 or no flowers to smell in the day ; and this especially from 

 its want of smell and modest white array, seems not at all 

 desirous of admirers ; but when night comes its fragrance is 

 diffused around and attracts the attention as well as gains 

 the admiration of every passer-by. (7) Bonga tanjong 

 (Mimusops elengi) is shaped exactly like a star of seven or 

 eight rays, about half an inch in diameter ; it is of a yellowish 

 colour, and like its fellows has a modest agreeable smell ; but 

 it is chiefly used to make a contrast with the mulatti in 

 the wreaths which the ladies here wear in their hair, and 

 this it does very prettily. 



Besides these there are in private gardens many other 

 sweet flowers, which are not in sufficient plenty to be 

 brought to market, as Cape jasmine, several sorts of Arabian 

 jasmine, though none so sweet as the common, etc. etc. 

 They also make a mixture of several of these flowers and 

 leaves of a plant called pandang (Pandanus\ chopped 

 small, with which they fill their hair and clothes, etc. 

 But their great luxury is in strewing their beds full of this 

 mixture and flowers ; so that you sleep in the midst of 

 perfumes, a luxury scarcely to be expressed or even con- 

 ceived in Europe. 



Before I leave the productions of this country I cannot 

 help saying a word or two about spices, though in reality 

 none but pepper is a native of the island of Java, and but 

 little even of that. Of pepper, however, I may say that, 

 large as the quantities of it are that are annually imported 

 into Europe, little or none is used in this part of the Indies. 

 Capsicum or cayenne pepper, as it is called in Europe, has 

 almost totally supplied its place. As for cloves and nutmegs, 

 the monopoly of the Dutch has made them too dear to be 

 plentifully used by the Malays, who are otherwise very fond 



